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Pittsburgh City Council

Projected year-end deficit grows to $30.2 million as revenues fall short.

Written by Amy Whipple

With the close of the second quarter, Pittsburgh’s financial situation is looking even more grim with the NFL Draft having put a $1 million hole in the budget.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have good news for you today,” Rea Price, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, said on Sept. 1 during council’s quarterly financial update. 

According to Price, the projected year-end deficit has gone from $24.4 million to $30.2 million since the end of the first quarter.

In breaking down the numbers, she said the city spent $3.5 million more in the second quarter of 2026 than the same period in 2025, while experiencing a $1.3 million reduction in revenue over the same. Currently, revenues are projected to come in $16.5 million under budget. 

Price reiterated her preference for conservative estimates, especially at the beginning of the year. However, when council members questioned if the deficit would continue to grow, she was more hesitant to suggest a better outcome than she was in June.

“The outlook on expenditures would typically get better once you got to the end of the year. And the same thing with revenues, too, in the past,” she said, “but this year has been a weird year in my experience. So it’s very hard to say at this point.” 

While the final revenue numbers aren’t yet available, another presumed disappointment came by way of the NFL Draft. According to Finance Director Jen Gula, parking revenue for April 2026 is at about half the total for April 2025.

Elizabeth Cercone, Assistant Director for Operating and Special Revenue, said that, while the city received the promised $2 million from VisitPittsburgh, “I would suggest that we are not whole.” When factoring the city’s initial investment of $1 million, however, she said there’s a likely loss of at least $1 million.

Connections to this story

Governments:
Pittsburgh City Council
Public meetings:
City Council · September 1, 2026

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