District 1 News: Councilman Wilson

Hello everyone, In this month’s column, I wanted to highlight a few updates and programs that are available just in time for the start of the summer season.

Allegheny County Senior Citizen Tax Relief Program (Act 77) is available to qualified senior citizen homeowners to receive a discount on the real estate tax of their primary residence. To be eligible for Act 77, applicants must meet the following criteria: have owned and occupied a home within Allegheny County as their principal residence for at least 10 continuous years, must be 60 or older or permanently disabled and over the age of 18, and show a total household income of less than $30,000 for the prior year.

If you qualify for this real estate tax relief, you can receive a 30% tax discount on your county taxes. The deadline to apply is June 30, and you can apply at this website: alleghenycountyt reasurer.us/wp-content / uploads/2023/02/2023-Senior-Application. pdf. If you have any questions, or need help with your application, please call the County Treasurer’s Office at (412) 350-4100 or toll free at (1-866) 282-8297 (TAXS).

I also wanted to share that the City of Pittsburgh recently announced a delay in the enforcement of the single-use plastic bag ban. Now, this ban will go into effect on Oct. 14. As a result, the city is also shifting the date when businesses would be required to post visible notices of the upcoming single-use plastic bag ban—to 90 days before Oct. 14. Council recently passed amendments to the legislation authorizing the ban on plastic bags that will also do the following: add a requirement that the city launch and maintain a webpage dedicated to providing public information on the policy, direct the Department of Public Works to cultivate and share lists of distributors for both compliant paper bags and reusable bags, and create a three-step sanctions framework whereby inspectors can issue written warnings for initial violations which would then be followed by escalating fines. Council approved these amendments in order to ensure that businesses and consumers have ample time and sufficient resources to make this transition from using plastic bags to sustainable and renewable forms of bags.

As summer draws near, I want to make sure all of you know that Citi-Parks is currently recruiting lifeguards for the 2023 summer season. Lifeguards are hired to work at CitiParks Aquatic Facility locations from June through Labor Day. CitiParks offers Lifeguard Certification Training courses prior to the season as well as recertification for experienced lifeguards. Candidates must have a Red Cross Lifeguard Certification valid through Sept. 4, and additionally are required to submit criminal background clearances and pass a medical exam. Hourly pay rates have increased from last year and will range from $16.48 to $19.05 per hour, based on experience. Lifeguards must be City of Pittsburgh residents, at least 16 years old by Sept. 5, and willing to work at any CitiParks Outdoor Pool. For anyone who is thinking about becoming a Citi-Parks Lifeguard, you can “pre-apply” by visiting this website: pittsburghpa. gov/citiparks/lifeguard-info. CitiParks Aquatics Office will then get in touch when applications open and the training classes/recertification classes are scheduled. We really need lifeguards at all the city pools this summer, and I encourage you to apply if you’re interested!

I’d also like to remind everyone about City Cuts, the city’s lawn cutting program designed for senior citizens, veterans and those with disabilities who cannot cut their own grass. The program is now open for application and services will be provided, weather depending, twice a month from June through October. Applicants must reside in the City of Pittsburgh limits, own the property or be responsible for cutting grass at the property, lack social or financial means to cut their own lawns, and meet one or more of the follow qualifications: be 62 years or older, be a veteran or have a disability that prohibits them from cutting grass. Service is limited and applications will be accepted on a firstcome, first-served basis. More details on the program and how to request the service can be found at pittsburghpa. gov/citycuts/.

The City of Pittsburgh’s Love Your Block program is now accepting applications through May 15. This is a minigrant program that supports resilience and beautification projects designed by residents for their neighborhoods with awards up to $2,500. To learn more about this program and to apply, go to pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/lyb.

Finally, I want to ensure you all know about the upcoming Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) community workshop meeting, to be held on May 16 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Brighton Heights Healthy Active Living Senior Center. PWSA will discuss their upcoming stormwater planning initiatives. More details on the workshop and how to register can be found at pgh2o.com/news-events/ events-meetings/2023-05-16-stormwater- conversations-northside.

If you have any questions or concerns about any of the items discussed in this column or any other City issues, please call us at (412) 255-2135, email us at district1@pittsburghpa.gov, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. My staff and I are looking forward to hearing from you!