►
Description
proposed annexation of the Borough of Wilkinsburg by the City of Pittsburgh
A
A
A
C
This
thank
you
so
good
evening.
Everyone
glad
to
be
here
with
you,
council
has
put
together
a
very
basic
presentation.
I'm
gonna
try
not
to
read
it
word
for
word,
but
it's
just
to
give
you
sort
of
a
baseline
of
the
of
wilkinsburg
of
the
city
and
what
it
may,
what
it
looks
like
when
we
share
services
with
another
municipality.
Essentially,
so
thank
you
so
one
we
just
wanted
to
point
out
that
the
pittsburgh
region
is
very
decentralized.
C
C
This
slide
is
meant
to
just
show
you
that
this
would
not
be
the
first
time
the
city
has
also
provided
services
to
other
boroughs
and
areas.
We
we
provide
it
for
ingram
our
fire
department,
my
oliver,
their
residents
attend
pittsburgh
public
schools
and
we
also
have
merged
with
the
millville
water
and
sew
authority
in
2009
next
slide.
C
This
is
meant
to
show
you
that
fundamentally,
wilkinsburg
faces
a
number
of
structural
economic
challenges.
They've
lost
4
100
residents
since
2000
they
have
an
incurring
steadily
declining
tax
base,
their
property
taxes
continue
to
rise
and
they're
determined,
and
all
of
that
provide
determinants
to
private
investment
coming
into
the
borough.
Next
slide.
C
This
this
basically
shows
that,
due
to
those
structural
changes,
wilkinsburg
is
limited
on
how
they're
actually
going
to
raise
revenue.
They
have
increased
expenditures,
but
they
have
a
lack
of
revenue,
which
is
the
opposite
of
any
scenario.
You
want
to
have
next
slide,
and
this
is
again
essentially
so
is
iterating
the
same
point
that
their
increase
their
revenue
will.
Their
expenditures
will
continue
to
rise,
while
the
revenue
will
not
without
a
merger,
and
we
can
end
it
there.
A
A
Please
keep
in
mind
that
this
is
an
opportunity
for
the
community,
the
community,
to
speak
directly
to
pittsburgh
council
about
the
issue
at
hand
and
at
a
time
for
council
to
listen.
Therefore,
council
will
not
be
responding
to
individual
comments,
so
it
looks
like
all
the
speakers
are
just
in
person
right,
there's,
not
a
zoom
option.
Okay,
so
I'm
going
to
call
the
first
speaker
and
you
can
come
up
to
the
mic
and
state
your
name
and
and
and
where
you're
from
first
speaker's
name
is
glenn
friend
friend
and
also
I
apologize.
D
Okay,
thank
you.
Thank
you.
Council
members.
I
live,
I'm
a
wilkinsburg
resident
and
I
I
live
at
807,
rebecca
avenue.
No,
no.
This
is
yeah.
It
is
okay
and
I'm
here
to
address
the
the
audience
and
and
and
the
council
members
about
it
in
favor
of
the
resolution
to
to
put
the
question
on
the
ballot
for
for
next
year,
and
one
thing
is,
I
I'm
a
longtime
resident
of
wilkinsburg.
I've
lived
there
for
30
years
and
I've
been
a
homeowner
for
the
last
20
years.
D
I've
seen
a
lot
of
some
positive
and
not
so
positive
changes,
the
most
positive
ones
being
the
ones
that
councilman
wilson
just
presented
on
your
slideshow,
the
merger,
the
merger,
the
school
district,
the
high
school,
the
fire
fire
department.
So
we
are
incrementally
moving
the
direction
of
of
merger
services.
We
just
don't.
We
don't
have
a
political
situation,
result
setting
aside
structural
problems
with
inequalities
and
inefficiencies
and
funding
of
the
school
district
in
the
state.
D
D
D
So
just
skipping
along,
I
don't.
I
don't
have
a
lot
of
prepared
statements,
but
we've
had
I
mean
my
my
immediate
neighborhood
has
had
some
some
rebuilding
and
renovation
through
pittsburgh,
history
and
landmarks
foundation,
historic
preservation,
but
it's
not
really
enough
to
offset
all
the
blight
on
my
on
the
block
that
I
live
in,
and
the
the
number
of
vacant
vacant
property
acquisition
that
we
processed
on
the
planning
commission
has
not
kept
up
with
with
influx
of
residents.
D
D
You
know
get
outside
funding
and
I
think
this
is
a
positive
thing
for
the
for
the
city,
which
has
also
lost
your
population,
and
in
order
to
to
maintain
your
status
as
a
large
metropolitan
area,
you
have
to
stay
at
a
you
know,
state
a
certain
level,
so
that's
going
to
help
help
both
of
us.
Okay,
those
are
my
main.
Those
are
my
main
comments
for
today,
so
I
appreciate
your
support
and
letting
moving
forward
with
with
the
proposition
all
right.
Thank
you.
Glenn.
