Some City Council Members To Support Wilkinsburg Annexation, But Not This Year
By: Shelley Bortz/KDKA-TV
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh City Council is voting down a proposal to annex Wilkinsburg, but some members say they'll support it a year from now after more fact-finding and public participation.
The announcement came during a joint conference with council members, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and merger advocates.
Councilman Ricky Burgess, whose district shares a border with Wilkinsburg, amended legislation to create a special committee that will make each council member responsible for evaluating how their departments in their standing committees can merge more effectively.
"After council's formal investigation and thorough public participation approximately one year from now in 2023, if brought before me, I will vote in favor of Wilkinsburg's annexation and encourage Wilkinsburg residents too approve it in their May 2023 primary referendum," Burgess said.
Not everyone is that confident of their decision a year from now.
Council president Theresa Kail-Smith said she's not convinced this is in the best interest of Pittsburgh. She is, however, committed to the process of fact-finding and public input.
"We want to make sure we're maintaining our areas and keeping residents that are the middle class of the city of Pittsburgh in the city of Pittsburgh. We can't say we're getting new residents while we're pushing out other residents. Our job is to make sure we're retaining all residents," said Theresa Kail Smith.
Earlier this month, Burgess called the previous process of annexing the majority Black borough a "shotgun wedding." A judge was requiring City Council to vote on annexation by April 5.
Burgess pointed to the benefits of annexation, saying Pittsburgh will have increased population, land and income while Wilkinsburg will see reduced taxes and better public services, plus parents can send their children to Pittsburgh Public Schools.
"I do think it's really about coming together and improving the lives of both communities," Fitzgerald said.
