City Channel Pittsburgh, PA 2019 Pittsburgh City Council Meetings, 9 Dec 2019

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From YouTube: Pittsburgh City Council Public Hearing - 12/9/19

Description

Tax, Budget, & Citizen Participation

A

Hello and welcome to the Pittsburgh City Council cablecast public hearing from Monday December 9th 2019. My name is Michael Wentz and with us today is Connor litsen Berger our sign language interpreter. The public hearing will be on the following legislation: the tax budget and citizen participation, hearing on the mayor's proposed 2020 operating capital budget.

A

This concludes the reading for cablecast public hearing from Monday December 9 2019. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

B

Good morning, everyone and welcome to the continuation of Pittsburgh City Council's budget hearings. This morning we are having Pittsburgh City Council's public hearing on the citizen participation and the proposed 2020 operating capital budget. Madam Clerk, is there a bill to read? First, there is not for the record. I would just like to show that we are joined this morning by councilman, O'connor, Councilwoman, Strassburger, I, believe Councilwoman Harris will join us shortly. I'm councilman, Krause I will be chairing this morning's public hearing.

B

We will go immediately to testimony of registered speakers when you come to the podium I'm going to ask that you please begin by giving your name and the neighborhood in which you reside for our public record. Each speaker that has registered will have three minutes to address City Council. If you did not register in advance after we have exhausted the list of registered speakers, we will open up testimony for those in the audience who wish to speak to Council, and you will be given one minute.

B

We ask that when you come to the microphone you give your name and the neighborhood in which you reside for our public record. The green light will indicate the start of your three minutes when the yellow light comes on. You'll have one minute to summarize your thoughts when the red light comes on, you must relinquish the podium and I will stress. You must relinquish the podium. Our first registered speaker is Rennell guy. Well now, I see you back there. If you'll come up.

B

Okay good morning, right now, good.

C

Morning, we're now got twenty three seventeen dollars good Street, one five, two one four.

C

This is like my 300-400 turn at this podium and I'm, telling you all the wheels themself but I'm still rolling, because I'm not satisfied I'm, not satisfied with the job that you guys are doing. The budget is the city's moral document, I ask people to come on board and work to improve quality of life for people, housing, conditions for people, educational outcomes for people, transportation, outcomes for people and I can't realistically tell them.

C

If we've made a difference, because it's impossible to tell the outcomes that the city has achieved because the budget is so convoluted and opaque for 20 years, I've been trying to figure out. Does the city's stated priorities match where they put their money and I honestly can tell you that we can't there's a whole budget line item that says other that got twenty six million dollars.

D

C

What is that about and why none of y'all upset about it? It's important to know that when you talk to talk that you walk in the wall, that you're not just telling us you support equity and you support affordability and you support a fair transit when we don't fill it. You're saying you're invested in that, but there's no way for us to tell because the budget is intentionally opaque and in this age of technology that needs to end and we're here, I mean 25 organizations, strong saying that this ends this ends. Now we are tired.

C

C

Need you as allies? If we were all in this together, we could have been.

C

We could have been took care of the problems. We all want the same thing: a healthy, safe, decent Pittsburgh of Pittsburgh for Pittsburghers. So why are we the enemy? Why do you have where you spend your money I from us, the people that pay your salaries? So let me just say that I'm hoping that this is an opportunity for us to come together and create a process that is inclusive, that is transparent and outcomes that really are serving the needs and desires of the people that live in our city, Thank, You,.

B

Barb for Barwick Barbara, Warwick you're here, thank you, you'll, be followed by Laura wines good morning. Welcome good.

E

Morning, just quickly I'd, like your.

B

E

My name is barb Warwick and I'm here, representing four mile run.

F

For movin on Alexis Street yeah, so one thing I'd like to note is how much of council isn't here. That's important right, we're talking a bunch of empty chairs, except for thank you at any rate, so I'm here to ask council to divert the funds for the Mon Oakland connector project to our community generated alternative transit plan, our money, our solutions, I'll, go point by point one.

F

When the public first heard about the MOC project in a Pittsburgh post-gazette article from 2015, the plan was clear: the mayor wanted quote a road for rubber tiles, tire shuttles, possibly including driverless, vehicles that are under development at Carnegie, Mellon University this road and these shuttles would run through four mile run in Schenley Park, two Connect, the future Hazelwood green development in CMU flood mitigation for Four Mile Run, was added later following outcry from my community about this road proposal. After a decade of the city, ignoring our flooding problem.

F

Yet the city continues to hold our flood mitigation hostage by coupling it with the building of this road. Three funding to improve the park during flood mitigation is critical. People coming from the run and hazel would have to cross the train tracks to directly access the rest rest of the park.

F

Yet a tunnel safely connecting our path to the other trails in the lake is also being held hostage only funded as a Phase two under the MOC, in other words, a nice-to-have for our neighborhoods, need real transit solutions, including safe sidewalks and direct weekend bus service to Oakland for the people of Hazelwood, neither of which the MOC provides. Why? Because it is nothing more than a road through the park, five, it's time to stop scapegoating domi in general and Corinna Rick's in particular, as though they are demanding this project.

F

Despite public opposition, MS Rick's has been asked by the mayor to get this road built, no matter what she is simply doing her job it's time for Council to do its job and put a stop to it. Thank you.

B

Hey Laura welcome you'll, be followed by a verdict day.

G

My name is Laura Wiens I'm, the executive director of Pittsburghers for public transit I live at 77031 Edgerton Avenue of Pittsburgh PA 1, 5, 2, 2 1 I'm, here to speak about the Mon Oakland connector. This project is the magic bag, as Ziggy has dubbed it here inside the bag. Circa 2009, you see the Mon Oakland connector appear as a proposed light rail connection between Hazelwood Greene in Oakland and Lawrenceville 2015.

G

The city applies for the national smart cities grant and the Mon Oakland connector is part of a secret proposal to demonstrate autonomous tech with the roadway through to Hazelwood Greene, in partnership with CMU and uber in 2018.

G

The domi asserts this project is going to address public transit deficits of South Auckland greenfield and Hazelwood and said the city will do so by leasing and running driverless, on-demand micro, transit shuttles, and now we look inside the bag, and the city says well that autonomous shuttle technology doesn't really exist and probably won't for many years, and so here we are in 2019, and the project is just to build.

G

The quote facility through Schenley Park, in which speculative private e mobility technology, including East scooters, driverless, shuttles and pods, will be given dedicated space to operate once named the Mon Oakland connector a transit only cart way than a trail. Now, a mobility corridor. Its name continues to shift along with its apparent purpose. The verbal gymnastics of this project would be something of it or have become something of a joke during public meetings, and it would be funny, except when we consider what's at stake over the last two years.

G

More than five million capital dollars have apparently been spent, even though it's only at 30% preliminary engineering and hasn't yet broken ground. Last year, Dom Domi's bond request of nine million dollars for this project was granted based on an application with fewer than 25 words written on it, including the name of the department. The words four mile run written twice in the sections project, description project justification proposed deliverables component budgets, an operating budget impact, we're left blank. There's a check mark by the metric quote, dis demonstrated.

G

Support of the public end quote with the lion quote depends on which community exclamation point type. Next to it, that's funny right because it's a magic bag. He goes in between 16 to 23 capital dollars according to Jamie's five-year project budget and what comes out as a mystery years of public meetings have demonstrated unwavering opposition to the Schenley Park roadway by four mile run and Panther Hollow the neighborhood's most affected and at best polite confusion by Oakland and Hazelwood residents. We deserve better.

G

There are mobility and pedestrian safety needs in Hazelwood and Greenfield and gaps in connections to neighboring, Oakland, Squirrel, Hill and residents know how to fix them.

G

Residents have named the solutions, these problems and countless public processes, sidewalks pedestrian crossing signals, weekend, bus service, close our trail system gaps and we're here with the letter which I'm going to give to Council signed by twenty-three community stakeholders in a petition with an additional 550 individuals calling on City Council to move the roadway money and to invest in transportation that is equitable, effective and beneficial to all, while harmful to none. Thank you.

B

Anyone that has brought written comment- and you wish to leave that behind you're, welcome to do so. You can leave it here with the clerk and we'll make certain that it's distributed to all nine members. Ava welcome good morning, you'll be followed by Courtney I come in. Thank.

H

You thank you I'm Eva Resnick day, community organizer, with this year club live at five. Oh four people street fight one five, two two one thank you for the City Council people who are here today and listening to us. I was honored to be invited here by the economic justice circle. A grassroots coalition of community leaders, activists and organizers committed to creating an economic justice agenda for Pittsburgh with a racial equity.

H

Lens ejc has dug into the budget learning how to read it interpret it and influence it, and what they found was the reason that our team has never succeeded in this endeavor. There's little information for residents to understand how the budget connects to their daily lives or the mayor's priorities and live it in time to have the community respond to proposed projects. It's unclear who is making buzz budget priority decisions and how they're being made with the recent studies showing Pittsburgh as one of the worst places to live for black women.

H

It is more important than ever that we can show how our money is being used to improve the lives of our marginalized communities, that those voices have a say and where our money goes. We must move equity from concept to action and climate action from concept to investment.

H

We must throw the budget lists, equity and climate action as priorities, it's near impossible to see how that actually tracks to City investment, so major processes and changes need to be implemented next year and I know ejc and Sierra Club would be delighted to help, but there's also a few low-hanging fruit items that should be in the budget this year, if the city prioritizes climate action. So recently, this council passed historic and exciting Net Zero legislation for new and city buildings and those ended undergoing renovations.

H

Yet I was disappointed to not see funds for those renovations in the capital budget. Legislation without investment is empty. The sustainability office has shown that, in order to reach the mayor stated 50% greenhouse gas reduction goal for the city by 2030, they needed a target of 7 to 8 major renovations per year. The target for 2020 is 2 projects and that's currently not even fully funded by the capital budget, so this year's budget should be updated to reflect having investment for those renovations.

H

The second low-hanging fruit item I'd like to address is upgrading our street lights. The city street lights account for almost half of our city's municipal energy use. Yet our current streetlight technology is more than 60 years. Old. Updating, streetlights to LED bulbs would say, see energy savings up to 70% and save significant money for the city, so we're talking about saving nearly a quarter of all the city's energy use in one go with a payback period of less than five years.

H

Yet that proposal was rejected from the 2019 budget and it's not just an energy issue. Updating streetlights can and must ensure that all neighborhoods, including areas with a historic history of disinvestment, are lit equitably. So, overall, a more open and transparent budget process that is accessible and understandable to the public will only strengthen our city, our programs and lead to city investments that match our priorities and we all want to help. So let's do this together. Thank you. Thank.

B

B

Hey: hey Courtney you're, not here how about Ziggy, Edwards, okay, Ziggy you're next you'll be followed by Matthew Peters good morning. Welcome hi.

