Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato talks reassessments, taxes
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato has been in office just 14 days, but she already has faced some challenging issues.
In her first sit-down television interview since taking office, KDKA political editor Jon Delano pressed her on whether taxpayers can expect a property reassessment any time soon.
It was a big issue in the campaign, one in which the republican candidate was clear: no reassessment. On the campaign trail, Democrat Innamorato hedged her words. On Tuesday, she was only a little bit clearer.
Delano: "What has surprised you the most about this job?"
Innamorato: "How fast the days go. I come in early in the morning and leave late at night, work through my lunch, and I enjoy every moment of it."
Innamorato, now responsible for a $3 billion county budget, says another surprise was a personal letter left behind in the executive's massive desk by Rich Fitzgerald.
"I opened the drawer the next day when he was all out and I found a note from him which was really lovely," she said.
She says Fitzgerald wished her well and said he was available as a resource. Of course, ideologically, Fitzgerald is a moderate Democrat while Innamorato has always called herself progressive, and no issue may demonstrate that more than reassessing all property in Allegheny County, something Fitzgerald refused to do during his 12 years.
Delano: "Are you going to reassess properties in Allegheny County?"
Innamorato: "We've seen court cases currently being ruled. We're seeing the tax rolls decrease significantly. We know that cannot continue to happen and us be in a financially stable place as a city and the county."
Innamorato says the loss of tax revenue from that court action, particularly with respect to Downtown office buildings, may compel a reassessment of all property in the county.
"We're not going to rush into anything. We're going to ensure we have safety mechanisms in place to protect our seniors, our veterans, our low-income working-class families," she said.
The county executive says a new reassessment system will be designed in the public with lots of input from taxpayers and protections put in place, and it won't happen quickly.
Delano: "On a practical level, no reassessments at least in 2024?"
Innamorato: "I don't see us doing it in that quick of a timeline. That doesn't seem reasonable or responsible."
Bottom line, your property will be reassessed, not this year, but as soon as a fair reassessment system can be designed, says Innamorato.
Innamorato knows taxes are front and center for residents
Allegheny County Sara Innamorato says she's working hard in her first few weeks to understand the ins and outs of county government, and she knows some issues are front and center, like taxes.
Innamorato invited KDKA-TV's Jon Delano to her new office to talk about her first days as Allegheny County's top official, but KDKA-TV also asked her something on everyone's mind.
Delano: "Are you going to raise county taxes on county taxpayers?"
Innamorato: "I have no plans to raise taxes."
Delano: "None?
Innamorato: "Not at this moment."
But with an ambitious agenda that includes the creation of new offices and more support for working families and affordable housing for all, and with federal American Rescue Plan funds running out soon for some programs, Innamorato is not making a "Read my lips: no new taxes" pledge.
Delano: "But no commitment beyond (2024)?"
Innamorato: "We have to do what's right by the county, so we need to determine what programs are important to the people of this region."
The new county executive says she is already meeting with leaders in all parts of county government to make that determination.
"Being in office for two whole weeks, it's been an incredible experience to be able to sit down with the department heads and really get a sense of what they're working on, what their priorities are, what their challenges are, and where they need our attention."
Her predecessor, Rch Fitzgerald, did not raise taxes in 12 years, so some might think it inevitable that Innamorato will do so. But she insists that this will depend on what county programs need to be funded once federal funds run out in two years and what new programs the public wants.
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