New rule limits how much of Pittsburgh's Stop the Violence Fund can be spent internally

Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved a measure requiring at least 80% of Pittsburgh’s Stop the Violence Fund to be spent on community-based, non-government organizations.

The ordinance, sponsored by Councilman Ricky Burgess, will allow no more than 20% of the fund’s money to be spent on internal operations.

Limiting how much money can be spent internally is meant to keep “the spirit of the fund in place,” Burgess said.

Burgess said the fund was created to support violence prevention programs, and that’s where the emphasis should remain. The spending breakdown approved Tuesday was based on current staffing needs and input from the Department of Public Safety and others.

The money earmarked for internal use would pay for things such as the Office of Community Health and Safety and its staff.

The legislation requires the fund’s budget to be approved by council and houses it under the Department of Public Safety.

Several council members last week said they had concerns about whether 20% of the fund would be enough to support internal initiatives such as the Office of Community Health and Safety. Councilman Bobby Wilson last week called the breakdown of funds “arbitrary,” and he and other members suggested they would like to have further discussion about the measure.

Wilson said conversations held prior to Tuesday’s vote alleviated his concerns and he looked forward to future conversations about “how we move forward.”

The measure passed unanimously.