I

Everybody I'm Ziggy, Edwards I, live in the run for a year now, I've been speaking to you about the ill-advised Mon Oakland connector plan. This multi-million dollar project was not planned to benefit affected communities and now that all the MOC proponents feel-good justifications have proven absurd, they admit, Hazelwood Greene is driving the project. The MOC lyft developers and Foundation's needs above ours using our own tax dollars.

I

We can't allow it meanwhile domi director Karina Rick's, while just doing her job just mentioned at our last public MOC meeting that they've applied for a grant to fix the hazardous sidewalks of city-owned parcels along Irvine Street in Hazelwood I'm, not sure why the state would take an interest giving that, given that Pittsburgh officials had no plans to use city funds on this public safety issue, yet committed more than eighteen million dollars of our capital budget to build a road for private, a privately operated shuttle servicing a privately owned development, but if DOMA gets the grant, it frees more MOC funds for other neglected infrastructure needs in our communities.

I

Needs listed in our community generated alternative mobility plan, I'm glad to see signs that you're at least considering concerns my neighbors and I have raised over months and years now we need you to act. We need one council member to introduce a budget amendment that reallocates the 2019 MOC funds to items in our plan for 2020, I, hope. It's you Councilman O'connor, because MOC affects your constituents most then we need City Council to vote YES on this amendment. I understand the process will require additional steps, but you can get it started today.

I

You can demonstrate to the people of Pittsburgh that you speak with our voices, not the voices whispering in our mayor's ear of plans for technology and development projects that land fully-formed on our communities. Councilman O'connor. You know our streets and understand why the MOC will harm some neighborhoods in your district beyond diverting limited resources, the run is unique in a city filled with special places. Topography makes my neighborhood what it is, but there's more to it than what you can see on a map or from the parkway.

I

We have a real community here and it's facing existential threats. We are at risk of being erased not only by flooding but by those who see our community in Schenley Park as barriers to their vision of economic growth. Pittsburgh residents should be the ones driving and shaping plans that will affect our communities for generations. As council members, you are the ones in this room with us.

I

The ones who were here I come here, because I can talk to you and look you in the eye, because you can carry our message to people who would never give us an appointment today. You have the power to do much more with this amendment. You can stop harm and bring improvements to communities affected by the MOC. I've been told, you'll, never stop this road. There's too much money behind it.

I

I know the courage to make a stand comes easier when you're directly in the crosshairs like we are, but this fight is much bigger than our neighborhoods and all over Pittsburgh people are standing with us because they know it. We've worked hard to bring you this opportunity to do the right thing and I hope you take it. If you don't call for the amendment today, you will have other chances to do so and you'll be hearing from us. Thank you. Thank.

B

B

Matthew you'll be followed by Melissa Murray, okay,.

J

B

Pardon the luggage meeting started at 10:00.

J

Good morning my name is Matt Peters I'm, the chair of the urban AG team agriculture team for Hazelwood I, have a three page letter that I've sent to some of you by email. Read it as fast as I can I'm right. Three minutes right.

J

The urban agriculture team stands to be directly affected by this proposed roadway or corridor through Schenley Park, especially by the Sylvan Avenue aspect of Phase, two, as outlined by domi.

J

Our primary community garden is located proximate to this site. Our mission of sustainability and ecological consciousness also gives us standing as regards The Associated, stormwater and green infrastructure. Improvements to the park healthy and robust water resources are essential to any successful agricultural operation from a house plant to the wheat fields of Nebraska. Although PWSA resources are more than adequate for supplementing our yearly rainfall, the presence of native Springs in the proposed project area and the consequence is good or bad of stormwater management. Activity associated with this proposal are of great interest to the team.

J

The issues are many and complicated. Thank you for continuing the public comment process. First, I will speak to stormwater management. The stormwater projects should be fully funded and supported I'm pleased to see some of them apparently are already in progress. Further. The design considerations should include the complete watershed, not just the stream corridor, but the forested slopes above and even the city streets and the stormwater sewers that empty into it as a complete ecological unit.

J

The PWSA and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy must work closely together, along with other city agencies like urban forestry nonprofit groups such as tree Pittsburgh, to ensure and others to ensure that the stormwater enhancement is, to the greatest degree, an enhancement of these ecosystem services that forest and wetland habitats provide.

J

While these necessary improvements have been linked to the parallel roadway considerations and there are strong arguments both for and against doing so, grounded in both economic and ecological sensibilities. The controversy over the roadway proposal must not be allowed to cloud the fundamental issue that the watershed and stormwater aspects are essential for human safety, while transportation considerations are primarily for human convenience.

J

Certainly, there are safety issues associated with an effective transportation network such as ambulances or fire trucks getting there or pedestrians not getting run over, but by and large our transportation system is designed for vehicles not for people. This engineering bias has contributed to social problems, ranging from flooding to air pollution to cancer and diabetes.

J

The current proposal attempts to address this engineering bias with a conscious effort to focus on stormwater green infrastructure, which is right and proper. Any new construction must be thoroughly examined from an environmental and ecological standpoint, with special consideration for the dire context of climate change. You're.

B

Welcome to leave your remarks behind and we'll distribute them to members. Thank.

J

You very much you Matthew.

B

J

Brad a dominate climate change, there's nothing more important today,.

B

Melissa Murray: are you with us? Ok, welcome, you'll, be followed by Sue Scanlon.

B

Good morning morning,.

K

My name is Melissa Murray I live at 152, South, Fairmont, Street, 1/5 to 0-6 part of district 9 I'm here on behalf of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, to talk about the Community Development Block Grant, asking for your support, I'm a fairly new resident to the city, I moved here about six months ago and I work within our marketing and communications department.

K

So one of the big parts of my job is storytelling and that's been very beneficial in being a new resident to the city, because I've been able to get out into Pittsburgh and the surrounding community to learn more about the people who live in southwest PA and face food insecurity every single day, and one thing that I've really learned through this experience is that food insecurity is not necessarily what people think it is.

K

It's a single mom who's working three jobs in order to put food on the table and give her kids something to eat, but maybe she's skipping a meal because she doesn't have enough to feed her entire family. It could be a senior who is disabled and not able to get out of the house in order to support themselves and put food on their table or a family who is hit with unexpected medical bills and can't buy groceries because their medical bills are their first priority.

K

So I've been able to meet a lot of people within Pittsburgh who are food, insecure and it looks different for everyone and it's not what a lot of people think that it is and in order to keep our mission going and in order to support these people, who are food insecure and are facing these health health challenges. Because of that, we need the support of the Community Development Block Grant to keep our mission going.

K

I've been able to go to some of our produce distributions some of our summer food sites and things like that in order to talk with these people and tell their stories of the people who were serving and the people who are serving them, whether that's volunteers at food, pantries or people who are passing out, produce at produce to people distributions and there's one woman who sticks with me. She is a volunteer who serves food during a Summer, Food Program.

K

She serves breakfast and lunch in the Hill District and she brings food from home out of her own refrigerator out of her own pantry, in order to supplement the food that she is given through the food bank and other sources in order to make sure that these kids know that they're valued, so whether that's giving them bacon for breakfast that she pulled from her fridge or putting together a party at the end of the summer to give these kids backpacks and school supplies, she makes sure that these kids know that they are appreciated and that's something that we're asking you to support as well, so through this Community Development Block Grant.

K

We're asking for your financial support to keep these programs going also so that people like her do not have to bring food from home in order to make these kids know that they have a purpose and know that they will have food on the table at the end of the day. Thank you. Thank.

L

B

My su are you here, you are you'll, be followed by Kelsey crepes hi.

M

Sir Scanlon 721 Corbin Street one five one. Two two you've reminded Matt that the meeting started at 10 I think you forgot about a couple. People.

N

B

M

Here representing PPT, along with my brothers and sisters from the run about the dummy project and the money we feel could be used to increase bus transit service on the 93 on the weekends and the 75 could come across the hot metal bridge into Hazelwood and Hazelwood green. It would serve more people of the county, the taxpayers, than the original plan of the roadway with the private transportation.

M

There's a lot of people that use that 93. It connects Hazelwood to Greenfield to Squirrel Hill to Bloomfield to Lawrenceville. It's travels all through the county. It would connect people to food housing, doctors, family, every to life, it's a lifeline and the 75 is pretty much the same. It travels through Morningside, East, Liberty Oakland and would also increase the it would be used. It would be well used.

M

So, instead of the 14 million going towards a private roadway that we really don't need, we could probably look in and connect up with Port Authority and get these people all the people of Hazelwood the service that they deserve.

B

Now see you're here welcome, you'll, be followed by Dylan Roy welcome.

O

Hi, my name is Kelsey crap 16 Gaskell street 1, 5 2 1 1, I'm the western pennsylvania outreach coordinator with penn future we're an environmental advocacy organization working to protect our air, water and land and working to build sustainable communities for the future. The pittsburgh action climate action plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. It also aims to reduce energy and water use by 50 percent by 2030.

O

It's been estimated that the buildings here in the city account for 80 percent of Pittsburgh's emissions and a significant portion of the city's energy use. I was excited to see the city of Pittsburgh's proposed Net Zero legislation earlier this fall and I'm disappointing to see that these proposed changes were not reflected in the capital budget for this year and I really think that this should be updated specifically to lay out the new buildings and anticipated renovations with their reflective costs to Net Zero.

O

It's important to not only propose great legislation, especially with the face of the climate crisis, but it's also really important to ensure its dedicated funding without both great ideas are just that ideas with the effects of climate change already happening in our city, especially with our stormwater issues and our excessive energy use. The it's really important to move these climate action plans to action.

O

Pittsburgh is often used as an example city in the battle against the climate crisis, and it's really important that we continue to shine because we're actually doing the good work. So thank you for your time. Thank you.

B

Well, good morning welcome to the fall by justin gilmore welcome. Thank.

P

You, my name, is Dylan rook resident of hayswood, also, a freelance worker and small business owner I run a shared workspace for other freelancers and small business owners.

P

I've been an active part of the greater in a neighborhood plan in Hazelwood over the over months over the last year, and many conversations with other homeowners and other small business owners about what kind of developments we would like to see, and we worked really hard and I know working with Corey O'connor at the Hazelwood initiative, as well you're very aware of those those needs and those concerns that our neighborhood has I personally I know. Many of my neighbors here are pretty concerned about the allocated funds for the Oakland roadway.

P

We participated in some of the meetings about how that would benefit Hazelwood, and it seemed like a pretty apparent add-on trying to extend a path that is very clearly not in the plan that you see in your handouts today. There's I just want to remind us of some of the history of Hazelwood and development. We have seen roadways and mobility plan before in the Mon Valley expressway.

