The Pittsburgh City Council voted 6-2 to approve a 20% property tax increase as part of a $693.2 million spending plan for 2026.
WESA reports the budget proposal raises the city’s property tax rate from 8.06 mills to 9.67 mills. This increases the city’s property tax burden by $161 a year for a $100,000 property, effective in 2026. Tax hike supporters said this will raise roughly $28.3 million next year.
The spending plan, which was passed yesterday in a rare weekend session, is higher than the $678 million budget originally proposed by Mayor Ed Gainey. The tax hike is also smaller than a 30% increase proposed by Councilor Barbara Warwick.
Gainey has 10 days to decide whether to accept or veto the spending plan; the measure becomes law if he neither signs nor vetoes it. Jake Pawlak, Gainey’s top budget official, said the administration found the 20% hike “significant,” adding the mayor will make a full response on the issue early this week.
