The City of Pittsburgh is suing several fire apparatus manufacturing companies, citing a monopoly on truck parts.<\/p>\n
City officials on Monday afternoon said the antitrust lawsuit alleges that the companies are lessening competition, reducing output, causing a shortage of apparatuses, delaying deliveries and raising prices.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh officials said the lawsuit is designed to protect taxpayers who are forced to pay more on the local and national levels because of the increased costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire always shows up when help is needed and it\u2019s our commitment to provide proper equipment to our firefighters, provide emergency services to our communities and ensure our taxpayers\u2019 dollars are being invested properly,\u201d Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O\u2019Connor said. \u201cBy hiking prices for trucks and replacement parts without competition, the defendants have made it harder for the City of Pittsburgh and other municipalities across the country to make the required investments in lifesaving safety services and put the burden back on our communities.\u201d <\/p>\n
Pittsburgh firefighters\u2019 union president Ralph Sicuro expressed support for the lawsuit, saying the issue is also a matter of community safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the cost of essential fire apparatus is artificially increased, every community pays the price. We support the City\u2019s efforts to pursue accountability and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent fairly, transparently and in a competitive marketplace,\u201d Sicuro said.<\/p>\n
Officials said the lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Wisconsin\u2019s Green Bay Division because that is where multiple of the companies named in the lawsuit are located. <\/p>\n
The press release shared by Pittsburgh officials on Monday did not name the companies in the lawsuit. Channel 11 is working to learn more and will provide updates once that information is available.<\/p>\n
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