P

That failed plan has left our main business district as best described as missing teeth and for small business owners trying to get an affordable start to launch their own economic activities is really hard to kind of make those kind of jumps and those kind of investments with not a lot of opportunity. It's been systematically disinvested over decades. I think it is our responsibility as the city and it's your responsibility as a city council to make sure that those funds are used in a way that benefits the residents first. The people exist here.

P

First, when I look at the Mon Valley on the Mauna Oakland roadway, it's very clear that those are for for big corporate entities to benefit mostly from with the residents only seen as an afterthought, and we've been accused in meetings that we are afraid of change, that Hazelwood or the run or other affected neighborhoods are afraid of change and we're not afraid of change. We welcome change. We welcome opportunity. We just think that that opportunity should include us from the beginning that it should be transparent.

P

We and, as we talk about change, I, invite you to change. I think that the city has to change I think we have to change the way that we operate. The way that we do development. We have to make sure that development starts first with the residents first, with the stakeholders that exist in the neighborhood and so I invite you to change with us as we move into the future together. Thank you.

B

I'm sorry I lost track that was Justin right, Bill McDow, that was Dylan I'm. Sorry, so we are going to Justin Gilmore you here, Justin okay, then we're gonna go with bill. Mcdowell hi bill. Welcome and you'll be followed by Adam Morgan I crossed my name out too early. Not one name. Do you need help, sir? You sure help.

B

We can provide a microphone for you at your seat, sir. Would that be helpful. I'm, good, okay, right.

Q

Here things thank you good morning and thank you for the opportunity to comment today. My name is Bill. Mcdowell and I lived on the north side, Pittsburgh at 401, West Commons, and when is it strongly urge you to vote no on the law on Oakland connector, simply because I'm gonna ever get around this accessibility on my adult life and I? Don't see accessibility to this project, the Charles I read about in articles made no mention of accessibility on these shuttles.

Q

We have an ad a law. Let's not forget. It's gonna be 30 years since the signing this next July in 2020.

Q

And why I ask is, or these shows might be inaccessible, it appears I in those but who use wheelchairs or shut out not welcome on this transit.

Q

Tpt's alternatives are to extend the 75 bus across the his atwood met, the hot metal bridge and the 93 in the hayswood fright weekend. Service.

Q

We want to have a DEA compliant curb cuts along with safe signal crossings, walkable sidewalks people with disabilities need and deserve accessibility.

Q

You can provide it. Will you or you shut us out?

Q

That's the decision you make with your vote vote. No. Thank you.

B

Hi Adam good morning welcome you'll, be followed by Homer Craig.

O

R

Good morning, I am Adam Morgan and I live in Council District. Five at two to nine Trowbridge Street in Hazelwood I appreciate this opportunity to provide comments, as this council shapes the city's 2020 budget. Despite the relatively healthy economy, the need for food assistance throughout Pittsburgh remains. Food insecurity is still higher today than it was before the Great Recession of 2008.

R

Unfortunately, the generous supply of donated food from our community is insufficient and fully addressing this need. The resources provided through CDBG to the food bank in our member agencies has complemented those community donations and helped provide enough resources to provide food for all of our neighbors. As the food banks advocacy coordinator, I would like to put your allocation of CDBG funds in a broader context. The truth is that the support from the city through CDBG is ever more important and needed, as we experience an ongoing assault on food assistance programs from the federal administration.

R

Just this year, the US Department of Agriculture has proposed three separate rule, changes to snap that would cut food stamp benefits by twenty three billion dollars for 11 million people across the country. This continued assault on snap will only make the demand for food for the food bank Services grow due to the 2017 tax law and sweeping changes to the US tax code. People are donating less individual, giving continues to be the largest source of their nation's for nonprofits. However, in 2018 giving by individuals fell by 3.8 percent.

R

This is the largest decline, an individual charitable giving since 1987. Despite a relatively good economy, the administration has also proposed a rule change that would gradually lower the official poverty line by applying a smaller cost-of-living adjustment. Each year over the years, hundreds of thousands of Americans would be defined out of poverty without any meaningful change or improvement to their financial situation. Millions of people would see their benefits, slash or eliminated outright.

R

So in conclusion, CDBG funds are extremely important, as they help boost the strange budgets of the cities, food assistance organizations which act as Pittsburgh's first line of defense against hunger. As a result, these funds will help both organizations and the individuals they serve, who are struggling with tough decisions about how to spend their limited resources with the help of CDBG funds. The impact of the efforts provided by our community members, dedicated to feeding people in need can be maximized. Thank you. Thank you.

B

Hi mr. Craig welcome councilman O'connor had a step away momentarily, but his office is represented here through his chief of staff, I.

S

Understand councilman O'connor explained that I concur. My name is Homer Craig the hill, a street in Hazelwood for 80 years, except for a little bit more than 13 years of military service. I. Concur with what my neighbors and friends and community have said. I don't deal in emotion, I, deal in facts, so I'm gonna skip all that I recognize the quarry was here, but I also recognize, and please make it a matter of the record of the secretary. That's taken records here that council people express their concern by their presence.

S

And this shows you and the people. How concerned you are whatever your Excuse is or explanation. It might be legitimate, but you ain't here, I'm not talking to you that are here I'm talking to you that ain't here.

S

The the point is, though, that I'm not going to take up too much of your time: I'm not going to beat a dead horse, but I do have a question that I would like to have answered, and Cory is my representative, so I'm gonna charge him with getting the answer to our community, our community being Hazelwood Squirrel, Hill Greenfield, the rest of you I. You know you got your own representatives. I want to know now.

S

If I were still working, I would have to file an income tax return at the end of the year, and that will show me what I spent on house medicine gasoline so on. So so, I want to know for a city-council I want to be presented to the public, how much and where that five million dollars that you've already spent went to I'd like to see an accountability of that and do your job City Council. You spend our money. This is my money. This is their money.

S

So tell me where it's going, you ain't doing your job. You told me that you need so many million dollars for a bus way that you call in a path through Schenley Park. You can't even tell me who's making it our house gonna be propelled as a gasoline is the solar power? Is it battery power?

S

You are not doing your due diligence now, like I, said it I'm, not being emotional I'm asking for the facts, like Joe Friday, said just the facts. Thanks.

B

B

Yeah Kelsey I can draw. Are you here? Okay, that's great you'll, be followed by tea, Aria Collins, I, hope I said that right.

B

I thought I was actually being kind go ahead. Please I'm.

T

Good morning my name is Kelsey eken Roth I live in the Northside at 1350, Federal Street, one five, two one, two I am a registered dietician at the Greater Pittsburgh Community, Food Bank and today I'm here to ask that the city continue to support the Community Development Block Grant, Program and I wanted to talk a little bit about the importance of adequate nutrition, especially in Pittsburgh communities that are facing food insecurity.

T

Food insecurity is a critical public health issue that many of the households that we serve face when families don't have access to healthy, nutritious foods. Research shows that they're at an increased risk for developing nutrition related diseases like type 2, diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, diet quality suffers when households experience food insecurity and, as a result, they're more likely to purchase cheap, highly processed foods that are high in sodium and added sugars and those foods that are readily available at local convenience stores and gas stations.

T

But consistent access to healthy, nutritious foods like fresh produce, lean meats and dairy can help to prevent and manage nutrition related, chronic diseases and they're necessary to promote good health throughout the life cycle.

T

The problem is, is that fresh foods are often more difficult for food, insecure households to access due to cost and limited availability and neighborhoods considered to be food deserts in Pittsburgh, a survey of households utilizing our food bank resources found that 75% of households have difficulty accessing fresh produce, 79% have difficulty accessing meat and fish and nearly 40% have difficulty accessing dairy and when we ask households to select five foods that they needed their pantry or citizens program to offer more of the top selected choices were fresh and healthy foods at the food bank.

T

We're committed to ensuring that food, insecure households have access to healthy foods, not only because it's necessary for promoting good health, but also because the households that we serve value and request these foods. That's why I'm asking that the council continue to support the community development block grant program so that the food bank can continue to provide households with the nutritious foods that they want and need for their health.

T

There prevent the funds provided to the food bank through this program, allow the food bank to provide our agencies and pantries with healthy foods to be distributed to families experiencing food insecurity. Thank you. Thank.

U

V

W

My name is tiara.

V

Tiara Collins and I live at 5:01 7. Second Avenue and I have been a resident of Hazelwood for 13 years. I only heard about the morn Valley Oakland connector project this year, and it's supposed to fix our transportation problems. The thing is I've never heard. Anyone in Hazelwood complained that there isn't a road for private company needs to run shuttles through so many parts, my neighbors and I do have transportation needs.

V

However, every day our kids get off the school bus in front of the heads with library and have to cross the busy 2nd Avenue trying not to get hit because the pedestrian buttons has been broken for the entire time I've lived here. We need the city to put flashing lights on 2nd Avenue and science to slow down the cars that come flying through our business district. Just a few months ago, pedestrian got hit trying to cross the street in front of the Elizabeth pharmacy and also as a mother of five children we need set.

V

We need to slow down this traffic. This traffic is 25 miles per hour, they're flying through like at 4050 miles. We also need a sign that says special needs in the area. I have a seven-year-old with Down syndrome and I live on that Avenue, so crossing the street, for us is a must and we do need something done. Lots of the sidewalks are cracked there missing and many don't have wheelchair ramps at the curb which forces people with disabilities to drive in the street. This is not news to anyone.

V

We've been asking the city to fix these problems for years, I've been important about every public meeting with the city officials in Hazelwood for the last eight years and I'm active in my PTA, and it's not just our streets and sidewalks. That should be improved. If we're going to get our transportation needs met, we need more Port Authority bus service. Our weekend service is horrible. The 93r main bus to Oakland and the jobs of the food across access to Johnny was in Greenfield and Squirrel Hill. It doesn't operate on Saturdays and Sundays.

V

If you're sick, you have to take two buses to get to the hospital in Oakland and that causes us hate that and that causes us more money, because the transfer fee is a full seven dollars.

V

If we have Connect cards, what we're asking for to run weekend service on the 93 and to extend the 75 bus from the south side into Hazelwood would really make a difference in my community and with surveys or with greens needs at the same time, instead of the more value the more an Oakland connector, the city should listen to our community and put this 16 million dollars towards our solution. It's our money!

V

After all, we're calling on this city to make sure the community voice is at the forefront, and this is all the budget, but the budget decisions. Thank you so very much.

B

Aaron Loy welcome you'll, be followed by Justin Macy good morning.

X

Thank you good morning, my name is Aaron. Malloy I live at two to three five Walton Avenue I'm happy to be here to discuss the distribution of community Block Grant I I'm, a native of Pittsburg I'm, a current constituent of councilman coghill I'm, also done a relations manager for Greater Pittsburgh, Community, Food Bank. Our mission is to feed people and hunger in need and to mobilize the community to end hunger I'm here for the latter part of that mission.

