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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 23h

www.publicsource.org/allegheny-co...

No tax increase, but Allegheny County may cut costs to offset tariffs and inflation

Rising Allegheny County Jail population drives higher costs as federal shutdown and state budget issues add financial strain.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 23h

County Exec Innamorato today proposed a 2026 budget with no tax increase, but said her decision to seek one last year was the right one. With some pointed words for her critics:

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Reposted by Charlie Wolfson

Rich Lord @richelord.bsky.social · 2d

In the '90s, being a 20-something in Pittsburgh often involved homeownership. Now? More like mid-to-late 30s. @chwolfson.bsky.social analyzes the shift and its implications www.publicsource.org/homeowner-ch...

'A really steep lift': Pittsburghers in their 20s and 30s find homeownership less and less attainable

Student debt, rising costs, aging homes and corporate buyers are making it harder for young adults to buy a home in Pittsburgh.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 16d

New: U.S. Rep. Summer Lee said the federal gov't "may be barreling toward a shutdown" at an event this morning as Allegheny County budget director said Trump's budget proposal would be "catastrophic" to county operations www.publicsource.org/summer-lee-i...

Lee, Innamorato aim to ‘fight back’ on Trump budget plan as Congress debates

The Pittsburgh-area Democrats say a plan moving through Republican-led Congress would hamstring programs meant to address hunger, housing needs, infrastructure and more.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 23d

Allegheny County has announced its ballot return and satellite vote locations for the Nov. 4 elections.

Four satellite voting locations open weekend of Oct. 25-26, and nine ballot return sites open Oct 31 and Nov. 1-3. Details:

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 27d

Another thing from today's Census ACS release: The level of remote work may have steadied after a post-2021 decline.

In the U.S., they estimate 18% of workers worked from home in 2021, 15% in 2022 and 13% each of 2023-24.

In Allegheny County it was 26% in 2021, 21% in 2022, and 18% in 2023-24.

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 27d

New construction is putting a dent in this though. In 2021 the Census estimated the level in Pittsburgh was 50%. They estimate thousands of new units built since then, meaning a smaller proportion built pre-war

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 27d

I'm not an expert, but population decline since 1950 probably has something to do with it. And as for the US number, well, much of the US was first developed more recently than Pittsburgh was.

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 27d

Today's absurd Pittsburgh fact brought to you by today's U.S. Census ACS release: 47% of Pittsburgh housing units were built prior to 1940. In the United States overall, that number is 12%.

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · 28d

New: Here's what SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania need to do to avoid losing their food assistance under new federal rules. www.publicsource.org/allegheny-co...

How to keep your SNAP benefits under new federal rules

Thousands in Allegheny County may lose supplemental nutrition assistance under federal requirements. Learn the rules and key factors for keeping benefits.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Aug 27

I’m looking to talk to people in the Pittsburgh area who would like to own a home but for whatever reason are not able to. Get in touch here: t.co/UfVfy41Pax

https://buff.ly/eCCY9po

t.co

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Reposted by Charlie Wolfson

Rich Lord @richelord.bsky.social · Aug 14

Once there was hope that the Allegheny County Jail would no longer need to house 2,000 people, or roughly 1 in 600 residents. There was also a $700K contract to reimagine the jail. 3 years later? @chwolfson.bsky.social found ... www.publicsource.org/allegheny-co...

Why is Allegheny County Jail getting more crowded?

Allegheny County agreed to pay $700k for a plan to downsize its jail in Pittsburgh, but the jail’s population is growing for the first time in more than a decade.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Aug 14

New: The Allegheny County Jail has been getting more crowded since the end of 2022, reversing a longtime shrinking trend that had accelerated during the pandemic. There are 40% more detainees now than on 1/1/2023. We looked into why: www.publicsource.org/allegheny-co...

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jul 23

New: The head of Pittsburgh's independent police review board publicly criticized Mayor Gainey's administration last night — "This administration has not been transparent, they have not been cooperative" www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-p...