E
E
The
input
came
from
over
150
people
who
participated
in
focus
groups
which
were
open
to
all
that
planted
the
seed
and
we've
moved
forward
since
then.
So
I
strongly
support
annexation.
I
think
it
would
be
a
win
for
both
pittsburgh
and
for
wilkinsburg.
I've
watched
my
home
town
decline
for
decades.
You
have
the
facts,
so
I
won't
repeat
them.
E
It's
the
population
loss,
the
reduction
in
businesses,
it's
the
increase
in
vacant
properties
and
in
blight,
and
you
know
that
the
primary
obstacle
to
investment
in
wilkinsburg
is
the
high
property
tax
rate,
which
is
about
double
this.
The
city
property
tax
rate,
structural
change
is
necessary
to
reverse
these
trends
and
despite
every
good
intention
and
best
efforts,
the
the
borough
itself
is
not
in
a
position
to
achieve
structural
change.
E
A
A
F
A
F
A
C
So
council
is
currently
going
through
a
process
where
we're
look
trying
to
examine
what
a
potential
merger
of
the
borough
of
wilkinsburg
in
the
city
of
pittsburgh
would
look
like
from
all
aspects.
So
from
a
public
safety
standpoint.
What
would
that
look
like?
What
would
the
financial
cost
be
to
the
city
and
so
we're
currently
going
through
that
process?
So
we
don't
know
the
definitive
answer
to
your
question.
A
Okay,
we
did
have
a
couple
people
come
in.
I
just
want
to
ask
if
either
are
kate,
luxembourg
or
renee
dolny,
okay,
okay,
renee.
Would
you
like
to
make
comment
sure
kind
of
going
out
of
order
here
we
started
making
a
comment,
but
I
I
think
you
know
I
think
we're
good.
Can
I
take
my
mask
out
sure:
okay,.
G
Hi,
so
I've
spoken
with
you
before
I'm
renee
dalny
and
I'm
a
resident
of
wilkinsburg,
and
I
just
want
to
be
clear
that
wilkinsburg
doesn't
want
this.
This
entire
drive
is
not
a
grassroots
campaign.
This
is
being
driven
by
the
wilkinsburg
community
development
corporation,
which
was
founded
by
a
banker
from
fox
chapel.
This
is
not
a
grassroots
organization.
G
In
november,
when
pittsburgh
had
their
hearings,
bruce
kraus
laid
it
out
really
clearly
what's
going
on
here.
This
is
about
bankers
and
developers
who
will
make
a
fortune
if
they
continue
the
east
liberty
bakery
square
development
into
wilkinsburg,
but
wilkinsburg
doesn't
want
this.
So
just
to
give
you
an
example,
so
you
know
I'm
not
just
saying
that
yesterday
many
of
my
fellow
residents
were
at
the
polls
and
we
were
there
all
day,
long
talking
to
wilkinsburgers
about
annexation.
G
So
these
are
people
who
vote
in
the
primary
and
I
would
say,
85
percent
are
against
it.
Today
I
went
to
lunch.
I
walked
into
a
rib
shack
and
I
didn't
know
there
was
such
a
thing
as
youtube
news,
but
apparently
there's
youtube
local
news
and
this
hearing-
that's
all
everybody
there.
Wilkinsburg
was
talking
about
was
this
hearing
and
how
against
the
annexation
there
was.
They
are
rather
so.
This
is
not
popular.
If
you
end
up
putting
it
on
the
ballot,
it
is
in
fact
going
to
fail.
G
I
know
that
the
wcdc
has
spent
hundreds
of
thousands
of
dollars
sending
out
their
mailers
and
trying
to
host
their
public
meetings,
but
it
has
not
moved
the
needle
for
public
opinion.
Wilkinsburg
is
fine.
We
like
being
a
small
community.
We
are
not
going
bankrupt
when
you
say
things
like.
Oh,
we
provide
services,
you're,
not
donating
anything
to
the
residents
of
wilkinsburg.
We
have
a
contract
with
the
city
of
pittsburgh
for
services.
We
have
contracts
with
other
providers
for
services
right
so
and
we
can
cha.
G
We
can
end
those
contracts
we
like
being
independent
and
we
like
being
in
control
of
our
borough.
So
you
know
I
don't
know
what
the
benefits
are
for
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
but
I
would
imagine
that
if
you
live
in
the
north
side,
if
you
live
in
the
west
end,
why
would
you
want
to
see
more
development
money
go
to
the
east
end?
East
liberty
is
fine.
Why
would
you
want
to
continue
into
wilkinsburg
that
money
should
go
to
the
west
end
that
money
should
go
to
the
north
shore?
B
I
understand
that
from
the
point
of
view
of
pittsburgh,
it
would
be
attractive
to
annex
wilkinsburg
to
increase
the
population
of
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
but
that
is
not
the
right
way
to
increase
the
population
of
the
city
of
pittsburgh.
The
right
way
where
everything
turns
out
right
is
to
get
the
properties
that
are
in
legal
limbo,
back
on
the
tax
rolls
and
back
available
as
affordable
housing.
