Proposed Pittsburgh 2017 Budget: No Tax Increase; Large Improvements (high crime, home)

[SteelCityRising]

I must say I'm absolutely thrilled by the mayor's budget proposal for 2017! Due to continuously increasing revenues the mayor is planning to be able to hold the line on taxes while hiring many new police officers, hiring more paramedics, hiring more firefighters, paving more streets, installing more bike lanes, and increasing the amount of high-technology in city assets.

What do others think?

Proposed Pittsburgh budgets would increase city police, EMTs, and resurfacing | TribLIVE

As a member of the city's police department I can say that the dramatic increase in police staffing will be very welcomed! Helping to make this city safer can only help to further accelerate its renaissance in the coming years as fewer suburbanites balk at the notion of city living due to "high crime".

I have to say while it's a bit disconcerting to see my neighborhood transforming from K-Cars and Dodge Shadows to BMWs and Lexuses over the past six years it's a very welcome change if all of those deep pockets are helping to fund a much better city without a tax increase!

[Merge]

Meh. Nobody cares about your good news, scr. If you can work in an "urban youth gone wild" theme though, you might be able to stretch this to a few hundred replies.
Seriously though... good ol' bicycle Bill!

[tyovan4]

"Budget Director Sam Ashbaugh said the city has a $707,000 federal grant that will permit an additional 15 officers, increasing the total to 907."

- How long is the grant for? And does the city intend to keep that staffing number permanent, or is this a one-time surge due to huge amounts of pending retirements?


- And is there any new money that's been found to correct the insulting contract that was offered to the police? Those guys were being given what amounted to a paycut, which struck me as ridiculous.

[pman]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

"Budget Director Sam Ashbaugh said the city has a $707,000 federal grant that will permit an additional 15 officers, increasing the total to 907."

- How long is the grant for? And does the city intend to keep that staffing number permanent, or is this a one-time surge due to huge amounts of pending retirements?


- And is there any new money that's been found to correct the insulting contract that was offered to the police? Those guys were being given what amounted to a paycut, which struck me as ridiculous.

Are you saying there needs to be a tax hike to pay police more?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by pman

Are you saying there needs to be a tax hike to pay police more?

Anybody who suggested a tax increase in Pittsburgh would be committing political suicide. The way it stands now because the urban core of the city is gentrifying more rapidly than the outer portions of the city are sharting the bed revenues are increasing naturally, which means more investments can be made in a better future for the city while holding the line on taxes. I, for one, would be more than happy to also pay a nominal tax increase to make things even better, though. The road resurfacing budget ought to be doubled. Perhaps it's okay that the police officers effectively won't be getting a raise for years if their per capita workload will be decreasing via all of the new hires helping to divvy up cases better. If I was an officer I'd be okay with a salary freeze if it was accompanied with lower stress levels because I'd be doing a few less calls per shift, which would mean I could devote that much more time to each call I DO respond to.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Anybody who suggested a tax increase in Pittsburgh would be committing political suicide. The way it stands now because the urban core of the city is gentrifying more rapidly than the outer portions of the city are sharting the bed revenues are increasing naturally, which means more investments can be made in a better future for the city while holding the line on taxes. I, for one, would be more than happy to also pay a nominal tax increase to make things even better, though. The road resurfacing budget ought to be doubled. Perhaps it's okay that the police officers effectively won't be getting a raise for years if their per capita workload will be decreasing via all of the new hires helping to divvy up cases better. If I was an officer I'd be okay with a salary freeze if it was accompanied with lower stress levels because I'd be doing a few less calls per shift, which would mean I could devote that much more time to each call I DO respond to.

The cops want paid. If they want less stress they'll work in the burbs.

[jea6321]

Originally Posted by erieguy

The cops want paid. If they want less stress they'll work in the burbs.

burbs cops typically make more than city cops, so not sure your point there?

[Goinback2011]

When the "federal grant " goes away, do the cops hired with that money get fired?

[safak]

im not comfortable with no tax increase at all, i really feel i owe a little more. i guess donations are going to go up in my household, we really take home too much of our pay at this point.

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by safak

im not comfortable with no tax increase at all, i really feel i owe a little more. i guess donations are going to go up in my household, we really take home too much of our pay at this point.

I assume this is tongue in cheek. I don't know exactly what my overall tax burden is, but I know that it is pretty awful. I don't think I can support an increase unless it is associated with paying for something major, such as a light rail expansion. And in that case, the Port Authority better be getting its fair share from the state, too.

It might be easy for some to say they'd bear more, but when it feels like close to half your pay goes to taxes, and you know that the wealthy aren't paying them only the income earners, it becomes a tough pill to swallow.