No tax increase in Fitzgerald's proposed 2019 Allegheny County budget

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald won’t raise property taxes to fund his proposed $1 billion budget for 2019.

Fitzgerald presented his 2019 budget to Allegheny County Council on Tuesday.

The $932.4 million operating budget is a 2.9 percent increase over the 2018 operating budget of $905.7 million. The $111.2 million capital budget is a 4.9 percent increase over the 2018 capital budget of $106 million.

“I’m very proud that we have been able to hold the line on property taxes for so long, which has, in turn, encouraged growth and supported an economic vitality that continues to provide opportunities in our county,” Fitzgerald said in a statement.

The county last raised property taxes in 2012. The county’s millage rate is 4.73 mills, meaning the owner of a $100,000 home pays $473 a year in county property taxes.

Fitzgerald said the 2019 budget is focused on improving parks and infrastructure and providing resources to county residents. The capital budget provides money for 56 infrastructure and capital improvement projects including restoration at the courthouse, work on the Rachel Carson Bridge and more than 500 bridges and funding for landslide repairs and measures to try to prevent landslides.

“We had a very challenging year this year, as you know, with lots of county roads being impacted by landslides,” Fitzgerald said during his address to council about the budget.

Fitzgerald said the county plans to pave more than 40 miles of roads within its boundaries.

Each department will see an increase in its budget in line with cost-of-living increases, Fitzgerald said.

The budget adds about another $1 million to the county’s unassigned fund balance, its “rainy day fund,” Fitzgerald said. The fund will be more than $49 million, up from about $5 million in 2012 when Fitzgerald first became county executive.

County Council will hold hearings on the budget over the next several weeks. Council must adopt a budget 25 days before the end of the year.

Aaron Aupperlee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Aaron at 412-336-8448, aaupperlee@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tinynotebook.