Happy New Year and welcome to my monthly newsletter! I hope you had a great holiday season and managed to relax and recharge a bit. Please feel free to send this newsletter to anyone else you think would benefit from it, and click "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the page if you were subscribed by mistake.
County Council Highlights
2026 Allegheny County Budget (13682-25, YES) - This is one of several ordinances that adopt the Allegheny County budget for 2026. The tax rate will stay consistent at 6.43 mills, the operating budget will be $1.2 billion (which is a 1.5% increase), and the capital budget is $120 million. All budget related bills passed unanimously.
Oakland Commercial Tax Abatement (13745-25, NO) - This resolution would provide a LERTA for a property on McKee Place in Oakland. As a reminder, LERTAs provide tax abatements for the increased value of a property based on its redevelopment for a period of up to 10 years. The program is specifically intended for blighted areas or deteriorated properties to give developers incentive to improve that they otherwise would not have.
This particular LERTA is for McKee Place in Oakland to remove existing housing to build an 11-story, 227,000 sq ft apartment building that will have 159 2 and 3 bedroom units. I am fully in favor of this project, and I am glad that it will give a much needed increase in housing stock to Central Oakland, which data shows us will drive down the overall price of housing. However, this project is simply not what a LERTA is intended for. Central Oakland is one of the most desirable areas for development in Pittsburgh, and the existing properties were not deteriorated by any reasonable definition of the word.
Furthermore, there was no information given to Council indicating that the developer needed this tax abatement to make the project economically viable. As such, all available information indicated that the project would proceed regardless and approving the LERTA would only serve to provide an extra $1 million in profit to the developer at the expense of County citizens. As such, I voted no on the bill. Unfortunately, it still passed 4-9, with Councilmembers Hallam, Prizio, and Rose joining me in voting no. In the new year, I will be redoubling my efforts to amend the way we approach LERTAs so we aren't continuing to provide corporate handouts while working people foot the bill.
Our December 16th meeting was the last for Councilmembers Betkowski, Macey, and Prizio. I want to thank all of them for their service, but I will especially miss Councilwoman Prizio, whose commitment to combatting pollution and preserving our air quality here in Allegheny County was second to none.
County Council Meeting Summaries
Around District 5
I had a blast participating in the Allegheny/Fayette County Central Labor Council’s yearly Stuff-a-Bus toy drive! It’s a tremendous yearly tradition that does so much to support union families in need.
I want to wish a heartfelt congratulations to my friend Dan Miller on his election to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Dan has made an immeasurable impact on the South Hills over the years, and I know he will continue to do so as a Judge.
Dormont and Mt. Lebanon, alongside Chabad of the South Hills and some of our local synagogues, put together two beautiful Hanukkah celebrations this past month. Thank you especially to Mt. Lebanon residents Bryan Neft, Eva Gelman, Stacey Reibach, and Charlene Tissenbaum who worked tirelessly to make Mt. Lebanon’s menorah lighting a reality.
In light of the terrible act of antisemitism that occurred just prior in Australia, it is celebrations like these that illustrate the incredible strength and endurance of the Jewish community, and show how they will continue to persevere.
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