2026-0859: Communication from City Controller Rachael Heisler submitting a Special Report on the Parks Trust Fund Follow-Up: Challenges and Opportunities at Year Five, dated September 2026.

Description

Communication from City Controller Rachael Heisler submitting a Special Report on the Parks Trust Fund Follow-Up: Challenges and Opportunities at Year Five, dated September 2026.

Summary

Pittsburgh’s 2019 voter-approved Parks Tax is a 0.5-mill real estate levy dedicated to parks. The Controller’s five-year review reports $46.9 million collected through 2025 and $31.7 million allocated for capital projects, including 26 completed improvements and upgraded maintenance vehicles. It also identifies overestimated revenues, allocations exceeding collections by nearly $3 million, rising Parks Tax-funded staffing, idle capital funds, inconsistent project documentation, and limited public tracking. The report recommends a Parks Tax Commission to coordinate stakeholders, set long-term and equity-based priorities, publish data, and advise on budgets; studying interest-bearing accounts for idle funds; and standardizing before-and-after project photos. Final spending authority would remain with the Mayor, OMB, and City Council.