Public backs modest tax increase for Pittsburgh schools but presses for budget clarity and equitable grant disbursements

Several public commenters told the Pittsburgh Public Schools board they would support a modest property tax increase if the district provides clearer budgeting information and equitable distribution of grant funds.

Valerie Webb Allman, a virtual witness, said she supported the tax increase and framed the median Pittsburgh household income as $67,700; she said the median household impact would be about $28 per year and that such a change could eliminate the district’s projected deficit. Webb Allman also asked why a $6,000,000 savings figure included roughly $4,000,000 in staffing changes and requested clearer explanations of those staffing assumptions.

Emily Sawyer and Carrie Thompson urged transparency in grant disbursements. Sawyer said the toll grant for athletics (item 5.03) must be distributed with equity, tracked and publicly reported alongside other private and public funds so the district can fully account for the resources available to each campus. “Without accounting for all these funds school by school, we cannot possibly fund our schools equitably,” Sawyer said.

Speakers generally supported using any additional revenue to stabilize operations and to fund student‑facing supports rather than rushed building closures. Testimony called for public reporting of all private donations and grants, equity‑focused allocation criteria, and timelines for resolving budget questions before votes on major restructuring.

No formal vote on a tax increase or the referenced grants was recorded during the hearing; several speakers requested follow‑up briefings and public accounting of proposed staffing changes and grant disbursements.