Pittsburgh mayor's city budget proposal called 'phony' and 'unrealistic'

“Not an honest document.”

“Phony”

“Unrealistic”

Those are all phrases that city officials have recently used to describe Mayor Ed Gainey’s final budget proposal.

As Pittsburgh City Council members began their deep dive into the budget on Wednesday afternoon, it became increasingly clear that the document doesn’t show the entirety of the city’s financial situation.

“The numbers may appear to add up on paper, but the details tell a different story,” City Controller Rachael Heisler said in a statement Monday after Mr. Gainey’s budget address. “We must be honest with the public about what it will take to keep the city running and keep providing essential services over the next five years.

“This budget, as currently drafted, does not do that,” the statement said.

Mr. Gainey’s budget,