Pittsburgh shifts covid relief funding to public safety vehicles, infrastructure projects

Pittsburgh City Council voted Tuesday to reallocate millions of dollars in covid relief funding to invest in public safety vehicles, landslide remediation and infrastructure projects that are on a timeline to be completed before the funds expire.

Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act must be allocated and under contract by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.

Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak said $1.7 million will be used with additional funding to buy 60 new police cruisers, as well as fire trucks.

City Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, has led the charge for more cash for public safety vehicles. He said Tuesday that public safety and public works officials requested $24 million for vehicles in the 2023 budget, but the city budgeted $6.4 million.

Coghill said he appreciated the plan to use covid relief money for vehicles, but added that it was one-time boost to a long-term problem.

“This helps us through this year, but we are going to have to allocate money yearly,” Coghill said.

Other significant allocations included nearly $2 million for landslide remediation, $4 million for the Swisshelm Park slag heap remediation, $2 million to support the New Granada Theater project, about $1.5 million to support Mellon Square storefronts and more than $3.1 million to support the Pittsburgh Technology Center garage in South Oakland.

Council also supported moving $3.5 million in federal funds to support stabilizing vacant buildings under its purview.

Councilwoman Deb Gross, D-Highland Park, said that the Urban Redevelopment Authority owns 56 vacant properties that need to be stabilized.

Before Tuesday’s meeting, council had proposed taking away $650,000 in funding from the arts to apply to other departments. Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, D-Shadyside, submitted an amendment to maintain the arts funding, and instead move money away from community center projects that would not be ready before the federal funds expire.

Strassburger’s amendment was unanimously agreed upon. She also offered to help the mayor’s administration create an equitable plan for the arts funding.

“I know this wasn’t easy, with a budget we are always taking from something else,” Strassburger said. “Artists deserve our support.”

Some community center projects did benefit from the reallocations. The Robert E. Williams Rec Center in the Hill District received $1.5 million for upgrades, and $500,000 was allocated for upgrades at the Fowler Rec Center in Perry South.

Council has moved into summer recess and will reconvene on Aug. 25.