Officials from several of Pittsburgh’s neighboring municipalities say they aren’t interested in merging with the city, which last week introduced legislation to explore such possibilities.

As Pittsburgh City Council seems poised to vote down a proposal to annex Wilkinsburg, they are considering a measure to launch broader investigations into merging with other municipalities, including, but not limited to, Wilkinsburg. The legislation would not prompt a merger itself, but would pave the way for council members to more thoroughly investigate potential merger or annexation options.

In addition to Wilkinsburg, other neighboring municipalities include Penn Hills, Edgewood, Swissvale, Homestead, West Homestead, Baldwin, Brentwood, Dormont, Crafton, Green Tree, McKees Rocks and Etna.

The idea of annexation has generated controversy among residents and local officials in Wilkinsburg.

Local leaders in some other municipalities neighboring Pittsburgh are rejecting the idea of merging with Pittsburgh.

“We have zero interest in merging with anyone,” said Penn Hills Mayor Pauline Calabrese.

Penn Hills, the largest municipality bordering the city, has not been approached by Pittsburgh officials about a merger, she said.

Calabrese said she could envision Pittsburgh leaders potentially being interested in their community, because of recent financial improvements, a good housing market and investments in infrastructure. The 2020 census showed “virtually no population loss,” Calabrese said.

“With an over 90% tax collection rate and having a full range of services, including emergency and senior services, we are self-sufficient and doing very well,” she said.

The municipality may be “too large to merge,” Calabrese said, as Penn Hills encompasses nearly 30 neighborhoods and borders about 10 communities.

Brentwood officials appeared to be similarly uninterested in the idea of becoming part of Pittsburgh. Officials said they had no prior knowledge of City Council’s plans to investigate potential mergers. Brentwood officials said they would not participate in any studies investigating mergers or annexations if approached by Pittsburgh officials.

“Brentwood Borough is financially viable and has the capacity to provide its residents with high quality services, and a merger would produce no benefits to our residents or business owners,” Brentwood officials wrote on the borough’s website in response to Pittsburgh City Council’s proposed legislation.

“Residents can rest assured that, while Pittsburgh officials are free to engage in this review, its results will have no impact on Brentwood, as consolidation cannot transpire without resident consent,” the borough added.

Residents in the municipality being joined into Pittsburgh would have to vote on a potential merger through a ballot referendum.

Although they said they aren’t interested in officially merging, Brentwood officials said they’re open to collaborating with other communities or organizations for joint purchasing agreements, multi-municipal refuse collection and other measures.

Dormont, another municipality sharing a border with Pittsburgh, has collaborated with neighboring communities — including partnering with Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon last year to provide lower-cost entry to Dormont Pool and teaming with Mt. Lebanon on a neighborhood aid initiative during the covid-19 pandemic, Borough Manager Benjamin Estell said.

But the borough has not considered merging with Pittsburgh or other communities, he said.

“The Borough of Dormont frequently looks for ways to collaborate with other governments so that we may provide efficient, effective and forward-looking services to our residents and businesses,” Estell said. “While there has never been a discussion about merger or consolidation during my tenure, I think it’s fair to say that Dormont believes in being good neighbors and good stewards to our community.”

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