Councilman Wilson invites Northsiders to share their thoughts on the City’s 2022 Capital and Operating Budgets: “A capital budget project is like replacing your roof, while an operating budget project is like paying a landscaper to cut your grass.”

Photo: Office of Councilman Wilson

Hello District One!

As we move into the summer, my office is eager to hear your thoughts on the capital and operating budgets that the City of Pittsburgh will fund next year. You can start by engaging with the City’s 2022 Budget engagement platform at https://engage.pittsburghpa.gov/2022budgets. As you start looking into these budgets, just keep in mind that a capital budget project is like replacing your roof, while an operating budget project is like paying a landscaper to cut your grass.

Capital projects seek to use taxpayer dollars to design, build, restore, or purchase any property that is expected to provide a long-term public benefit. Capital projects can also include renovation, major repair, or reconstruction of damaged and deteriorating City assets. Capital projects should have a minimum value of $50,000 and a useful life of at least five years. Examples of capital projects include remediating landslides, constructing bridges, replacing playgrounds, and renovating community centers. I invite you to attend or catch up on the three 2022 Capital Budget Forums that will be held on Zoom and broadcasted live on YouTube this month. They will be held on:

• Tuesday, June 1 at 6 p.m. – Mobility Projects
• Wednesday, June 2 at 6 p.m. – Recreation and Facilities Projects
• Tuesday, June 8 at 6 p.m. – Community and Economic Development Projects

Each of these forums will focus on a different type of capital project. Relevant department leaders from the City will be present at each forum so that Northsiders can learn more about their priorities, provide feedback, and ask questions. You can also provide feedback by completing the 2022 Capital Budget Survey before June 18, which can also be found at https://engage.pittsburghpa.gov/2022. A new feature of this survey this year is that you can now place a marker on a map to highlight a desired capital project in your neighborhood. In general, capital projects stand the best chance of being funded when there is broad and demonstrated community support. In conjunction with these public feedback opportunities, my office will also be submitting capital budget requests by July 1, 2021. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the City’s 2022 Capital Budget with my office so that we can create a budget that reflects the needs and values of the Northside.

The City of Pittsburgh is also inviting Northsiders to share their thoughts on the 2022 Operating Budget. This budget reflects the cost of providing essential services each year. These services include picking up trash and recyclables, plowing snow, paving streets, issuing permits and licenses, and maintaining parks. You can attend and participate in the Operating Budget Forum on Wednesday, June 9 at 6 p.m. This forum will also be held on Zoom and broadcasted live on YouTube. Staff from the City’s Office of Management and Budget will discuss the 2022 Operating Budget and answer residents’ questions. I also encourage you to complete the 2022 Operating Budget Survey before June 11, which can also be found at https://engage.pittsburghpa.gov/2022budgets.

If you have any questions or concerns about the City’s 2022 Capital and Operating Budgets, please feel free to email them to cip@pittsburghpa.gov and OMBoperating@pittsburghpa.gov, respectively. I also urge you to contact my office with these questions and concerns. You can call my office at 412-255-2135, email us at district1@pittsburghpa.gov, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We look forward to hearing from you!

BOBBY WILSON  

COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT 1