Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald recently presented his seventh proposed budget and the 2019 Comprehensive Fiscal Plan to County Council.
The $932.4 million budget represents a $26.6 million, or 2.9 percent increase, compared to last year. The balanced annual operating and capital budgets were proposed with no increase in the property tax millage rate.
“I’m very proud that we have been able to hold the line on property taxes for so long which has, in turn, encouraged growth and supported an economic vitality that continues to provide opportunities in our county,” Fitzgerald said. “For the first time in 35 years, both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s have rated the county as a very low credit risk. This budget continues those efforts and is focused on investing in areas that improve our overall quality of life – improving our parks, strengthening our infrastructure, and providing resources and services that the residents of this county need to improve their own lives.”
The proposed capital budget totals $111.2 million and includes 56 different infrastructure and capital improvement projects, continued investment in the restoration of the courthouse, a roads program, funding for work on bridges and increased funding for landslide and lateral support repairs.
County Council will hold budget hearings on the proposed budgets in the coming months. The county’s Home Rule Charter requires that Council adopt balanced annual operating and capital budgets 25 days before the end of the fiscal year.