Allegheny County Council Public Hearing on 2026 Budgets - November 6, 2025
Allegheny County Council Public Hearing on 2026 Operating and Capital Budgets - November 6, 2025
The first of three public hearings on the 2026 operating and capital budgets was held on November 6, 2025. The council heard presentations from the Controller's Office, the District Attorney's Office, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT). No public commenters were present, as the three individuals who signed up did not attend.
Public Comments & Testimony
- None. Three individuals signed up for public comment (English Burton, Edward Wren, Jacob Pohl) but were not present when called.
Controller's Office Presentation
- Controller Corey O'Connor presented a budget request of $8.8 million for 89 full-time positions (a decrease from 94 in the previous year). Key accomplishments included: implementing debit card payments for foster care, family caregivers, and senior care companions; paying poll workers and constables with debit cards for the March 2025 special election; performing in-house audits saving $100,000 (single audit) and $10,000 (health department Title V Air Quality Fund); completing seven hotel audits in 2025, recovering over $17,000 in VAC taxes; and auditing the 911 call center and Department of Human Services.
- Council members asked about the reduction in personnel (from 94 to 89). Controller O'Connor explained that cross-training and continuous education allowed staff to fill multiple roles, reducing the need for additional positions. He noted that the $140,000 discrepancy between the request and the allocation was for technology and open positions that were not filled due to efficiencies.
- Councilman Macy raised concerns about conditions at Kane Hospital (crumbling walls, plumbing issues) and the use of local contractors. Controller O'Connor responded that his office's construction division conducts inspections to ensure work meets specifications, and that local contractor consideration is part of the RFP process.
- Councilwoman Villiagi praised the office for reducing contracted services, which helps the county's pension plan. The controller acknowledged efforts to bring contracted employees in-house.
District Attorney's Office Presentation
- District Attorney Becky Spangler presented, emphasizing chronic understaffing and high turnover. She reported that the office is on track to file 10,000 additional criminal informations in 2025. Key challenges include: a constant churn of attorneys leaving after 5-8 years for better pay and work-life balance; increasing volumes of digital evidence (body cam, dash cam, surveillance) that require extensive review and redaction, leading to case delays; and the inability to cover all courtrooms with the current staffing level, especially with the addition of three new judges while being budgeted for four fewer attorneys.
- Spangler noted that the office's budget request was $3.2 million more than the allocation. She stated that 80% of costs are personnel, and additional funding would allow hiring more attorneys and support staff. She also highlighted the need for a digital evidence coordinator.
- Council members asked about attrition rates. Spangler did not have a specific percentage, but Councilman Grisbeck requested a post-hearing submission of the attrition rate. Councilman Grisbeck also noted that without a tangible number, it's difficult to assess the claim of high attrition.
- Councilman Macy discussed bail recommendations and the challenge of predicting human behavior. Spangler clarified that the office does not recommend cash bail and works with pretrial services for alternatives like house arrest.
- Councilwoman Nakaray Jackis asked about the planned elder and care dependent persons abuse unit and pretrial detention for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Spangler explained that the unit would mirror child abuse protocols and seek state funding, and that the pretrial detention issue is being addressed with alternative housing facilities.
- Councilwoman Hallam asked about a $425,000 settlement for a malicious prosecution case. Spangler stated the office was not a party to the settlement and does not track such costs.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) Presentation
- CEO Catherine Kelleman and CFO Dominica Brown presented PRT's budget. PRT is using a state waiver to transfer capital funds to cover operating gaps for the next two years, resulting in a ~15% reduction in the capital plan over five years. No service cuts or fare increases are planned. The operating budget is $572 million (up from $540 million), primarily due to normalization of pension contributions after a one-year reprieve.
- Kelleman stressed that safety and security projects are not affected. The capital plan reduction will defer some projects (e.g., new articulated buses) but not critical infrastructure.
- PRT is undergoing a bus line redesign, with 97 community meetings and 12,000 comments received. The next phase will seek feedback on proposed changes. The fleet is being reduced from 700 buses to about 470, reflecting changed commuting patterns post-pandemic.