Pittsburgh's police review board head says Gainey administration 'has not been transparent'

A lack of cooperation and transparency fuels new complaints from the Citizen Police Review Board amid efforts to investigate a rough arrest.

www.publicsource.org

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Reposted by Charlie Wolfson

Rich Lord @richelord.bsky.social · Jul 15

The $1 billion Medicaid cut will affect millions of Americans - maybe you, maybe someone you love. @chwolfson.bsky.social outlines what we know, and what's tbd, in the wake of "One Big, Beautiful Bill" www.publicsource.org/trump-big-bi...

Trump's 'big' bill puts Medicaid on the chopping block. Here's what that means in Pittsburgh.

Trump's "big" bill puts Medicaid on the chopping block. From work requirements to loss of coverage, here are Pittsbughers' concerns.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jul 15

New: Hear from Pittsburghers who fear dire consequences of the Medicaid cuts in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' www.publicsource.org/trump-big-bi...

Trump's 'big' bill puts Medicaid on the chopping block. Here's what that means in Pittsburgh.

Trump's "big" bill puts Medicaid on the chopping block. From work requirements to loss of coverage, here are Pittsbughers' concerns.

www.publicsource.org

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Reposted by Charlie Wolfson

Stephanie Strasburg @stephstrasburg.bsky.social · Jul 1

Do you rely on Medicaid? @publicsource.org wants to know how proposed cuts could impact you & yours as Congress considers reducing the program. Email local gov't reporter @chwolfson.bsky.social (charlie[at]publicsource[dot]org) or fill out our easy form here: www.publicsource.org/tell-us-how-...

Tell us: How could Medicaid cuts affect you and your family?

Medicaid cuts could affect thousands of Allegheny County residents. Share your perspective on how these cuts may impact you.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jun 27

Pittsburgh's housing authority will begin using AI to process voucher applications. Addressing concerns, the authority's director said "The AI will not be in charge" www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-h...

Pittsburgh housing authority recruits AI to help with application backlogs

Artificial intelligence will soon process application backlogs in the recertification of affordable housing vouchers at the Pittsburgh agency.

www.publicsource.org

Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jun 26

New: The 2022 Fern Hollow Bridge collapse forced public officials to focus on repairing Pittsburgh's bridges, but we found more of them are rated "poor" today than the day after the collapse.

City's explanation: We started inspecting them much closer. www.publicsource.org/more-pittsbu...

More Pittsburgh bridges rated 'poor' than before Fern Hollow collapse

The Fern Hollow collapse pushed officials to act — but Pittsburgh’s bridge repairs are slow, costly and far from complete.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jun 25

New resource @publicsource.org: Search for your family's Pittsburgh Public school and see if it will change, close or remain the same under the district's consolidation plan www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-p...

Will my school close or change under the new PPS plan?

Search for your school in a table of proposed PPS building closures and classroom reconfigurations across the city.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jun 11

New: Pittsburgh police leaders are reviewing a Tuesday arrest on the North Side, during which 5+ officers forcefully removed from a car a paraplegic man who police said 'did not show a weapon.'

We have video of the arrest: www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-p...

Pittsburgh police leaders reviewing forceful North Side arrest

The arrest, captured on video by observers including a PublicSource staff member, involved a man who has been characterized as paraplegic in court records and who now faces charges of fleeing and terr...

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jun 3

The transparency implications:

The amount of pay going to unspecified payees quadrupled last year, and the amount of overtime went up 5x — while overtime overall rose 13%.

$6.7 million in overtime pay went to employees of which the county is concealing names

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jun 3

PublicSource (with @rcfp.org) is challenging the county's redactions in court, on the grounds that the Right to Know Law permits the county to redact names of personnel "performing" undercover duties — not any who did in the past and may in the future.

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · Jun 3

Every year, @publicsource.org publishes Allegheny County's public employee salaries. This year, more than half the top earners' names were concealed by the county. They say it's to protect law enforcement officers' safety. Millions $ removed from public view www.publicsource.org/allegheny-co...

See what Allegheny County employees earned in 2024 — and how the county is hiding names of many top earners

Redacted names of many officers for the county police, sheriff and district attorney obscure millions of taxpayer dollars from public view.

www.publicsource.org

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Charlie Wolfson @chwolfson.bsky.social · May 21

As I mention in the article, it was down where Gainey did well.

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