Expenditures

Date of Publication: July 2014

Synopsis: The basic purpose of local government is to provide public services for its citizens.  This includes public safety, recreation, street maintenance, and sanitation.  Yet many people do not know who much their municipal government spends on such functions.  To address this issue, we have put together three reports on the topic over the years covering municipal financial data for municipalities in Allegheny County for 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

  Snapshot: Weighted average per capita municipal general fund spending[1]

Forecast: The trend clearly shows an increase of about two percent per year for the first three years.  Then in 2011 the average general fund expenditures increased by three percent—coinciding with the end of the severe recession from 2009-2010.  This is an ongoing project that will continually be updated as the data becomes available.  For an expanded table with all municipalities and list of categories, please click here.


[1] Averages are for all municipalities in Allegheny County with the exception of the City of Pittsburgh, McDonald, and Trafford. The averages are weighted by taking the total amount in each category and dividing by the total population in the sample.  In 2008 there were 119 municipalities reporting data, 123 in 2009, all 127 in 2010, and 126 in 2011 as Munhall did not submit a report.