Federal cuts strain Pittsburgh programs as shutdown looms
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Pittsburgh City-County Building. Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Library of Congress
Federal funding cuts have strained key Pittsburgh-area programs and a potential shutdown could push them past the breaking point.
Why it matters: DOGE and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have stripped away funds from local affordable housing, child care, health care and anti-hunger initiatives, said U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (D-Swissvale) during a roundtable discussion on budget cuts Monday at the Allegheny County Courthouse.
The big picture: Allegheny County received $373 million in federal support in 2024, which doesn't include federal funding funneled by the state of Pennsylvania, said the county's budget director Tim Cox.
- That funding supports child care for low-income families and efforts to house homeless people, and helps those with drug and alcohol addiction, said Cox.
- He said he is concerned cuts will reduce that figure considerably this year, and negatively impact local support.
Between the lines: Allegheny County will not be able to maintain those programs, as the county does not have millions or tens of millions of dollars in reserves, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, a Democrat, said.
- She expects a tight county budget for next year, and she said she will announce those details sometime next month.
What they're saying: "The federal budget isn't abstract; it directly affects our ability to provide health care services, keep people housed, invest in sustainability, support our main streets, support research at public media, and so much more," Innamorato said.
Zoom out: The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank lost $5 million in funding earlier this year, at a time when the food bank has seen rising demand due to rising grocery prices, said its director of government affairs Colleen Young.
Zoom in: More than 28,000 people in the Pittsburgh region are expected to lose SNAP benefits, putting more pressure on the food bank, said Young.
- Some cuts have already gone into effect, with more going into effect in November.
State of play: If ACA tax credits are allowed to expire by year-end, health care premiums will increase by an estimated 82% for those enrolled in Pennie, the state's Affordable Care Act marketplace, according to Pennie director of external affairs Charles Angelo.
- Over 50,000 people are enrolled in Pennie, said Angelo.
What's next: Lee said a potential shutdown is in the hands of the U.S. Senate and if a bill passes, it will only fund the government through Nov. 30, setting up another funding fight in the near future.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say ACA tax credits are set to expire year-end (not Sept. 30).