Late Tuesday evening, Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration quietly released the first draft of the 2026 budget, which proposes no tax hikes and no layoffs, but shows the city of Pittsburgh barely breaking even next year.

The city anticipates bringing in about $680.5 million, while spending about $680 million, the 2026 operating budget shows, leaving very little room for error or extra expenses despite overspending in the first half of 2025.

City officials have long anticipated the 2026 fiscal year to be one that is leaner than recent years, based on factors such as the expected increase in debt service payments and the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds.

But falling revenue sources, increased spending and the removal of a facility usage fee by a recent court ruling all point to the

See Full Page