X

In my work it is a privilege to get to know the donors and supporters of the food bank we over. We have over 6,000 volunteers every year, many community partners we also administer and receive funds from many government programs, historically block grants among them. In my conversations with donors, despite the efforts of many to weaponize food assistance programs, it is a non partisan issue. It is an issue people care about.

X

We have one supporter in particular, I'll call her sue sue is a woman who sends a letter to the food bank every month, along with a donation of $5. We recently found out that sue is actually a participant in one of the programs that we administer providing food for needy seniors, so sue who qualifies for assistance finds money and her limited budget to support her neighbors in need.

X

I know there are many competing interests that the council has to weigh in determining what to do with these Block Grant funds, but I suggest that you consider what sue can do and Sue finds money and her funds to support her neighbors I respectfully. Ask that you do the same.

B

Justin here good morning, welcome you'll, be followed by jaywalker.

Q

Y

My name is Justin Macey I live in the run at 28 Alexis Street, my two daughters are fifth-generation residents of the run. I have filed numerous right-to-know requests with the city and PWSA. Currently both have failed to supply everything that we have asked for, or supply adequate reasoning explaining why they could not be turned over documents that have been turned over have been incomplete and since the residents found out about this roadway in a newspaper article, we have been fed nothing but lies from the city and domi.

Y

These lines range from who this roadway was intended for to ridership numbers being fraudulent and inflated. Mr. Fitzgerald eventually came out and said this roadway is not for you, meaning the residents. It's for the universities right. No documents support this.

W

Y

Say that the roadways sole purpose is to entice developers and businesses to Hazelwood green and offer no significant benefit to the public. We have also been told that the flood control comes first, which is another lie while talking to a PWSA representative it the last roadway meeting. He informed me that PWSA was told that the city.

V

Y

Land and controls what happens to it and they are to design for this roadway from right to node documents, the up and Cheerilee, and the flood plains were discussed needing to be downsized to only accommodate a one-year flood. In order to make space for this roadway. This directly shows that the roadway takes precedence and interferes with the flood mitigation. In addition to adding impervious roadway and removing a significant amount of vegetation that will aggravate the flooding, we were also told that they were going to preserve the park and the roadway will not harm the park.

Y

Miss of the park, the right to know documents reveal needing to reduce the size of the existing field to the size of youth soccer field and eliminating the existing parking, rendering this park amenity, useless and inaccessible to those that frequently use it. Soccer games and lacrosse practices overfill the existing lots, but it needs to be removed to accommodate this roadway.

V

Y

Rick's has stated that this road is not a long-term solution. It will not be able to handle future traffic loads. Don Smith indicated we'll.

D

Y

Put an imperfect, connector road in there and we'll figure something out later. Mr. Gilman, this is my favorite quote, is quoted as saying this. Overall project is a cluster you can fill in the rest with the endless lies missing deadline after deadline missing promises to stakeholders. We, the public, the residents of the ron, panther Hollow, Oakland, hayswood, Squirrel, Hill and other surrounding neighborhoods- have lost our trust in this project, so much so that we have come up with a community generated mobility plan that addresses what we actually need.

Y

I urge you to withdraw funding from the imperfect non-sustainable cluster of a roadway and negatively impacts, flood mitigation and degrades two parts and reallocate the funds to the community generated mobility plan.

B

Hi Jay welcome you'll, be followed by Karen dryer hi.

Z

My name is Jay Walker I live at 505, 806 House Street, one five, two three, two Council District, eight I'm, a member of Pittsburghers, Republic, Transit and I'm. Also the chair of the Allegheny County Green Party, and, like one fifth of our residents, I, don't own a car, so public transit is my main form of transportation.

Z

I'd like to start out by saying that I'm gonna say we a lot because, instead of using the city of Pittsburgh I'm gonna use weed because we are the city of Pittsburgh, um so I attended a bunch of the community meetings that we hosted in Hazelwood and the run, and here are some of the reasons for the Mon Oakland connector project that we stated at the meeting.

Z

One of the reasons given was that this project was for the communities of Hazelwood and the run at all of the meetings that I attended. Nobody seemed to really be looking for this project, so that seemed to be that didn't really seem to pan out.

Z

Another reason that was given- and this was the one I'm gonna elaborate on- was that this is an important mobility link between Hazelwood and the Run and Oakland, and that reason blew my mind. The hired michael Baker consultants didn't seem to be aware that there was already a bus that connected the two neighborhoods. They did not speak about it I'm, at least at the earlier meetings. This bus runs infrequently only on the weekends all while dealing with car traffic on the roads.

Z

If we wanted to improve the transportation link between the neighborhoods of Hazelwood in Oakland, we would run this bus more frequently. We would run it on weekends. We would dedicate our streets space to these buses so that they could run more efficiently. I also wanted to quickly tie this to our climate action plan. 3.0. In our plan, we stated that the goal was to cut driving by 50%. A robust public transit system, like the one Port Authority and ATU are working to provide is the best way to get people cars to meet our common goal.

Z

I can already hear you all passing the buck and stating that we don't control Port Authority, because it's County Authority. If we truly were concerned with transportation between Hazelwood and Oakland, we would fund the public transportation system that serves our community. We would commit local funding to our County Port Authority system so that it can make the transit improvements. We all need I'd like to ask my council persons, councilperson Strassburger, to introduce a budget and I meant to reallocate our money from the Mon Oakland mobility Co corridor project.

Z

This money would be much better served as a start of local funding for the actual transit system that the Port, Authority and ATU are actively providing. Thank you. I.

B

Karen good morning welcome you'll be followed by William Britton good.

AA

Morning, I'm Karen, dryer and I live in Brighton Heights on the north side of Pittsburgh in Council, District 1 I also work at Greater, Pittsburgh, Community, Food Bank, helping people to access a variety of food assistance, programs and I'm here today to encourage council to allocate CDBG funds to food pantries and to the food bank. Food is for health. When people don't have enough food to eat there, enough of the right foods they have short term and long term health effects.

AA

If you have a disease such as diabetes, you will immediately feel the impact of not having the right food or not having enough food, even if you don't have a chronic disease such as that, you will feel long term effects over time from your body not being able to do what it's supposed to do because of not having enough to eat. I, hear stories about families who the parents sacrifice their food so that their children can eat. Food is also for learning I'm from our youngest citizens to our oldest.

AA

We are all learners and we all need to be, especially in a day and age of change and technology changes, and so, if people don't have enough to eat, they are not able to learn these funds. Allow families to have enough seniors to have enough in children that have enough food is also for community me and my neighbors about 15 20 of us every year have a very small cook-out. They won't even call it a black party. It's not quite that large and some people bring food.

AA

Some people just come and help put it together, but it gives us the opportunity to talk beyond just passing each other's. We go about our business every day and we are fortunate that brings us together once a year in ways that nothing else does where you can get beyond the you know the basics of neighborliness we and lastly, food is for everyone with your ability to allocate these funds to ensure that people and our neighbors have enough to eat. Please play your part so that everybody in the city of Pittsburgh can be healthy and whole.

AA

B

B

William good morning welcome you'll, be followed by your on Francine Brown, but I don't see her here so you'll be followed by Cortney Vita good morning. Welcome good.

AB

Morning my name is Bill Britton I live at 2:8, Wilkins, Road, I own and operate Shadyside nursery and I am a property owner on the lower part of Greenfield Avenue I've been following the over four years saga of the proposed monofin connector Bruce Jen Lee park. The roadway will directly affect the street. My property sits on the streets. Part of the proposed route and I have concerns about how it will affect myself and other residents on the street. I have numerous questions about this project, including will the roadway cause heavier traffic on Greenfield Avenue?

AB

Will it affect my ability to keep good tenants by taking away their on street parking? Will it cause the property taxes to balloon which will harm my ability to provide affordable, rent I'm, also wondering why tax dollars are going to enormous private development projects involving large private developers who have the ear of the mayor? When will the city subsidize small business and investment that provide me with tax abatements? Another important question is: what is the plan for the lower part of the Greenfield Avenue?

AB

The street is part of the route, but the details have been kept. A secret I have serious issues with all those unanswered questions and as a taxpaying citizen, we deserve to know the answer. I support the alternative plan proposed by ppt as a conservative and transparent use of our tax dollars. Great thanks appreciate it.

B

Courtney, are you with us good morning, welcome Tom, Huffman you'll be next.

AC

Morning morning,.

AD

Hello, I'm Courtney, Meritage, Vita I'm, the director of trail development, representing friends of the riverfront. We help build and develop the Heritage Trail in the city of Pittsburgh first I just want to thank you guys for having us here today to publicly comment on this. But the one thing we would like to address from friends is we're friends the concern that there is no funding in the budget for trail development or trail maintenance.

AD

This is a trail that sees over eight hundred and twenty thousand users a year, bringing it eight point three million dollars in economic impact, and we have a concern that you know we've been told you want to fill the gaps. We can't fill the gaps with no money. There has to be money for us to apply for grants. We have a major project in the Strip District to extend the Strip District Trail, an additional mile, there's no funding to do it.

AD

The city insists on controlling and owning the trail, but that puts us at a limited position to enhance and improve the trail as not only a recreational asset to the city, but also an active transportation corridor.

AD

Also in regards to the maintenance we were out there every day and every week with volunteers trying to do as much maintenance as we can. However, we do have sections of the trail that are a desperate need of repaving. The chateaux section is literally falling into the river. There needs to be money to improve this asset. It's a huge economic asset and transportation asset for the people of the city and also maintaining it as a non motorized trail I mean besides accessibility vehicles for those who need them, but this is a non motorized trail.

AD

So we do also stress concerns in regards to the Mont Oakland connector about mobile motorized vehicles also being with recreational users. That's not a trail, that's a road, so just that was from our perspective. Thank you again for having us here today. Thank.

B

B

Good morning, Tom welcome you'll be followed by Johanna Deming. Thank.

AE

You, my name, is Tom Hoffman I live in that part of Point Breeze, that's represented by Ricky Burgess I've been here, I moved here in 1979, and the Pirates won the World Series and the Steelers won the Superbowl, so I said well, it's a big good place to stay.

AE

I raised three kids here: they're, not exactly kids anymore, but they did goes all the way through public school, from kindergarten to high school.

AE

My son studying economics and at CMU now my daughter's doing chemistry and MIT, and my stepsons turned his love for animals into a career here in Pittsburgh, so I'm sort of committed to the place and on my phone I had this app called Flipboard, and it gives me news and stuff like that, and it learns what I click on and I click on articles about, climate change and climate chaos and it's sort of learned. That's what sends me a steady diet and the wheels are like really coming off the bus.

