Title
Resolution amending Resolution No. 908, effective January 1, 2011 entitled "Adopting and approving the 2011 Capital Budget and the 2011 Community Development Block Grant Program; and approving the 2011 through 2016 Capital Improvement Program by reducing various 2011 Community Development Block Grant budgeted line items.
Body
Whereas, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars are given to the City by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to improve the lives of low- to moderate-income families and the communities they call home; and,
Whereas, Ordinance No. 21 of 2010, passed unanimously by this Council states: "No CDBG funds shall be used to supplant local general fund revenues for any purpose. All CDBG disbursements other than administrative costs must demonstrate an increased benefit to CDBG eligible communities. CDBG funds can be used to augment City Services to address specific conditions, but not replace what the City would be obligated to provide for elsewhere in the in the Operating or Capital budgets."; and,
Whereas, 24 CFR § 570.489(d), which governs HUD Program Administrative requirements, includes a provision that requires recipients to "[e]nsure that funds received under [it] are not used for general expenses required to carry out other responsibilities of state and local government"; and,
Whereas, City Council made no transfer to fund the $25,112,000 local portion of this year's Capital Budget, and stated as much to the Intergovernmental Governmental Cooperation Authority in its' request, signed by five (5) of its' members, to approve various other amendments and transfers to balance the 2011 Operating Budget and make dedications and contributions to the Combined Municipal Pension Trust Fund; and;
Whereas, unless the City can identify and allocate local tax dollars to fund the local portion of the Capital Budget, the City will violate the law in spending CDBG dollars in 2011; and,
Whereas, almost $8,000,000 in federal and state highway grants are in jeopardy because
The City has no local dollars in the Capital Budget to match them with; and,
Whereas, the City does not have $25,000,000 to transfer to the Capital Budget and this has been, historically, exactly how the City has found itself supplanting in the past; and,
Whereas, only making matters worse, Congressional Republicans have proposed massive cuts to the CDBG program nationally; and,
Whereas, President Obama has proposed, as part of the Federal budget, a 7.5%, or $300 million dollar cut to the $4.5 billion dollar block grant program; and,
Whereas, that cut could present a reduction to the City's allocation of $1.2 million dollars, this year; and,
Whereas, we have an obligation to ensure that those cuts aren't visited upon the poor, the starving, seniors or protected groups while being responsible fiduciaries and responding proactively to these cuts.
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of Resolution No. 908, effective January 1, 2011, which presently reads as per 2011 Budget Column, is hereby amended to read as per Amended Budget column.
In all other respects, Resolution No. 908, effective January 1, 2011, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.
2011 Community Development Block Grant |
2011 Budget |
"+/-" |
Amended 2011 Budget |
Department of Public Works |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Park Reconstruction |
$175,000 |
($175,000) |
$0 |
Pool Rehabilitation |
$50,000 |
($50,000) |
$0 |
Ballfield Lighting |
$100,000 |
($100,000) |
$0 |
Play Area Improvements |
$200,000 |
($200,000) |
$0 |
Building Maintenance |
$500,000 |
($500,000) |
$0 |
Neighborhood Street Improvements |
$250,000 |
($250,000) |
$0 |
Slope Failure Remediation |
$300,000 |
($300,000) |
$0 |
Wall, Step and Fence |
$50,000 |
($50,000) |
$0 |
Construction Management/Inspection |
$50,000 |
($50,000) |
$0 |
Flex Beam Guiderails |
$75,000 |
($75,000) |
$0 |
Architectural Engineering Services |
$150,000 |
($150,000) |
$0 |
Cowley Recreation Center |
$50,000 |
($50,000) |
$0 |
Brightwood Business District |
$75,000 |
($75,000) |
$0 |
Liberty Avenue Street Improvements |
$250,000 |
($250,000) |
$0 |
Bloomfield Deck Hockey |
$75,000 |
($75,000) |
$0 |
|
|
|
|
Urban Redevelopment Authority |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Neighborhood Business and Economic Development |
$100,000 |
($100,000) |
$0 |
Neighborhood Housing Initiative |
$300,000 |
($300,000) |
$0 |