Allegheny County Council will begin holding public hearings this week for the proposed 2017 County budget. Presentations will be made by row officers, courts, operating departments, and on allocations to independent agencies like the Port Authority.
In the $1.9 billion in spending about $502 million is projected to come from “taxes/local”, $1.1 billion from “Federal/state” and $300 million from other. On taxes, $360 million is expected from the property tax, $48.2 million from the County’s share of the 1% RAD sales tax, $45 million from the drink and car rental taxes, and $5.4 million from the “host fee” from the Rivers Casino, an amount that is affected by the Supreme Court’s decision on the statutory language.
Our most recent report examined the County’s trends in workforce, revenues, and expenditures over the years 2000-15. Of the revenues that were levied in 2000–property and sales (again, the County government receives 1/4th of the money raised by the 1% tax) collections rose 54% and 38%, per capita, respectively.