AE

You know and in the immortal words of one of my favorite rock groups, the Talking Heads. You know I know I'm dating myself, like I, get it I, get it. This ain't, no party, this ain't, no discos, it's saying! No! Fooling around and I say to myself. You know like what kind of mess are we leaving from my my three kids? And so that's?

AE

Why I'm here today and the problem is that back when the talking heads were popular, we could have done something we didn't, and so now we're really stuck, and we really have to do some stuff really quickly and not just talk about it, and that means spending some like real money, so I used to work for a labor union and we used to organize workplaces and we would have lists by department and assess people whether they were going to vote for the union or not our way of deciding where to work was biggest worse.

AE

First, the biggest departments, the head of the Union most that's where you've worked. So if you look at our energy use, the streetlights are almost half of our energy, and the current technology is about sixty years old I was 10, then that was a while ago and we have CMU and Pitt and Google and duolingo our new unicorn and that's kind of an embarrassment and 15 million dollar.

AE

Investment with the payback of five years would help fix that and, as my son who studies economics would say, that's kind of a no-brainer, so I think we should do that and you put that back in the budget. I think it's not in there, although it's kind of hard to tell because the budgets a little hard to read. So thank you.

AC

B

Morning, Johanna you're, followed by Carlin Lombardo morning, good.

AF

Morning, thank you guys for being here and listening to us. My name is Johanna Deming I'm, the executive director for five um Perri hilltop Citizens Council. We joined the economic justice circle because we believe we need a better process for creating our city budget. We need good greater investment and underinvested communities like ours and we need a system to track the outcomes from a racial and economic standpoint.

AF

Someone once told me if you can't understand the financial report, the accountant isn't doing their job, so I think if people are having trouble understanding it, we need to do a better job of explaining it. We'd like to see Council and the mayor's office work more proactively with groups like ours. I know it probably depends on the community but we'd like to see that we would like to see at the budget more budget meetings and at the budget meetings opportunities to list specific projects that we want to see done.

AF

It stays pretty high-level and then doesn't feel like. You can really share your priorities in a quantitative way. That's going to be captured, we're grateful for several items that are included in the budget, namely the EMS station on Lafayette, as well as the swindle bridge. We want to make sure the Charles Street overpass is included with that swindle bridge repairs, we're still waiting on the Henderson retaining wall, because the money I don't know keeps getting scooped up for landslides and other things.

AF

For years and years our residents have watched our thriving business district and our homes become vacant, become blighted, be torn down it's time to reverse that trend. We have to invest in the people of our communities. We have to invest above and beyond what we've done in the past in order to right or wrong. When we created the Housing Opportunity Fund, it was intended, as you know, something that would go above and beyond what we're doing, because there's a crisis, however, I am confused. That city keeps cutting money to the your A's housing funds.

AF

Thirty five percent cut- and this is at a point when the city advocating for more housing tax credit projects, which is amazing. We got five instead of three, but how do we get them done and we get them done with money and if we don't fund the URA, we're not gonna see the outcomes that we need regarding transportation, we're so excited to be working with doe me to address speeding on Marshall Avenue press'll Pressley Ridge schools there, with hundreds of students with disabilities and people, fly down that Street residents.

AF

Cars are hit regularly, so we're very grateful for that. We're excited about lead pipes. Finally, you know historic wrong of exposing our community to toxic lead is being reversed. However, now our sidewalks are bad. They were already bad, but now they're way worse, because residents are unable to fix them in the first place and now we've just broken more and more of them. And, lastly, please put money towards picking up our old TVs. We don't have anywhere to pick them up on the north side and we're tired of finding them in the woods. Thank you.

B

B

Hey good morning welcome I'm sorry I can't pronounce this correctly Marnie. She liked him. Thank you. Hey welcome! Welcome.

U

Good morning my name is Carlin Lambert, oh and I am a resident of Greenfield and I'm. Here today to represent the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council works to build a food system that benefits our communities, our economy in our environment, in ways that are just equitable and sustainable for all we're guided by a model of collective impact.

U

The Food Policy Council convenes over a hundred entities from across our region's food system to create spaces for mutual learning and coordination of initiatives and policies that expand healthy food access, land use for agricultural purposes, Public Health, local, sustainable agriculture and equitable development, particularly in low-income communities.

U

Since 2017, the council has led the Greater Pittsburgh food Action Plan. This project is a community centered approach to a policy roadmap and action plan of strategies that prioritizes healthy, affordable and sustainable food for all residents.

U

In the council's view of food equity is the expansive concept that all people have the ability and opportunity to grow and consume, healthful, affordable and culturally significant foods. Food equity requires that food systems be democratically controlled and that community stakeholders determine the policies that influence their food system in the council's quest to identify and engage in food policy at the local level. I'm here today to express the support of the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council for the budget platform of the economic justice circle.

U

We to seek a clear understanding of the city's investments in our food system, be that through direct project funding, staffing commitment, staffing commitments and or other specific supports for plans such as the climate action plan. We believe increased transparency and improved communication channels, as proposed by the economic justice circle platform, will fall. I'm sorry will allow the council to more effectively engage our broad network, community leaders, government partners and public resources to more effectively address food system challenges like land access, building, healthy communities and food equity. Thank you very much. Thank you. So much.

B

Okay morning, you're next and you'll be followed by Randy Sargent good morning, good.

E

AG

I'm Marni Shokan I'm, the chief program officer for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, with our headquarters at one North Linden Street in Duquesne. At this outset, I just want to extend my appreciation of all food bank stakeholders for this council steadfast support over many years. Our president and CEO Lisa scales asked me to convey her thanks as well as her regrets for not being a being available for today's hearing. The food bank respectfully request a CDBG allocation of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for 2020.

AG

These funds will be used to support city based food assistance providers with the greatest need money on account extended to these providers will allow the food bank to provide vital nutritional assistance which might not otherwise be available to resident in Pittsburgh's, low-income neighborhoods.

AG

The CDBG allocation will also enable the monthly direct distributions of food in Homewood and Sheridan and on the south side and the north side known as produce to people. These distributions provide fruit, vegetables and other foods to residents who do not have easy access to fresh produce or the financial means to purchase it. The entire CDBG grant will be used just for these two purposes. No part of the grant will be used for salaries or any other overhead expenses.

AG

Nearly one in five Pittsburghers experience food insecurity, meaning they are uncertain of having enough food to meet basic needs at some time during the year. Food insecurity, as my colleagues have attested, has serious consequences for people throughout their lifespan. It increases health problems among children and seniors, and it decreases productivity for working age, adults. It often forces hungry Pittsburghers to choose between paying for food and other essentials, such as rent heat and medicine.

AG

It's a big problem with severe impacts, and, of course, we don't expect city government to assume complete responsibility for its solution. That's why the food bank engages individuals, businesses, nonprofits and foundations in support of our efforts. That's why we also work with state and federal government to maximize the benefit of anti-hunger programs. What we ask of you is your continued commitment to do what you can through through the CDBG program, to address hunger in the city. We recognize the hard choices. Council must make in allocating scarce resources we and the people.

AG

We serve appreciate what you have done in past years under difficult circumstances. The food bank, our food, pantries and partners throughout the city and the thousands of Pittsburghers challenged by hunger, still need your help and support. Thank you. Thanks.

B

B

Here's Randi Randi you'll be followed by Reverend John cz. Welcome thanks for coming down to you.

N

My name is Randy.

B

N

I live at 3634, Fraser Street, one pipe, two one: three together with fellow residents, some of whom were in this room. We founded and run an after-school technology and arts program in South Auckland serving a 90% black population of local kids over recent decades, as rents have gone up faster than incomes of our residents. We in Auckland have lost 40% of our black neighbours in the past three years as I've been helping run our after-school program, I've watched six families of our kids lose their housing. All families of color I've seen her evicted.

N

Children and parents broken up when they become homeless. I've seen our parents and children lose their possessions on the kerb when they have no place to bring them and I regret most that I've seen some of our youth lose their way after displacement away from friends and supports to neighborhoods with reduced public transit. An opportunity from my and my colleagues work at Carnegie Mellon's create lab.

N

We see today, data from the federal HM DA, showing our city's black families, have much lower access to financing and are disproportionately died, financing for home purchase and renovation, and we know firsthand from her gentrifying neighborhoods that not owning your home when property values start to go up. It's a family at very high risk of displacement.

N

For all these reasons, I'm grateful to the council and all those who have worked for passage of the Housing Opportunity Fund, to increase resources for our families in need of sustainable housing. But when I observe the proposed budget, reducing millions from housing I ask if we are really prioritizing housing as we have declared. Or are we moving money around I? Ask that we please restore the housing funding levels for fiscal year, 2020.

N

As our cities report on equity across race and gender documents, our black families endure many economic and justices beyond housing. Black family income is disproportionately low. Indeed, our city by the metric of workplace segregation of our city's black men into lower-income professions Pittsburgh, is more extremely segregated than 99% of similar cities in the u.s. I asked that our city government puts more resources and higher priority into equitable employment and prioritizing contracts with local minority-owned businesses. I urged this council and mayor to listen to calls today for increased transparency in the budget process.

N

It is in a fully transparent process that democracy is best able to share power with those represented. Let's increase the transparency of how our cities monies are budgeted and spent so that we can increase engagement and accountably measure the improvements we need to make us a city.

N

Finally, I want to acknowledge my role as part of a university that is itself a driver of gentrification and then inequity in Pittsburgh, and that my university, like the city, must increase its efforts to produce the equity. Our city's residents.

AE

B

Reverend CeCe welcome you'll be followed by Jackie Smith thanks good morning. Hi.

AH

Good morning my name is John Creasy lifelong resident of Pittsburg Staunton Heights neighborhood past ten years for the past 15 years, I've pastored a church called the open door, Presbyterian Church in Garfield, and worked together with the church and many neighborhood organizations and people in the neighborhood to establish one of Pittsburgh's largest urban farming projects called Garfield community farm through our work with people in Garfield and with farming. These three acres of land I've become more and more aware of our city's racial, economic and environmental challenges.

AH

I've also seen a desire that our city continue to be a leader in climate action. We need an open and transparent budget process that includes more input from the margins of our community being sure that those people who are often left out have a strong and audible voice. I was excited to see the city's proposed energy efficiency legislation to ensure that new city buildings and those undergoing renovations will be required to be Net Zero.

AH

The world is watching us and celebrating with us as we make declarations and legislative decisions around climate change, but our proposed budget doesn't go far enough in putting our commitments into action. The C's budget must reflect our commitments to address pollution and the climate crisis. This year's budget should be updated to lay out requirements for new buildings, rent and renovation projects and reflect the anticipated cost of those upgrades toward Net Zero buildings to meet our goals for carbon reduction by 2030, we need to complete at least seven or eight building renovations per year.

