City asks for input on how to spend 2021 taxes

With a tough budget season ahead as the COVID- 19 pandemic continues, the city is asking residents for input on how they want their tax dollars spent in 2021.

“Given projections of decreased revenue in 2020 and uncertainty surrounding the COVID- 19 pandemic, input from residents is more important than ever before to ensure that the city can continue to provide critical services in an equitable manner,” according to the mayor’s office.

Pittsburgh faces a roughly $ 100 million shortfall as certain revenue streams — including parking and amusement taxes — have slowed and public safety costs have increased, according to the Peduto administration.

The mayor’s office is providing several avenues for the public to comment on the city’s operating budget, which “functions as a legal financial plan for the city,” including expenditures for all city departments, bureaus and elected officials.

The city will hold an informational forum on the operating budget via the Zoom video conferencing platform on Wednesday in which staff members from the departments of Management and Budget, Finance and Law will be present. Residents can register at https:// us02web. zoom. us/ meeting/ register/ tZ0scu- oqzsqE9P0gJyegyC9Zi6ez_ RNfBN.

The meeting will be recorded and made available on the city’s YouTube channel.

Additionally, a survey asking residents how the city should spend its operating funds will be open until Oct. 16 and can be found at engage. pittsburghpa. gov/ 2021- operatingbudget.

A budget calculator and information about budget hearings can also be found at the link.

City Council on Tuesday approved Mayor Bill Peduto’s proposal to bypass the Sept. 30 deadline for a preliminary 2021 budget. The mayor’s office will submit a budget to the legislative body in November.

Mr. Peduto in August warned of possible layoffs and has made repeated appeals in previous months to Congress and President Donald Trump regarding the need for emergency federal funding at the local level.

Of the city’s $ 608 million budget in 2020, 42.3% is allocated for salaries and wages, 33.5% for employee benefits and 9.2% to debt service. The public can send questions and comments about the 2021 budget to OMBoperating@ pittsburghpa. gov.