Peduto says Juneteenth bill sent without his knowledge; organizers alarmed at $130K price tag

Megan Guza And Tom Davidson, The Tribune-Review, Greensburg
·2 min read
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Jun. 9—Pittsburgh officials and the organizers of the WPA Juneteenth celebration say they are working out a misunderstanding prompted by an itemized preliminary bill for more than $130,000 the city was going to charge for its part in the event.

"We had a positive conversation and I'm hoping they'll do some of the things we requested," said B. Marshall, who leads the Stop the Violence Pittsburgh group that's been organizing Juneteenth celebrations since 2013.

The conversation happened Wednesday afternoon between an official in Mayor Bill Peduto's office and Marshall, who emailed a bevy of elected officials and reporters for a day after receiving the preliminary invoice.

The preliminary invoice pegged the city's charges for providing security, traffic control and other service at more than $130,000. It was sent by the police bureau without consulting Peduto's office, spokesman Tim McNulty said.

"These costs will be reduced greatly before they are final," he said Thursday, noting that all future invoices will require approval by the public safety director.

Peduto "remains a staunch supporter of Juneteenth celebrations in the city and nationwide," McNulty said, noting that Peduto worked to designate it as an official holiday in the city to honor the end of slavery of Black Americans.

Peduto has also worked with state officials so the events can be held at Point State Park.

The mayor has pledged to continue to work with public safety officials to provide security coverage during the 15-day WPA Juneteenth celebrations, which start June 18 and run through June 27.

For information about the event, click here.

Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19, and it commemorates the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the news that the Civil War had ended and slaves were free.

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