AH

This year we only have two in the making and they're not fully funded. The city's budget for 2020 can also address things like our old street lighting. As you've already heard, the city streetlights account for almost half of our city. Municipal energy use that's a lot and we can make these changes very easily. This is this: is the low-lying fruit around climate action changing light bulbs, we've all done it in our homes. We can do it on our streets and make a real difference. It's not it's not for show.

AH

It will reduce our bills and pay for itself very quickly. Ask that we change the budget and take these things into consideration. Thank you.

B

Jackie Smith good morning welcome you'll, be followed by Kenneth regal.

D

B

Great thank you for leaving that, but we're happy to take it.

AI

Good morning and thank you, my name is Jackie Smith I'm at 7 7 to 8 edgerton Avenue in Park, Place, neighborhood, I'm gonna begin my remarks wearing my professional hat as a sociologist at the University of Pittsburgh, and point out that the conventional wisdom says that the business of politics is business and that if political leaders listen to the people who want to use our city as a business opportunity and a chance to make profits that economic growth will happen and that will trickle down and benefit everybody in society.

AI

As a sociologist, I want to point out that there is very little evidence to support the trickle-down theory of economics and.

AI

And even economists, like the former chief economist at the World Bank and Nobel laureate, Joseph Stiglitz, is coming around to the reality that market fundamentalism is not a good guide to public policy. It's done irreparable harm to our cities.

AI

It's caused a global housing crisis that has been displacing the most vulnerable residents of our cities and undermining the social fabric of our commune and it's exacerbating a public health crisis that is also global in scope and there's an alarming study that the BlueCross BlueShield put out, showing that younger generations are facing higher levels of the most common diseases than older generations. Our health is declining.

AI

The gender equity commission's report illustrated as well how public policies are undermining the health of residents, especially those who are most vulnerable, and we heard powerful testimony last week on the the public health effects of racism.

AI

The World Health Organization in 2016 issued a state of the urban health report then pointed out that throughout history, most of the world cities have been planned without human health in mind. We need to change that script. Tomorrow is human rights day, December 10th, the city declared itself in 2011, a human right City, and the mayor has repeatedly stressed his commitment to leading on the sustainable development goals of the international community. We're calling on you to close that gap between the rhetoric of human rights and the realities of public policy.

AI

That has not really served the interests of our cities. We want Pittsburgh to be a leader on human rights and we want to join other cities around the country as we participate in an official review of u.s. human rights policy and where we're putting together, along with many of the groups in this room, recommendations for how we can improve how we can learn from cities around the country and in the packet that I've provided I include the southern mayor's agenda. That includes a dignity economy and a human rights and development agenda that we can use.

AJ

Thank you. Thank you.

AJ

Kenneth Riga.

AJ

W

Good morning, members of council, my name, is Ken regal I live on Jackson Street in Highland, Park and I serve as the executive director of just harvest Center for action against hunger based on Pittsburgh Southside. As you know, just harvest works to address the root causes of hunger and poverty in our community, connecting people in need to public benefits and working to ensure access to healthy food to all people. It is often said that a public budget is an expression of a community's values of its priorities, of what problems it believes are important to solve.

W

It is disturbing, therefore, to find that neither the word hunger nor the word poverty ever appears in the combined 587 pages of the proposed operating and capital budgets of the city for 2020. The word poor appears precisely once when the city highlights a key improvement, not in the condition of any poor people, but in the city's bond rating by Standard and Poor's the prey the phrase food security can be found only when the office of equity sites as one of its 2019 accomplishments, that it has researched and supported myriad issues, including food security.

W

But action on that research and support in the office of equity as 2020 goals, is nowhere to be found.

W

One might take comfort to see that the phrase food access does appear on page 204 of the operating budget, where the city declares that one of the goals of the office of special events in the Department of Public Safety is to expand food access throughout the city by implementing and improving farmers markets, community and vendor relations elsewhere.

W

In the document, the Planning Department cites its completion of a report on strengthening farmers markets as one of its accomplishments, while the accomplishments of the office of special events includes the expansion of a farmers market program with a monthly market in Larmour. Sadly, though, the proposed 2020 budget didn't neglects to point out that that very same office taking pride in that accomplishment is right now discussing eliminating whole Armour market as well as another one.

W

In beach view, there is no indication in the proposed budget that the city intends to take any action or invest any resources in implementing the recommendation of the planning department, study of farmers markets or in enhancing or supporting the neighborhood farmers markets that exist or any other mechanisms to improve food access. If indeed, this is a document that expresses our values and priorities, it is a deeply disappointing budget that ignores the fundamental need for, and the human right to food for the tens of thousands of our neighbors who struggle to keep food on the table.

W

Members of council citizens of Pittsburgh. We can and must do better.

AJ

Amber book good morning yeah morning.

AK

My name is amber book I'm, five, two three: two home Street District, seven, my.

AK

So I'm here just speak on behalf of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food, Bank I've worked there for six and a half years, and I am here to talk about fully supporting the community development budget, grant or Block Grant. Sorry to help us feed our neighbors in need. I, don't have a lot of stats and I.

AK

Don't have a lot of numbers to give you, but what I do have and what I have been doing with my time at the food bank is working a lot with individuals and people a lot of the stories you think this can't be true. This is very stereotypical things, but when you're sitting there listening to somebody tell you about their story with tears in their eyes, barely able to finish their SNAP application, because they're so nervous and and scared about.

AK

What's going to happen to them, it's it's very hard to ignore the fact that all these stories are very real and these are very real people. I love this city I've been here, born and raised here and I. I know that the city of Pittsburgh cares for its people and I appreciate all that.

AK

You have done and I know that we can do more and and make sure that all the people in this city are taken care of and have everything they need to survive, especially food, because that is kind of the foundation of what everybody needs. I've talked to women, a woman who has she's a grandmother, but she is caring for her three for her daughter's three children, because her daughter is in rehab.

AK

She has five dollars in her account and it is the fifteenth of the month and she is not going to get paid until the end of the month stressed and scared, and not knowing what she's going to do to feed these three children that she has has care over. There's an individual, a gentleman who recently got laid off from the river bends food, the former Heinz plant. So in partnership with career links, we were able to help him and he was told he was going to have severance and health insurance.

AK

And but since it was a bankruptcy issue, he was denied both and so now he has nothing and he's in a training program. He's doing everything he's supposed to be doing, but he still has no way to feed himself because, because of the the situation that was out of his control, I've helped a woman who has and has terminal cancer, and she needed she needed snap.

AK

She needed food stamps to help her and provide her with the insure drink, which is the only thing that she could drink at that point in time, because everything else upset her stomach too much. These are real people and they really need your help and they need the support of the city and all the state and locals too.

AK

B

Our next speaker is Jennifer Ruffin and Kennedy. She was unable to stay even though she came this morning. She did submit her comment via email, so we have a public record of Jennifer's comment. Next, we have Alfred D Rosa hi Alfred good morning. Welcome you'll, be followed by Marci Marcia van Dez right.

AL

Alfred DeRosa 4:39, rebecca avenue, pittsburgh PA 15219.

AL

Transit faced by residents I know people in wheelchairs that have been stuck in cracks on Second Avenue, sidewalks I, see students attempting across that same street at intersections without working pedestrian signals and hear calls for weekend service for the 93 bus during transit discussions in Hazelwood for the sake of safety and access, the value and utility of directing public funds to solving these basic issues should be obvious and any large transit project that claims to improve safety and access in Hazelwood that does not address these basic issues should be met with scrutiny and suspicion.

AL

The MOC does nothing to solve any of hazelwood's basic transit issues, and it's not surprising, given the lack of public involvement in the project, I'm encouraged to hear the possibility of diverting funds from the MOC to fund these basic improvements and others included in the arm. Our solutions proposal more public projects would be better served by having residents at the table of development to ensure public dollars and public needs are better aligned to continue spending millions of dollars on the MOC.

AL

A project driven by the private interest of the universities, hospitals and Hazelwood green would show in stark terms a disconnect between public needs and public dollars. I urge council members to use your power to direct funds away from the MOC and towards a truly holistic, equitable and publicly informed package of improvements for affected communities, as outlined in the our money, our solutions proposal. Thank you.

B

Merci, good morning, you'll be followed by Roger day. Thank you for being here, hello,.

AM

My name is Marsha bandes from Squirrel Hill, one five, two one, seven and I gather from everything that everybody has said that that I assume that you agree that two forms on the budget is inadequate for community input and that we need more transparency, more openness. So what I suggest here- and this may not be the right answer, but it is just to get you thinking outside the box a little bit so as in addition to meetings starting in June, a series of 30 to 45 minute, podcasts, updated monthly as needed. Clearly labeled by topic.

AM

These podcasts, with supporting easily downloadable supporting material, should include the budget. What's new changes and including increases and decreasing and decreases in the various budgets and where applicable, the reasons for the increases and the decreases. The benefit of this approach is that that there will be more people will be probably provided with more time to look at the budget and to understand what it means and so organizations that are interested in the budget, but may not have the time to come to a forum or to spend hours and hours trying to decipher the budget.

AM

The podcast would allow organizers to hone in on the areas that are meaningful to them: housing, parking streets, safety, food and that these organizations can then you know another individuals who are interested in learning. More can also look at the look at it on an as-needed or as desired basis.

AM

Then also I think that it's that it's time for us to just take a look at how people access the information you've got it all. It's not very readable, so to look at different ways that we can make it available to citizens into organizations Pittsburgh United. You know Casa San, Jose transportation, the obviously the four mile run and other organizations they could use this information.

AM

They could use it starting in June to start looking at what you're looking at what what the what the mayor is looking at and then how it changes over time, so they can provide input on an ongoing basis.

AM

The other thing that I have to bring up I guess that's a little bit like a stone in your shoe, but Pittsburgh cannot spend its way out of the issues that we face. Citizens need to be paid a living wage and I understand about the Home Rule Charter I also understand about our gerrymandered state. What I would like to see is a Pennsylvania mayor's conference where they can talk about issues and how to change the status quo to get them solved. I would like to know that our councilmembers are.

AM

You are a leaders, our budget people are reaching out and speaking with their peers in other towns and cities. I can't believe that Erie, Scranton and other cities are not facing the same challenges as Pittsburgh I want to see Pittsburgh, take the lead in building a coalition to address these issues and force the hands of our legislature to do what's needed. Thank you.

B

Roger are you with us this morning?

B

Yes, okay, followed by Ken Kray built for me. Oh I'm, sorry did say that right good morning, Roger well,.

L

Good morning and thank you, City Council members for.

B

Being here and.

