Speakers call for budget transparency and better support for teachers amid district planning

Several commenters combined fiscal questions with concerns about staffing and working conditions, urging the board to be transparent about budget assumptions and to address workforce shortages before pursuing major changes.

Valerie Webb Allman, speaking virtually, said she supports the proposed tax increase and told the board the median household in Pittsburgh would pay about $28 a year under the plan — "a little over 50¢ a week would wipe out our deficit," she said — but asked for clearer detail on the $6 million in savings cited by the district, noting roughly $4 million appeared tied to staffing changes that need further explanation.

Emily Sawyer and other commenters urged the board to account for private grants and donations alongside public funds when assessing equity in resource distribution. "It is imperative that these disbursements are tracked and recorded and publicly reported along with all other grants, donations, and any other private resources coming into our schools so we can get a full picture," Sawyer said.

Union representatives and staff described the toll of long hours and inadequate staffing. Diane Zidleman, staff representative for the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, described teachers grading late at night, using personal funds for supplies, and urged the board to examine class sizes, planning time and support staff before asking employees to do more.

Billy Heilman, the union president, reiterated workforce concerns and warned that implementing reconfiguration without addressing staffing shortages would harm students and staff.

Speakers asked the board to provide apples‑to‑apples budget comparisons when proposing staffing reductions and to be transparent about what reductions mean for services and classroom coverage. No formal budget vote occurred during the public‑comment period recorded at this hearing.