Last night, Mt. Lebanon Commissioners voted 4-0 to pass the 2026 budget. Commissioner Craig Grella was absent. The budget, which has no tax increase, calls for an operating budget of $44.6 million. Adding in special revenue funds, such as stormwater fees that property owners pay and solid waste fees that residents pay, and accounting for capital spending, the total budget comes to $77.6 million. The budget is balanced with the addition of carryovers from projects that were not completed this year as well as money from the fund balance.
Property taxes will remain at 4.5 mills. The solid waste fee per household will increase to $345 annually and storm water management fee will go to $11.39 each month for single-family homes, duplexes and three-unit residential buildings.
Among the projects on tap for 2026:
- Turf and fence replacement at Seymour and Middle fields
- Lighting improvements at Seymour Field
- Addition of 58 paved parking spaces at the Cedar ballfield complex
- The first phase of revitalization and reconfiguration of the public library (new restrooms, flooring, larger access to courtyard among other items)
- About $203,000 in golf course improvements, including fencing along hole number 4 and forward tees for several holes
- Upgrades to Sunset Hills Park, including a multi-purpose basketball court, playground equipment and additional parking
- Increased funds for more municipal tree work
- $347,000 extra for sidewalk improvements and an additional $80,000 for sidewalk repair due to displacement from tree roots.
- Upgrades to the portal from Washington Road to the light rail transit station
Before passing the budget, the Commission had three budget workshop sessions and two public hearings. Commissioners added $508,540 in additional expenditures to what Municipal Manager Keith McGill had originally proposed. Because the manager is not permitted by law to use the fund balance, those additions came from the Commission, which does have that ability.
Read all about the budget on the special budget webpage [1].