L

Being really attentive and I do appreciate that I am from Squirrel Hill one five, two one, seven, a highly privileged neighborhood, as you know, and we get stuff we like like speed bumps along beechwood, Boulevard and so forth. Hearing this troubles that residents of Hazelwood have, though, with traffic dangerous situations and the struggles to get their needs addressed for a long time. It is really distressing to me. I know that council is committed to social justice, but I think we need to see a lot of action behind that.

L

It would be great to see that crystallize in action, so that was all off topic I'm here to talk about such about about the street lighting situation in Pittsburgh, so I think you know most of the issues. You know that investments in changing out to LEDs will give you a tremendous return, five-year payback period after that, it's all gravy and you have long-lasting bulbs that will not have to be replaced sufficiently. So you know all that and I won't go into that very much.

L

There is also some high tech aspects of sensors to check our traffic and air quality. Cmu has developed some of these, but some of these efforts go back a long way that go back to 2008 the earliest I can see, and yet it seems to have progressed very slowly in the budget. I can't find items for that. The only reference to lighting I saw had to do with a state grant that we were receiving in a very, very, very small one.

L

So maybe there is in there somewhere, but I didn't see it so I'm gonna get off of that, kick to the other side of light, which is insufficient lighting and some of the neighborhoods really needed. So let me tell you a little bit doubt that I've worked a lot with our folks in Homewood in the last few years, with Sierra Club, with operation, better block and so forth.

L

I'm a volunteer with Sierra Club, also a custom San Jose and on the board of gasped and I've gotten to know a couple of husband doesn't of the home and residents pretty well through these joint projects, energy efficiency, you see I'm doing and especially speed cleanups, and it's actually fun to be out with these people.

L

On the streets, cleaning things up I like that, a lot and our monthly meetings, one concern came up over and over again that's poor street lighting and there's two aspects: one is fearing for personal safety and the other is watching incessant illegal dumping in the in all these vacant. Lots by outsiders that think it's nobody cares well, people do care, and so bottom line is just tell us what you're doing about these things and think about that. Thank.

B

You Roger thank you.

B

Yep perfect, thank you. Right is Fredd cradle with us, this sure and then our final registered speaker will be William Butler.

B

Good morning, hi.

AN

Hello, my name is Fred kraebel I live in Point Breeze I volunteer with five climate action groups and I'm here to ask counsel to add action on climate change into the budget. Thank you for this opportunity to comment and please keep allowing city residents the opportunity to comment on the budget process. Pittsburgh city leaders have worked hard and are to be commended for turning this city around and helping us emerge from our financial distress status under act. 47.

AN

A lot of pittsburgh financial problems came from our dependence on our heavily polluting industry, the steel industry and when the steel industry left town it devastated Pittsburgh's finances. We now have an opportunity to build a better city running on renewable energy with clean electric vehicles. Ironically, Western PA has a cloud hanging over it in the form of another heavily polluting industry, which is fracking natural gas and plastics. This industry has a lot of money and clout kudos to mayor Peduto for speaking out in opposition to the expansion of the cracker plants.

AN

Pittsburgh can join the renewable energy future. Indeed, we are seeing signs of it in Hazelwood Green on Mill 19, where construction is underway for one of the largest solar arrays in Western PA by 2021 over a two-year period, the US will see about 30 gigawatts of wind and 20 gigawatts of solar added to the grid. This is a huge expansion of renewable energy which will increase our current renewable energy fleet by about 30%. This was brought to you by our previous president and a 2015 bill to expend extend tax credits for renewable energy.

AN

Unfortunately, most of that clean energy investment will be in the west, Midwest and Northeast, but not so much in Western PA, Western PA is by a president in the US Senate and a state legislature that denies the reality of climate change. Philadelphia is not standing by idly with. The inaction of this state and federal government Philadelphia is signed. A power purchase agreement to get a 70 megawatt solar farm built. The power of this purchase creates demand for clean energy where it did not exist and pushes fossil fuel generation to the margins.

AN

Pittsburgh is also not standing idly by. We have been adding electric vehicles to our fleet among other initiatives, so we want to call Pitt on Pittsburgh to do even more put money in the budget to switch street lights, to LEDs, put money in the budget to retrofit municipal buildings, for more energy efficiency, put money in the budget for renewable energy. Let's build a better future, because America will take bold action to cut climate pollution.

AN

B

AE

B

Okay, mr. Butler, are you here good morning, welcome thanks for your patience. Thank.

AO

You I am a new resident to Pittsburgh I, moved here from Atlanta, I retired after 50 years working in the film and television production industry, my daughter went to Pitt and I couldn't get her to come back, I was diagnosed with cancer and she lobbied for me to come to Pittsburgh and one of the things that I learned about this through the economic circle of Pittsburgh. In this Sierra Club and I felt compelled to come and leave a few thoughts behind.

AO

I have 20 years, also in public service volunteering, being our community planning boards in New York and in Atlanta, advising Cultural Affairs and establishing an association for african-american, film professionals, advocacy, group and I very much say Pittsburgh's lovely place, glad to be here. I live in Penn Hills and like Atlanta, anything near Atlanta becomes Atlanta, so I, don't know how close I am to being in Perry. I certainly feel a part of it not and I. Thank you. I want to say that environmental issues and concern about everyday citizens and livings are very important.

AO

They're much more important than people tend to give strength to and I hope that that will stick out as you come into, considering all the things that you've heard here today, I don't have any wish to repeat them, but I think it's very important to support them. I also feel that when children learn about what we did in our lifetimes, whether here or not, I want them to say we did the right thing.

AO

I don't want them to remember us as being selfish and greedy and insensitive, and that is exactly what will happen and history says. That is what will happen. Thank you.

B

Okay, so so that exhausts the list of registered speakers if there are other people in attendance this morning that wish to address council you're, welcome to line up you'll get your one minute, but I will advise you in advance that one minute it just flies by so good morning. Welcome again we'll just need your name in the neighborhood in which you reside. Please.

AP

Hi, my name is Karen Mitchell reside in district 2 and I'm here and as a representative of the Salvation Army Westside Court, and we do a lot of emergency services from utility assistance to disaster relief. But one thing I'm here to talk about today is what we do to better food insecurities.

AP

We do a community, we do a distribution and once a month- and we also do emergency food daily in 2019 and 2019, with the help with the community block grant, we were able to we, we received 1,500 dollars and through this money we distributed 4000 pounds of product and 10,000 pounds were fresh produce as well as 10, more than 10,000 with fresh proteins. During this 12 months we serve approximately 65 households and approximately 180 individuals and of those individuals. A lot we're sorry but I just wanted to.

B

Say that, thank you. Thank you. Karen appreciate it good morning. Welcome.

AQ

My name is Kelsey Solano and I live in the Hayes neighborhood, um so I'll be quick so who actually benefits from this opaque budget process, because it's none of us here and it's not the council either. This city loves the town itself as livable and as climate champions, but little has actually been done to act on those goals beyond feasibility studies and lip service.

AQ

From my perspective, as someone who lives in a floodplain, I have one bus option with limited times sidewalks with the score four out of a hundred for walkability, elevated air pollution levels, poor lighting and someone who cares about an equitable inclusive budget process. The city has fallen short in all of these areas.

AQ

The city should create an open, accessible budget process that everyone can actually understand and participate in and that centers the needs of the most vulnerable and impacted residents of our city. I would love the city to expand, transit, housing and pathways that reduce energy like updating the six-year-old streetlights and actually putting money towards the energy efficiency legislation, and that money can be reinvested into flood mitigation. Racial and economic justice. Murphy.

B

Thank you so much.

AR

Good morning, good morning, Council, my name is carly. Rahim I'm from the Northside community, I live in the neighbourhood of Manchester won 5-2 to 33, as we've all heard this morning, and on many previous mornings and afternoons. There is a disproportionate number of black people within the city of Pittsburgh who continue to suffer all the different issues and all the things that folks have already talked about whether you're talking about housing. We talked about economic justice, we talking about income disparity, we talked about criminal justice reform in the need for it.

AR

So once again, I just want to reiterate in terms of a budgetary item specifically I want to call upon the city to include funding for a reparations Commission to facilitate the process of organizing and distributing reparations to the black residents of the city of Pittsburgh. Once again, if black people here within the city of Pittsburgh continue to be the disproportionate representatives of gross social injustice and inequity, we deserve reparations. Thank you.

B

Good morning welcome.

AC

Hello, my name is Lisa Gonzalez I'm from Carey one five to ten I'm representing PPT in power, Pixar's, Union, original Renner's, regional rivers. We need a commitment from City Council on affordable housing, mobility and transportation, expand HIV funds not take away. This city is leaving people of color in the poor. Behind low-income residents are being evicted because the increasing rent rent that is unacceptable. Who do you serve the rich or all the city of Pittsburgh, which includes all thank you. Thank.

AE

B

Good morning well, hi.

D

My name is Denise scalper and I live on Willard Street in Point Breeze I'm here as a concerned and curious citizen at the encouragement of the Sierra Club I would just like to add my voice to the calls for support for the food bank and other hunger programs for the transparency of the budget process and to updating the streetlights across the city in all income levels. Great.

B

Thank you so much good morning, good.

AS

Morning, my name is Fani fan I'm here as a graduate student in policy and data analytics at CMU, I research technology in public processes, cities and I believe that the public process in Pittsburgh is broken. One example is the lack of an open meetings act here. Another example is the Milan Oakland connector, which prioritizes private interests, including uber and CMU over resident interest, as we've heard multiple times today. How is it that sidewalks are not fixed and a multi-million dollar micro bility connectors being pushed today?

AS

Pittsburgh needs to learn for the lessons of sidewalk labs and Toronto and other cities where futuristic private interests have been pushed at the expense of resident trust. Another example is a lack of transparency in the use of technology by Pittsburgh police, in particular, predicting predictive policing model that is being used for three years in partnership with CMU and has bypassed both council and community input.

AS

This has been a strategic priority on the budget book for three years, including this one can the city of Pittsburgh stop paving over in harming Pittsburgh residents in the name of technology we needed. We need transparency and a plan to prioritize actual resident needs over private interests. We need a just City, not a smart city.

AT

Morning, good morning, Council, my name is William. Anderson I live at 270 35 chaucer Street in Pittsburgh PA, today, I'm here wearing two hats addressing this issue. I'm a member of all of the organizations that preceded me, I'm also a member of beep hep, the black political empowerment project, we're a few years ago, we created the corporate equity and inclusion roundtable where we intended to get big businesses involved with trying to get the community jobs and employment. So our biggest thing that we are fighting for is transparency in his budget.

AT

When we have a mayor that talked about the head of the city of Pittsburgh, School Board and demanded transparency and their process and got their process because the school board is larger. Budget is larger than the city of Pittsburgh and demanded. Transparency from the school board expect the mayor to demand the same transparency in his own action in his own budget. As we know, the mayors and my city, councilmen from district 9, have not invested in our community and we have a broken PA system that demolishes illegally demolishes and condemns property without any upkeep. Thanks.

