Pittsburgh City Council Budget Hearing: Mayor's Office FY26 (Dec 9, 2025)

On December 9, 2025, the Pittsburgh City Council Committee on Hearings and Policy held a budget hearing to review the Office of the Mayor's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and strategic priorities. City officials, including Chief of Staff Kyle Chintilopoli and Deputy Chief of Staff Felicia Williams, presented a summary of key accomplishments from 2025, including the ADA Transition Plan, the Regional Disparity Study, and procurement modernization. They addressed a proposed budget reduction of approximately $3.3 million, largely explained as the result of transferring 15 positions to other departments rather than eliminating them, aligning the office's size with pre-2023 levels. The hearing concluded with a Q&A session covering funding for the disparity study, the status of the 311 operation, and the Mayor's absence from the hearing.

Consent Calendar

• No items were presented for the Consent Calendar.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Felicity Williams (Deputy Chief of Staff): Expressed pride in the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs' achievement of a three-star rating from Welcoming America, noting the office had successfully moved from a two-star rating through internal partnership. She emphasized that the certification looks at the broader ecosystem, including partners like PPS and Allegheny County.
• Kyle Chintilopoli (Chief of Staff): Stated that the office has completed approximately 75% of the ADA Transition Plan self-assessment and warned that future corrective actions will require integration with capital planning. He expressed full support for moving from a reactive to a proactive approach to disability rights. He also affirmed the legal necessity of the Regional Disparity Study to maintain business diversity programs under current Supreme Court precedents and federal scrutiny.
• Councilman Schlossberger: Expressed strong support and appreciation for the Office of the Mayor's work on procurement modernization, DBE accomplishments, and the ongoing regional disparity study, describing the work as "really excellent."
• Councilman Mosley: Expressed gratitude for the Mayor's team's service and partnership on economic development, the Stop the Violence Fund, and procurement efforts, noting it was a pleasure working with them.
• Councilman Sherlin: Expressed discomfort and concern regarding the Mayor's absence from his own budget hearing, noting it breaks a prior precedent where the Mayor was expected to attend, though he did not express opposition to the budget proposals.
• Councilwoman Kale Smith: Expressed a desire for more inclusive discussions involving the disabled community's voice in economic inclusion efforts, which she felt was often missing. She asked how the Office of the Mayor ensures such voices are heard in procurement processes.
• Councilman Smith (Speaker of the Council): Stated he does not want to increase taxes at all but expressed a willingness to engage in open, public conversations with residents to reduce city spending where possible to avoid tax hikes. He emphasized that public dollars are not personal accounts.

Discussion Items

• Budget Structure and Personnel: Councilwoman Kale Smith inquired about the discrepancy between noted personnel transfers (15) and the budget sheet (11). Kyle Chintilopoli clarified that the discrepancy arises from counting multiple roles or single positions split across categories. He explained that the significant $3.3 million aggregate decrease was primarily driven by transferring 15 positions to other departments (including 311) and removing city cuts for landscaping, rather than eliminating core functions.
  • Position of Councilwoman Kale Smith: Expressed skepticism regarding the transfer of the 311 team to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), questioning the logic of moving from IMP/Mayor's Office to OMB.
  • Response (Kyle Chintilopoli): Expressed the position that the move is logical because the 311 team functions as an administrative operations loop, making it suitable for the management component of the city.
• Professional Services Funding: Councilwoman Kale Smith asked why professional and technical services dropped from nearly $1 million to $57,000. Kyle Chintilopoli explained that the previous high figure included a large one-time contribution to the Pittsburgh Regional Disparity Study, which is now a completed (or ongoing multi-year funded) legal requirement not needing new budget allocations in this specific line item.
• Mayor's Absence: Councilman Sherlin questioned how the Council should interpret the Mayor not attending his own budget hearing. Kyle Chintilopoli defended the absence, stating that the Mayor serves as the city's CEO and does not attend every department hearing; his Chief of Staff and Deputy serve as the equivalent directors for this office. Councilman Smith countered that the lack of the Mayor creates an uncomfortable situation and that the Mayor, not staff, is ultimately responsible for the budget.
• Tax and Budget Accuracy: Councilman Smith asked if the Mayor believes the budget is accurate enough to avoid tax increases. Felicia Williams stated the Mayor believes the current budget delivers core services without layoffs or tax hikes but expressed willingness to engage in conversations regarding further cuts or tax increases if Council determines it necessary.
• Procurement Modernization and Legal Compliance: Councilman Sherlin asked for recommendations on fulfilling the work outlined in the disparity study and procurement modernization. Kyle Chintilopoli recommended: 1) Urgent legislative action to codify administrative policies (e.g., pre-bid requirements) into city code to protect economic inclusion programs from potential litigation under the current federal administration; 2) Convening stakeholder briefings; and 3) Ensuring partner agencies (authorities, county) adopt similar standardized, race/gender-neutral but outcome-focused criteria for job opportunities (e.g., targeting residents of high-need neighborhoods).
• Inclusivity and Diversity: Councilwoman Kale Smith asked if veterans are tracked. Felicia Williams confirmed that VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business) status is included in the disparity study and that while legal standards for veterans differ from race/gender programs, they are definitely counted. She also noted the inclusion of LGBTQBE certifications. Councilwoman Smith advocated for expanding these definitions to include geographic discrimination, which Kyle Chintilopoli confirmed is being piloted via the "Workforce Hub" focusing on residents from extreme-need neighborhoods rather than just protected classes.

Key Outcomes

• Budget Adjustment: The Mayor's Office accepted a reduction of approximately $1.7 million in personnel and $1.18 million in non-personnel costs, resulting in a total of 14 full-time positions (a decrease of 25 positions from FY25).
• Position Transfers: 15 positions were transferred to other departments, specifically noted as the 311 team moving to OMB.
• Legislative Directives: The Committee was urged to consider codifying procurement policies (such as pre-bid meeting requirements) into city code to ensure long-term legal compliance of business diversity programs.
• Study Continuation: The Office of the Mayor committed to continuing the Pittsburgh Regional Disparity Study through summer 2026 and will coordinate with Council Districts to ensure local business engagement.
• Meeting Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following the conclusion of questions and remarks.