Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey on Monday released his final budget proposal, which would not raise taxes, lay off workers or cut city services.

The $678 million operating and $100 million capital budgets for 2026 will be the topic of a series of City Council meetings in the coming weeks.

Whatever officials approve next month will be the spending plan in place for Mayor-elect Corey O’Connor when he takes office in January.

Here are five things to know about Pittsburgh’s proposed budget.

1. Holding the line on taxes

Gainey did not include a tax increase next year in his budget despite growing fiscal pressures on the city.

Council could propose to raise taxes as it amends the spending plan in the coming weeks, though there is not currently any formal proposal to do so.

Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, who chairs council’s finance committee, last week said there would be “no easy answer” when contemplating ways to bring in more revenue.

2. Critics question spending levels

When Gainey first released a preliminary budget in September, some council members questioned whether it was feasible.

“Their budget is not adding up,” Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, told TribLive, noting the document was riddled with mistakes that led him to deride the administration as “sloppy.”

Controller Rachael Heisler said the budget is “simply not an honest document.”

Among her top concerns: public safety overtime. The Gainey plan allocates less for overtime than the city has spent in recent years — even as the 2026 NFL Draft, which Pittsburgh is set to host in April, will likely exacerbate those expenses.

Jake Pawlak, Gainey’s budget architect, dismissed Heisler’s critique Monday, saying the city will partially make up for a $20 million cost overrun there this year by coming in under budget elsewhere.

He also chalked up Heisler’s criticisms that the spending plan budgets for fewer firefighters than the city now employs as a “misunderstanding.”

One area where everyone seems to agree: the city needs to spend more on its aging vehicle fleet.

3. No layoffs or core service cuts

Despite being squeezed for cash, the Gainey administration presented a budget without layoffs or cuts to core services.

“My budget proposal for the coming years seeks to preserve the progress we’ve made over the last four years,” Gainey said Monday.

The city has trimmed about 50 vacant job positions, Pawlak said, as well as about $3 million in non-personnel operating expenses.

The budget anticipates shrinking the mayor’s office and holds the line on police staffing, with money allocated for 800 officers.

4. Scaling back projects

The capital budget, which funds large, long-term projects, is set to be scaled back next year.

This year’s planned outlay is nearly $121 million. Gainey’s proposal trims it next year to around $100 million, a roughly 17% reduction.

“Some of that is a result not of an overall reduction in spending, but moving timelines,” Pawlak said, explaining that some projects were bumped to future years.

Next year’s capital budget includes over $45 million for engineering and construction work, while nearly $30 million is earmarked for facility improvements.

Included is an $89.5 million allocation through 2031 for a new, controversial public safety training facility to be built in the Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood.

5. Things can change

The mayor formally passed off his budget proposal to council Monday — but that’s only the start of a process that will continue through this month and next.

On Wednesday, council Budget Director Peter McDevitt will lead a conversation with council members about the spending plan.

After that, each city department and bureau will come before council to discuss their budget needs.

Council can amend the plan but must approve a budget by the end of the year.

Last year, council made only minor amendments to Gainey’s proposal.

A public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 11.

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