City Leaders Work To Protect ‘Stop The Violence’ Funds

(WPXI) PITTSBURGH — Building a safer Pittsburgh, that’s the goal of the Stop the Violence Trust Fund. Established in 2021, it’s meant to help address gun violence as a public health crisis. But now, the money is in jeopardy. Currently, the city has $16 million allocated to stopping the violence. Each year, that fund grows by $10 million. But, if action isn’t taken to add accountability about who gets the money, it could be lost. Last week, Pittsburgh City Council introduced legislation to restructure the city’s violence prevention fund. Councilman Khari Mosley, who co-sponsored the bill, says it would add transparency and ensure annual funding. The Stop the Violence funds are allocated to various organizations addressing violence prevention. Bill opponents have suggested repurposing the fund to support items like blight or policing, but bill sponsors say the fund is working, citing recent crime statistics from 2024.