Property tax increase is needed to help care for Allegheny County's elderly, Innamorato says
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said a vote against the 2.2 millage hike would impact critical care provided to the county's elderly.
A 2.2 millage hike means property taxes on a home assessed at $110,000 would increase by $182 a year. It's been controversial, but Innamorato says it's unavoidable.
"If county council wants to talk about doing a smaller millage increase than what I proposed a month ago, services provided by the Kanes and Department of Human Services will be negatively impacted," she said.
Paulette Zalewski's husband stays at the Kane center in Scott Township. He's called it home for three-and-a-half years.
"I didn't see any chandeliers but as the days and months went by the chandeliers were the people who work here, those were the chandeliers, and you talk about lighting up this building they did this for me," Zalewski said.
Part of the 2025 proposed budget is $64 million to the Department of Human Services Area Agency on Aging and $114 million for the Kane nursing homes.
The Department of Human Services says without the county funding supported by the milage increase, it will be forced to make over $135 million in cuts. Innamorato doesn't want that to happen.
"We are asking folks to call their county council members and say you support this budget, you support this investment in our older adults, you support this investment in our human services, in our Kane centers," she said.
Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena is calling for a smaller 1 mill increase. Council must approve a budget by early December.