As Mayor Gainey unveils his final city budget, council members say they will be ready to tackle wasteful spending
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey says his final budget is a responsible one, but council members are vowing to take a knife to wasteful spending in tough financial times.
On Monday, they aimed at a controversial $6 million comprehensive plan, saying the public is being short-changed. The Gainey administration said the plan would be worth it.
"We're trying to create a shared vision that we want and need to work towards over the next 20 years," planning director Jamil Bey said.
However, after being shown what work has been done, council members said it amounts to a $6 million waste at a time when the city struggles to provide basic services.
"I would be lying if I told you it was worth $6 million. I just don't. Especially when we're struggling to put vehicles on the street," Pittsburgh City Councilman Anthony Coghill (D) said.
A year and a half ago, council members approved the funding for the plan: $3.3 million to HR&A Advisors to assemble and write the plan, and $2.6 million to Common Cause Consultants to gather public input.
"We've been busy," Bey said.
Council members took exception to Bey's assertion that surveys and public events have garnered feedback from close to 30,000 residents.
Councilman Bob Charland (D) says he hasn't seen representatives at public meetings.
"Unless they're incognito, they're not in the same places that I'm at," Charland said.
Members said the findings are boilerplate and obvious. Residents want jobs, good public transit, clean energy and more affordable housing.
Council members say the recommendations are light on specifics, questioning the more than $3 million spent on the out-of-state consultants who haven't seemed to be in town during this process.
"Where are these consultants? We've paid a lot of money to have people do this work," Councilwoman Barb Warwick (D) questioned.
Most of the money has already been spent, and it's unclear whether council can recoup the last million or two.
What is clear is that they will be scrutinizing the Gainey budget with a fine-tooth comb to eliminate any waste.