B

For officiator.

B

Good morning, my.

AU

Name is Heather Moll, Hazelwood resident 570, Kilbourne Street for decades Hazelwood in the run, our neighborhoods that have been ill-considered in favorite of rogue Road building. In fact, when I was looking to buy my house in 2005, my main concern was the Mon Fayette expressway, which was threatening to raise the entire business district of the neighborhood and other problems pleasently.

AU

The plan was shelved after I took a gamble about my house, but over the years since there's been a series of other threats and challenges such as cutbacks to the Port Authority bus routes, large-scale demolition of building school closures and other disinvestments in the neighborhood by the city until, of course, Amazon expressed its interests. So I appreciate the nice bike and pedestrian pathways on the old LTV side.

AU

I suspect they weren't created by the city for my neighbors and I, but for future residents like tech workers who work for who've been vying for gigs for billionaire union-busting tax evaders, like Jeff Bezos I'd like to see the city consider us the current residents first, this time, instead of a roadway, please choose to invest our public dollars and taxpayer funds into existing public transit, sidewalk infrastructure, storm water, remediation, etc. Thank.

B

AO

Good morning, hi.

AV

I live at 8, 401, Holland, Avenue apartment, 2, Pittsburgh, one five, two, two one I am a substitute teacher in the Pittsburgh Public School I have never seen so many thin children in my life under a certain age and there's many people present that know that the brain is forming up to four years old. This includes preschool children, so we need these food banks and we also need cleaner air for them to breathe. So, let's get on at Pittsburgh. Let's do what you said. You would do, let's be this wonderful, green paradise. Thank you.

B

Okay, so that does closed. The public comment portion of the council meeting just two things real fast that came up during the course of the meeting that I I do want to clarify. The street lights had come up a number of different times working with our budget director here. I just want to assure you that in the 2019 budget, fourteen million dollars was approved in our present budget that we're in right now for the correction or the installation of LED streetlights.

B

Please don't think we're not thinking about that, and then several weeks ago, when the budget first came over, I worked with our budget director to craft an amendment that would allocate $250,000 to our food service organizations which we are committed to and we do every year. So please leave here assured that that amendment will be placed in the budget with that I want to open it up to first councilman Strassburger, followed by Councilwoman gross and then followed by Councilwoman Smith Thank.

AW

You, council president I, want to thank you all for taking the time to speak out today and wanted to touch on just a couple of issues before I have to get to a meeting. One is that I believe that the public need agree with you that the public needs to be at the there at the beginning of the conversation for any kind of project, whether it's a development project or whether it's a crafting of the budget?

AW

And in fact that's what I told the mayor when he was at the table at the budget hearings a few weeks ago, I give credit to our offer our mayor's office of Community Affairs OCA for the work that they currently do to allow for the two meetings to allow residents to come and go through kind of a mini participatory budgeting process. We need to expand on that. I've actually believed that shouldn't start in June. It should be a 12-month project where residents are.

AW

You know, understanding, not only the things that we're all talking about today, but actually digging into what it takes to fund our finance department. What it takes to fund our office of you know any kind of office or any kind of department or kind of border authority that we're not always thinking about as residents of the city, but to understand what it takes to be able to have a balanced budget and the trade-offs that you have to mull over and the tough decisions that we as council members and the mayor have to make every year.

AW

So I would love to see a Congress of residents come together to form that, or at least come up with a plan to allow for an even more robust community process. Marshall I love some of your ideas and making sure that there are ways to access. You know the simple simplified version of the budget in snippets, whether it's a podcast or whether it's a video blog or whether it is more just just more impactful webs web pages around around what we're discussing throughout the year and starting in June as well.

AW

I also wanted to say that I'm on board, with with putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to climate change and sustainability. Look forward to meeting with the Sierra, Club and other environmental advocacy organizations just later today to dig into these details and look forward to working with all of you on what you addressed today.

AW

I know that councilman O'connor had to step out and I know he was put in to come back as soon as possible, but his office in mind had a great conversation on Friday with Pittsburghers for public transit, and there are resolutions in the works to do what you're asking of us, maybe not in full, but to offer a resolution to commit to funding many of the projects. Many of that are in his district, but effect you know all of us throughout the city of Pittsburgh, so I just wanted to say that as well.

AW

Thank you all for being here today, Thank You.

B

Councilwoman grouse.

AX

Long and thank you for coming down. I apologize, I missed the beginning of the meeting. I was lobbying some state officials for some of their dollars for a facility in my district that could not be. It was scheduled many many weeks in advance, so I hurried back down here from Bloomfield and I appreciate you all being here. I took a lot of notes. I can watch the beginning of the session, as you can on.

AX

Legislating for the dollars that have been allocated around the Mon Oakland connector, because I also had conversations with I'm councilman O'connor. Last week and I appreciate the input for Pittsburghers for public transit and all of your allies. We really need to Center I, think non car uses in our mobility.

AX

Budgeting right, I, don't even want to call it transportation anymore, because it's so associated with the 20th century.

AX

Models that are just you know, foreground and only about cars, and the important part for us as a city is that we are moving people right, that streets are for people and we just need to figure out where people need to go and how they can get there and how goods and services are available to them right and and to support our local Main streets, which are often not well served by the big highway forms that are imposed upon us or that we're so popular in the 20th century.

AX

And then I also am particularly grateful to hear not just about transparency in the budget, but also how we collectively at Council and as residents, can get a better grasp on the outcomes of our budgeting, all right, so the racial and gender outcomes of every budget decision we make everyone in the budget. I've got a policy document some play back in my office, if which, if you've seen it is piled very high with paper and policy documents that asks our snowplow sexist right.

AX

So even in the budgeting and the assumptions that we make about like where we send our snow plows to clear streets. Well, if you don't have a car which a third of our residents, don't how does that really help you or does it? She? You know how I think we need to at least ask these questions and so that we can decide together whether we agree with these budget allocations and so to really drill down and not assume that some things are relevant to racial or gender equity or class equity.

AX

To just go ahead and to be able to ask the question and then and when we get the answers, then we have a conversation about what what is what are the impacts of our budget assumptions, and do we want to revisit those assumptions? So I was very glad to hear about that and thank you all again for coming down and for staying so long. So, yes, I would very much like to have a more robust conversation about reducing energy costs, improving transportation funding and mobility funding and housing. Thank you for being here.

AJ

You have all said just about everything that needed to be said to be quite honest: I'm gonna. Thank you all for being here, but I am gonna, say a couple of things they I want to I know, I, hear people talking about the importance of having transparency and input on the budget. I really think that this administration has done more in terms of engaging the public than anyone I've seen in the past and I I. Don't care whether you agree or not.

AJ

I know that I have actually seen more engagement than I have and I've been involved for 25 years before I, even gotten to this office. So I know what level I had before. I know what level there is now so I do I, don't want to say that he that the administration is not reaching out and not engaging people. Does that mean you want more engagement? That's that's the conversation we need to have, but to say that there's been no transparency and no conversations in the budget. It's just not accurate.

AJ

There's more tools now than there's ever been to you know, give him what I do think I heard the comments for needing for funding and I really the produce to the people project is in Chariton and they do a ton of work and and and really it's a beneficial program to our community I'd like to see us do more in terms of the food food policies and to address the hunger issues in our communities.

AJ

It's it's really horrific and and what's going on right now, even though there is a lot of resources and a lot of money and more community gardens and all those things it's just really has been really difficult to watch. Some of our residents suffering and struggling just to put a meal on the table. I mean even with all the help that we try to put in I think we need to be more thoughtful in how we're delivering some of those services. I do want to say.

AJ

There's also needs to be accountability, because I've heard people speak about the things that they do in the communities and I'm out in my communities every day. I know what goes on I know sometimes some of the produce and some of the things that are being distributed, or some of the toys that are being distributed from Toys for Tots or sometimes picked over by people that don't really necessarily need those resources. So then it doesn't allow for the people that really do need it, and so I see it.

AJ

And it's just it's disturbing, because I want to make sure that that money is going towards the to the people that truly do need. It and I think if you know accountability and making sure that we have some some folks looking over, that that are making sure people qualified for the funding or or whatever the problem whatever. That is that we're distributing I know that we do it somehow through CDBG money, but I still see it. Quite often, I mean it's it's it's sad.

AJ

To be honest, with you, I mean I went to a toys for tot event and and the people that picked over the toy I mean it was heartbreaking, because you knew that there's no kids coming in that really needed it, and yet they didn't get those things, and so so I just want accountability. When it comes to this I would I would give anything. I mean people that know me know that I would give anything.

AJ

I had to see people not struggling them to see people not hurting, but I want to see it going really to people that really need it, and with that said, and I'm really still willing to work with the folks on the Hmong Oakland connector, because I was born and raised on Fifth Avenue and in Oakland and I.

AJ

Throw that there's a lot of concerns for residents there as well, and so I I really don't want to see of your voice silenced, because this is a project that other people were so very supportive of so I think there's going to be someone I hear councilmen I, hear you say: I hear Councilwoman Strassburger mentioning that a new mentioned as well that you're gonna work on some amendments that benefit to councilman O'connor's district, but I will say that just because a project that is millions of dollars is going into that area.

AJ

That doesn't mean, though, that that community is any more deserving than the community that doesn't have that kind of project going in, and so, if we're going to pick sidewalks in neo Hazelwood in other places, we need to pick sidewalks in s1 and ferry within other places as well. So I just want to say that I'm willing to work with everybody on these things. So thank you very much for being here and I will mention this one thing about the lead in Pittsburgh Public Schools.

AJ

When I actually had the first post agenda that we uncovered that there was lead and problems with the meters, and so that was it was something I really pride myself on making sure that we we stayed on that, but I at the time I sent an email to Pittsburgh, Public Schools, asking them to check their schools and their children and test their children for lead, and now we're hearing about 18 schools with leads in the bill. I mean years later, so sometimes I get frustrated as well.

AJ

When we don't, you know, work so well with the Pittsburgh Public Schools, because these are our key families. And you know these are our kids and they're our future, and so I'd like to see us do a little bit more working collaboratively to address issues there, including the led to crisis now. So, thank you all for being here. Okay,.

B

Thanks Councilwoman, so before we adjourn the meeting, I'll just make one correction to the remarks that I made earlier I was reminded by our Budget Office. Our allocation request for Community Development Block Grant dollars to feed our hunger organizations is 250 thousand. It's 30 thousand more than the council allocated in 2019, which was two thousand two hundred and twenty thousand. Forgive me and I have every confidence that this council will support the amendment and that we will meet our obligation to to feed our hunger organizations. So.

V

B

You so very much for being here this morning. May I. Please have a motion to adjourn this public.

AJ