Peduto administration responds to ICA with 1,000 pages of financial documents

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In a prepared statement, Peduto said of the ongoing impasse between his administration and the ICA: "Senior members of my administration have been reaching out to meet with each board member of the ICA to have productive conversations about the state of the city's finances."

Tim Schooley

Reporter- Pittsburgh Business Times

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The administration of Mayor Bill Peduto issued its latest response in its ongoing deliberations with the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, an oversight board resisting the approval of the city's proposed 2015 budget.

The ICA notified the city in mid-November that it wouldn't approve its 2015 budget, providing an itemized list of 20 reasons why the new budget would not meet the board's approval.

The city's response was voluminous, including a 20-page letter along with 1,000 pages of supporting documents.

The ICA board is expected to vote again on the city's 2015 budget in the next 15 days. Pittsburgh City Council is expected to make a final vote on the budget by Dec. 15.

The Peduto administration called the documents provided "one of the largest document releases to the ICA in the 10-year history of the board."

In a prepared statement, Peduto said of the ongoing impasse between his administration and the ICA: "Senior members of my administration have been reaching out to meet with each board member of the ICA to have productive conversations about the state of the city's finances."

ICA Board Chair Nicholas Varischetti wasn't immediately available for comment. In the ICA's November 14 letter to the city, he wrote: "We take our oversight role, working in conjunction with Act 47, very seriously. As you know, the board determined that the proposed operating budget lacked sufficient information to render a proper assessment and affirmative vote on the matter."

Tim Schooley covers retail, real estate, construction, hospitality, arts and entertainment, and government. Contact him at tschooley@bizjournals.com or 412-208-3826.