North Braddock faces large property tax loss from U.S. Steel
North Braddock is set to lose a big chunk of its real estate tax revenue. That’s because Allegheny County ruled that the value of U.S. Steel’s land has dropped by 53%.
On Tuesday, North Braddock officials were notified by the county that it will not be receiving anticipated real estate tax revenue for the next two years from U.S. Steel Edgar Thomson Works.
It’s a decision which is forcing borough administrators to take another look at next year’s budget.
The announcement came hours before North Braddock Council was scheduled to vote on the 2026 budget. Despite losing the funds, council had to approve the budget Tuesday night, before the end of December.
An Allegheny County spokeswoman declined to comment Wednesday.
The borough makes about 12% of its annual real estate tax revenue from the Mon Valley steel mill. The majority of the mill sits in North Braddock.
North Braddock Borough Manager Cory Ruff said that U.S. Steel’s real estate tax payments were more than $79,190 per year, before the reassessment.
“Municipal budgets usually take months to complete,” Ruff said in a statement. “Because the borough received notice of this reassessment on Dec. 16, the same day council was scheduled to vote on the budget, the budget will need to be reopened and reassessed.”
In the past, U.S. Steel’s property taxes have supported several departments. Those taxes are the borough’s most flexible revenue source, Ruff said.
On Wednesday, North Braddock Council President Lisa Franklin-Robinson said that property taxes pay for basic needs in the borough, including road maintenance and snow removal. The taxes also help secure development projects.
“It’s like snatching the breath out of our mouths,” Franklin-Robinson said.
While council begins to reexamine the budget, Franklin-Robinson said they have also been in contact with the county solicitor about the possibility of appealing the decision.
“We value the relationships we have with the communities where we live and work,” Andrew Fulton, a spokesman for U.S. Steel said in a statement. “We are proud that our operations contribute positively to these local economies.
“We will closely monitor the changing tax situation in Allegheny County to ensure that our contributions are accurate and fair.”
Megan Trotter is a TribLive staff writer. She can be reached at mtrotter@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.