CONTROLLER WAGNER CALLS ON CORBETT TO RESTORE ALLEGHENY COUNTY FUNDING

Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner today called on Gov. Tom Corbett to restore funding to critical County programs that was cut in the Governor’s proposed 2012-13 budget.

“Your budget does not include any money for either the Law Enforcement Grant or Pittsburgh Municipal Court Grant, previously funded at .5 million and million respectively,” Wagner said in a letter to the Governor. “Failure to fund these grants forces Allegheny County taxpayers, alone, to cover nearly million for County Police, the Medical Examiner, and Municipal Courts. The absence of these funding sources means that Allegheny County taxpayers shoulder a double-burden for services that our County continues to provide on behalf of the Commonwealth, while the Commonwealth provides similar services in other areas of the state.”

During a press conference with County officials and labor leaders, Wagner said other areas that “compound the unfairness your budget visits on Allegheny County taxpayers” include:

  •     Failure to address the million funding gap for the Port Authority of Allegheny County;
  •     20% cut in human services funding;
  •     5% cut to the Community College of Allegheny County;
  •     4% cut in Medicaid reimbursements that would significantly affect the services provided by Kane Hospitals.  

Note: PDF Icon Controller Wagner's Letter to Gov. Corbett is attached.