B
I
know
that
I
believe
you're
on
the
ura
and
you've
spoken.
No,
oh,
you
are
well
there
here
we
go
so
somebody
on
city
council
has
spoken
about
the
problem
of
the
tax
liens,
holding
the
the
county,
tax,
liens,
holding
properties
in
legal
limbo,
and
that's
absolutely
true.
These
tiny
little
properties
that
would
be
good,
affordable
housing
have
for
two
dollars
and
37
cents
owed
in
allegheny.
County
taxes
have
a
tax
lien
that
requires
60
servicing
fee
to
settle,
and
that's
really
not
okay,
and
that
includes
a
10
servicing
fee
to
jordan
tax.
B
So
look,
even
if
you
don't
need
the
tax
revenue
from
these
modest
properties,
look
at
the
problem
of
it
from
the
point
of
view
of
affordable
housing
is
needed
and
the
most
affordable
housing
is
the
housing
that's
already
built
and
is
not
so
far
gone,
that
a
rehab
would
cost
as
much
as
new
construction,
so
get
your
population
that
way
by
bringing
back
the
tax
delinquent
properties.
Thank
you.
H
H
My
name
is
denise
edwards
and
I'm
the
president
of
the
wilkinsburg
borough
council.
The
what
the
main
point.
Two
main
points
I
want
to
make
is
that
wilkinsburg
council,
as
you
guys
may
know,
did
pass
a
resolution
about
two
years
ago.
Rejecting
this
effort
and
part
of
the
reasoning
for
that
is
the
whole
effort
to
annex
has
is-
does
not
come
from
a
group
of
concerned
wilkinsburg
residents
who
are
tired
of
having
high
taxes.
H
That's
not
the
origin
of
this
said
also.
It
doesn't
come
from
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
as
far
as
I
can
tell
where
it
comes
from,
are
big
developers,
big
bankers
who
are
looking
at
the
east
end
and
see
nothing
but
dollar
signs
before
their
eyes,
the
county
executive
fitzgerald
as
much
as
told
us
that
that
the
big
developers
like,
I
guess
like
oxford,
I
am
not
an
expert
and
you
may
be,
or
a
big
development
in
pittsburgh.
H
H
As
renee
alluded,
we
looked
at
the
990s
for
the
wilkinsburg
development
corporation
and
they
have
received
what
we
can
identify
three
hundred
thousand
dollars
to
do
this
campaign
for
annexation.
They
hired
full-time
petitioners
resident.
Apparently
they
couldn't
get
volunteers
from
our
community
as
well
as
very
expensive,
attorneys
and
everything
else.
H
H
That's
a
lot
of
money
in
our
town
just
to
do
this
campaign
coming
from
where
coming
from
our
community
development
corporation,
who
arguably
has
a
very
checkered
record
in
redeveloping
our
town,
and
that's
why
I
want
you
to
look
at
the
origin,
because
we
know
it's
not
the
city.
We
know
it
isn't
just
some
rump
group
or
some
group
of
dissatisfied
taxpayers.
H
A
A
I
don't
want
to
forget
that
and
everyone
who
came
and
and
gave
comment-
and
everyone
has
been
sending
in
comments
and
also
your
effort
to
travel
all
the
way
over
to
the
north
side
and
come
to
the
pride
project
to
to
see.
Maybe
you
know
you
know
at
least
at
some
point
we
should
at
least
have
maybe
jonathan
could
give
someone
an
overview
of
what
happens
in
this
in
this.
A
You
know
the
executive
director,
so
you
know
which
was.
How
would
this
be
started
up
again?
They
would
literally
have
to
go
around.
I
guess,
if
they're
paying,
for
you
know,
petitioners,
maybe
that's
the
same
process
again
and
I
just
continually
see
you
know
as
a
as
a
as
a
public
official
in
the
in
the
mix
of
you
know
what
the
state
has
has
you
know
put
forward
as
what
the
process
is
and
something
like
this
hasn't
happened
a
long
time.
A
A
You
know
about
individuals
from
wilkinsburg
and
also
the
city
that
you
know
talk
about
being
opposed
to
it,
but
I
also
want
to
just
be
mindful
that
we
do
have
this
this
process,
that
you
know
we
call
democracy
where
this
is
in
place,
and
we
all
just
you
know.
Hopefully
a
lot
of
people
here
on
tuesday
express
that
right
to
vote,
and
so
I'm
continually
thinking
about
you
know.
A
I
have
some
specific
questions
on
how
that
would
look
like
and
what
that
means
for
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
but
I'm
just
letting
you
all
know
what
I'm
continually
faced
with
with
this
decision,
because
it's
really
just
to
allow
the
residents
of
wilkinsburg
to
make
their
own
decision,
which
was
a
you
know.
This
is
a
legal
process
that
was
put
in
place,
so
I'm
just
I
haven't
made
my
mind
up
completely.
I
voted
against
it
previously,
but
you
know
I'm
allowing
the
process
to
take
place
where
we're
having
these
public
hearings.