Pgh Councilman Wants Fiscal Reform

Pittsburgh City Councilman Ricky Burgess wants city government to refine its process of imbursing capital funds.

Councilman Burgess introduced legislation today which would create an interdepartmental committee that would decide where capital is directed over a six-year period. He says that time period would account for about $250 million in city funds.

He says the bill leaves room for flexibility because the six-year plan would be reviewed annually to account for new developments.

Burgess says the bill is necessary because some neighborhoods are short-changed.

“The paving certainly is the one example that we can prove statistically, that over the last five years, those people living in [Community Development Block Grant]-eligible communities have been receiving consistently less than their fair share of paving,” says Burgess.

He noted that this six-year plan is actually required by the city’s charter and Act 47.

The committee charged with overseeing the Capital Improvement Plan would also redefine criteria for grant eligibility. Burgess says all its actions would be public.

The Councilman says he wants the legislation passed by the end of June, in time for the next fiscal year.