Dec 20 County Council Passes Budget with Full Funding for Dept. of Human Services

(December 20, 2024)

After weeks of gridlock between county council members and the County Executive’s administration, on December 3, Allegheny County Council approved a budget that fully funds the Department of Human Services and includes a tax increase of 1.7 mils. This budget reflects a compromise between the County Executive’s proposed budget, which included a 2.2 mil revenue increase, and a proposed budget introduced in the County Council Budget and Finance Committee, which included a 1.3 mil increase and did not include the funds necessary to receive matched funds from the state.

This county budget process was not a smooth or quiet one. Due to the ending of the American Rescue Plan dollars and the fact that the county has been running on a structural deficit, it was very clear that to continue programs and operations some level of revenue increase would be required to offset the services that the county operates – including 911 services, county parks and pools, and the many programs operated in the Department of Human Services aimed for our most vulnerable populations. Without the revenue increases, the Department of Human Services would not have the funds it needs to unlock “matched” funds at the state level: for every DHS $1, the state provides $4. So, without that funding, DHS would not be able to access the state dollars it needs to operate key programming, like family centers, OST programs, Hello Baby, 412 Youth Zone, etc., forcing significant cuts or complete elimination of these programs.

The first proposed budget by the county council that included a 1.3 mil increase did not include the funds needed to unlock the state funds. However, after negotiations, the final passed budget does include these crucial dollars and programs will be able to continue operations.

Behind this compromised budget are the advocates who exercised their rights by reaching out to the county council and using their voices to express how important DHS programs are to them, their family, and/or the families they serve. Allies for Children was proud to be part of this effort and helped partners strategize on organizing and outreach efforts and to craft advocacy templates and messages.

You can view specific allocations on the Allegheny County budget’s website, including the allocations for DHS, the Health Department, and the $2.6 million final allocation for the Department of Children Initiatives.

Jamie Baxter, Allies for Children Executive Director