Bill Would Reform Pgh Capital Budget Process

Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak says her “Neighborhoods First Capital Budget Reform Act” will transform the city’s capital budget process into a six-year program.

The Councilwoman says the measure would also open public hearings on the capital budget and create a committee to find money “hidden” in projects that never got off the ground.

“For example, in my district we have a senior center that has had money in the budget for eight years, and we have a deck hockey rink that’s had money in the project for years,” says Rudiak. “And a lot of those projects haven’t gotten off the ground for various reasons that may not even be the fault of the city itself. But we actually need to actually start looking at all of these old accounts and seeing where the money is, so we can actually move them.”

Councilman Ricky Burgess proposed legislation to reform the capital budget process last month, but Rudiak says her bill contains more specific definitions and allows for more community input.