Your Daily Guide

Innamorato Proposes $1.2 Billion Operating Budget

The county’s 2027 budget proposal doesn’t include any new property taxes — after a 36% hike last year — and increases overall spending by about 2%. But federal cuts from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” have reduced funding for mental health care and substance use disorder treatment, and many departments will operate with less funds than they do now.

• The beleaguered pension fund remains in dire financial straits. The county owes workers $1.4 billion more than it can pay. To put it another way, that’s about 112 million orders of chicken tenders from Primanti Bros. To put it another another way, that’s about 673 million individual chicken tenders. Yum!
• The Trump administration’s war with Iran, constantly changing tariffs, and overall economic inflation has increased the cost of essential materials like gas, diesel, and road salt, according to Innamorato. [🔒 Post-Gazette / Council YouTube]
• One possible revenue stream that Innamorato floated is an increased sales tax — Allegheny County’s is at 7%. But that would require approval from Harrisburg, and we currently have a divided state government with a Democratic House and governor and a Republican Senate. All that could change with the upcoming Nov. 3 election. [PA.gov]
• To reduce costs, the county proposed cutting 150 vacant positions, which works out to $9 million in savings. Innamorato says no current county employees would be laid off. [WESA]
• Residents can give comments Oct. 21 and 29 during council budget hearings. The deadline to pass the budget is on Dec. 6.

Vote at a Satellite Election Office

Stop by the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and cast your ballot early. You’ll get your mail-in ballot, fill it out, and hand it back all in one visit. New voters can register there, too.

• More satellite centers are open Oct. 17-18 (before the voter registration deadline) and Oct. 24-25. [Allegheny County]

Pittsburgh’s Inequitable Innovation

A nationwide survey about “What Americans Want From Innovation" found that only 44% of Pittsburghers had confidence in the direction our city is going. How to raise morale? Local leaders suggest retaining startups with capital and providing ready-made facilities for employers.

• Weirdly, the survey was conducted by the tobacco company that makes ZYN. Reps from the company stopped through on a tour to discuss how innovation can shape the nation’s growth. [Technical.ly]

All Aboard the Spooooky Mini Railroad

Kamin Science Center’s 35-year-old miniature railroad has added some Halloween-themed easter eggs for eagle-eyed visitors to spot. Can you find any in this Reddit post? You can also admire the newly added, extremely detailed replica of the Andrew Bayne Memorial Library in Bellevue. [Reddit / TribLive]

• RAD Pass offers free tickets to the Science Center, but snag them quick! If they’re not available when you first look, check back later.