City budget unity fractures as competing plans are introduced

City budget unity fractures as competing plans are introduced: "
For a third year in a row, Murphy is trying to get state lawmakers to help him balance the budget, which sets tax rates and pays city salaries and other bills."

This is a key to my platform for Pittsburgh. I will never do anything like what has been done by Tom Murphy in the handling of the budget. The budget is perhaps the most important duty for the mayor. His failures at every turn with the budget make him a worthless leader for our city.

As part of the positive side of the agenda for dealing in a more productive, open and democratic way with the city's budget, I'll host and organize annual citizen budget building sessions throughout the summer months. We'll have citizen budget summits on a regular basis. We'll have work sessions in community centers, spreading out the facts, figures, history and priorities.

Other cities have budget sessions with citizens. We'll start with an overview of what is done elsewhere.