- Council members asked about state funding advocacy. Kelleman urged council to encourage large employers (e.g., Giant Eagle, Eat'n Park) to advocate for transit funding in Harrisburg. She noted that PRT generates $4 for every $1 invested.
- Councilwoman DeFazio asked about tap-to-pay with credit cards. Kelleman confirmed it will be available by summer 2026, including Apple Pay and account-based ticketing.
- Councilman Ife asked about public-private partnerships. Kelleman said they are possible but unlikely to cover a significant portion of the operating budget; the most promising is rebuilding the Pennsylvanian as a downtown hub.
Key Outcomes
- No votes were taken; this was a public hearing to gather information.
- The council will continue the budget hearing process with additional departments.
- The District Attorney's Office agreed to provide a post-hearing submission of the attrition rate.
- PRT will continue to seek state funding solutions and engage with council members for advocacy.
- The next public hearings on the 2026 budgets are scheduled for future dates.
Meeting Transcript
That's good idea. Four o'clock, let's go. Well, if you sit down, we go. You don't have to wait. Let's get this. Good evening. Tonight we begin the first of our three public hearings on the 2026 operating and capital budgets. We'll hear from the controller's office, PRT, and the District Attorney's Office. When we get to the QA portion, I'd like the members to please only ask a few questions at a time to give everyone a chance. And we'll come back for additional questions if time permits. We'll begin this evening with individuals who signed up for the public comment. First is English Burton. English Burton is not here. Edward Wren. That's not here. Jacob Pohl. So much for signing up. First, we will bring up Controller O'Connor and his staff, and Mayor Lector Connor, congratulations. Thank you very much. You guys, counsel. It's good to see you again. Thank you guys very much. And I'm with uh my deputy Amy Wise. Um and I will go through our statement here. Um be pointing them out the my whole controller staff who came with me as well. Um I would like to talk to you about the mission of the controller's office and its obligation to the residents of Allegheny County. We are committed to promoting innovation, transparency, efficiency, and accountability in county government. We record all revenue and expenditures and provide oversight of the county's operations services spending and contracts. By promoting transparency and accountability and building confidence in our government, we work to protect taxpayer dollars and the services on which our residents rely. This year's budget request is $8.8 million for 89 full-time budgeted positions. Although the allocation is below our initial budget request, we believe that this is an appropriate for us to still be able to perform our statutory duties. Uh, thanks to the oversight that they provide. The accounting division, particularly the accounts payable section, began working with the Department of Human Services to implement a new service to providers to make foster care, family caregivers, and senior care companions debit card payments. This enables them to get paid a lot quicker and to use a new debit card service. The controller's office successfully paid all poll workers and constables who worked the March 2025 special election with debit cards. This has reduced the county's cost. It's reduced the amount of hours that our office works on mailing out printed pay uh paychecks, and we also demoed it in certain areas throughout the fall general election. Finally, the accounting division will support the treasurer's office in its selection and implementation of new banking services as they relate to the JD Edwards operations. I would like to recognize STARI, who was very supportive and helpful on the paying of debit cards to our poll workers. The auditing division, our office ensures that the county is achieving honest, efficient management, and full accountability in every aspect of government. This division performs financial audits, performance audits, all completed in accordance with government auditing standards. The auditing division is peer-reviewed, a distinction achieved by very few government auditing operations. In addition to providing recommendations to the county on how we operate more effectively, the auditing department works, work produces savings for Allegheny County as well. We perform our single audit in-house, which saves roughly 100,000. The auditing division also performs the health department's Title V Air Quality Fund audit in-house, which saves us $10,000. And this year, we did seven hotel audits completed in 2025, found more than $17,000 owed in VAC taxes to the county. Furthermore, the hotel audits are no longer being contracted out. We have now brought that internally thanks to our office as well as a partnership with the Treasurer's Office. We also did an audit on the 911 call center, and we just completed an audit on the Department of Human Services to ensure that it is following regulations as well as key internal policies and procedures regarding mental health and drug and alcohol programs. I would like to thank uh Lori from our audit division who has been with us for a quite some time.
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