Pittsburgh City Council Regular Meeting - April 28, 2026

The Pittsburgh City Council held its regular meeting on April 28, 2026, at 10:00 AM in Council Chambers with all nine members present. The meeting featured proclamations, a will of council supporting fair streaming pay for musicians, public comment, introduction of new legislation, and final passage of numerous resolutions and ordinances. A notable 8-1 vote occurred on a capital budget amendment.

Consent Calendar (Unanimous Approvals)

• Proclamations: Declared April 28, 2026 as "Take a Father to School Day" (agenda text erroneously referenced 2025), "Richard Steigerwald Day" (May 2, 2026), "Ronnie 'RD' Dunlap Day", and "Randy Frankel Day".
• Will of Council 2026-0423: Adopted a resolution supporting the Living Wage for Musicians Act to ensure musicians receive at least one cent per stream from digital streaming services, calling on Congress to act during the 2027 session. A representative from the Pittsburgh United Musicians Alliance spoke in favor.
• Final Passage of Multiple Resolutions (all 9-0): Included warrants for litigation settlements and professional services; acceptance of a $300,000 donation from Laborer’s District Council for youth sports scoreboards; a $300,000 grant from Pirates Charities for youth baseball/softball field upgrades; grant applications for Emerald View Park Tree Implementation ($500,000 total), Three Rivers Heritage Trail repaving ($500,000 total), Fort Pitt Park Renovation ($1,000,000 total), and Allegheny Riverfront Trail Connectivity Planning ($100,000 total); a $5 million grant agreement with the University of Pittsburgh; a construction inspection contract for the RAISE grant ($1,116,034.87); amendments for Smithfield Street reconstruction projects; the Pittsburgh Partnership Employment Program ($320,000); the EARN program ($3,828,594); a contract with InsightSoftware LLC ($5,499.90); and several land transfers and acquisitions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Bethany Cameron (InformUp.org) presented a community survey of 104 readers: 43% prioritized boosting Pittsburgh’s national reputation for large events like the NFL Draft; 40% wanted University of Pittsburgh grant funds spread equally across categories; 76% supported dedicated annual funding for youth athletic field maintenance.
• Eunique Brown (resident of 715 Mercer Street) expressed frustration with council’s response to her concerns, alleging favoritism toward white constituents and lack of accountability. She referenced her daughter’s previous testimony and called for action.
• A senior resident (former school guard) highlighted hardships faced by her grandchildren (waking at 5:30 AM, standing in cold) and urged men to patrol school buses and downtown areas. She expressed gratitude that the "Take a Father to School" group had agreed to help.
• Dr. Ronald Miller spoke about jazz, improvisation, and concerns regarding brain-body imagery.
• One speaker (identifying with a missing child case) delivered a religious message and criticized the city for blocking her performances.

Discussion Items

• Final Passage of Bill 2026-0320 (Capital Budget Amendment): Councilwoman Deborah Gross explained her no vote. The resolution transfers $400,000 from FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS - RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTERS (previously allocated to Bloomfield’s Rec and Senior Center) to REMEDIATION OF CONDEMNED BUILDINGS. She stated the CDBG funds must be moved immediately to avoid forfeiture, but the Bloomfield center has been closed for decades and the neighborhood had built consensus around restoring it. She pledged to work with the administration to find other city funds. The bill passed 8-1.

Key Outcomes

• Bill 2026-0320 passed 8-1 (Councilwoman Gross voting no).
• All other bills on final action passed 9-0.
• New Legislation Introduced and Referred: Ordinance 2026-0427 (Housing Data Dashboard renumbering) to Committee on Innovation, Performance, Asset Management, and Technology; Resolution 2026-0408 (RouteSmart contract amendment) to same committee; Resolutions 2026-0409–2026-0413 (sewer plan, conservancy agreement, Smithfield water reimbursement, Land Bank acquisitions in Wards 12 and 15) to Intergovernmental and Educational Affairs; Resolutions 2026-0414–2026-0418 (railroad crossing, Homewood Park contract, Sheraden Park design, Smithfield construction, North Avenue right-of-way) to Public Works and Infrastructure; Resolution 2026-0420 (litigation settlement warrant) to Finance and Law; Resolution 2026-0419 (Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy reimbursement) to Recreation, Youth, and Senior Services; Ordinance 2026-0426 (real estate tax exemptions for Northside buildings) to Finance and Law with a public hearing scheduled for June 22, 2026.
• Executive Session: Scheduled for 1:00 PM on April 28, 2026, regarding Bill 2026-0420.
• Next Meeting: Standing committee meeting on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 10:00 AM.