MAYOR ED GAINEY RELEASES PRELIMINARY BUDGET FOR 2025 FISCAL YEAR

The 2025 budget reflects the first year that federal American Rescue Plan Act funding cannot be used to support general government operations. It also reflects the continued downward trend in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations to cities. Because the budget looks several years into the future, the Gainey Administration has anticipated that 2025 and 2026 would be lean fiscal years since 2022. 

The budget proposal continues efforts to rebalance public safety services between police, civilians, and social workers, decreasing the target number of sworn police officers to 800 while adding 16 civilian employees to the Bureau of Police (PBP) and 10 social workers to the Office of Community Health & Safety (OCHS). New police civilian positions will allow sworn police officers currently assigned to administrative tasks to return to patrol and investigations, while increased OCHS staffing will expand the co-response program to all zones and all shifts, ensuring that responses to mental and social health crises are addressed by appropriately trained professionals rather than continuing to drain on police resources and time. 

“This budget demonstrates my Administration’s responsible stewardship of this City’s finances. We remain truthful and transparent about our financial trajectory while we continue to make Pittsburgh a place where everyone who wants to call this great city home is able to,” said Mayor Ed Gainey. “This budget is just the first step to ensuring that our city remains on a course of fiscal stability and responsibility – that is what the public and our city deserve.” 

Notable highlights include: 

• Bridge Maintenance: Operating investment maintained at $1.1 million 

• Traffic Calming: The Neighborhood Traffic Calming program has been fully funded for the second year in a row 

• Traffic Management Program: $1.2 million added to cover the costs of the Automated Red Light Enforcement program, as well as the addition of a new position that will oversee the buildout of a smart traffic management program 

• Street Resurfacing: Increased investment by $3.3 million to $20.3 million 

• Demolition: Increased investment by $1.8 million 

• Freedom House EMT Training Academy: Funding is included to continue the second year of the program 

• Anti-Litter Inspectors: Added 8 additional inspectors aimed toward producing a cleaner city for all 

• Plumbing Maintenance Foreman: Addition of this position will allow current employees to assist with plumbing jobs while working towards industry accreditation 

• Lot Coordinators: Added 3 additional positions to staff waste transfer stations and public drop-off points 

• Decrease in Departmental Bottom-Line Savings: The Administration is reflecting decreases in the budgets for the Office of the Mayor and the Office of Management and Budget in comparison to 2024 

“I look forward to engaging with communities across the city to make the case for this proposal and working with City Council to adopt this budget,” Mayor Gainey added. “Together, we will ensure that Pittsburgh becomes a city for all.” 

View the Administration’s preliminary budgets online: 

2025 Capital Budget and Six Year Plan 

2025 Operating Budget and Five Year Plan 

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Deputy Mayor Pawlak and Chief Financial Officer Cornell will be available for a media gaggle on the FY 2025 Preliminary Budget at 4:00 PM via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/96224678315?pwd=IkNd1oCBJWFo7F2JasHha96CQHK9eH.1