A petition needs 334 signatures from Wilkinsburg citizens before the end of the month.
It calls for a referendum on annexation by the City of Pittsburgh.
If Pittsburgh City Council approves Wilkinsburg voters will decide the issue in November’s General Election.
Wilkinsburg Mayor Marita Garrett supports a merger, saying Pittsburgh already provides firefighting and garbage collection for the borough.
But six of nine Wilkinsburg Council members approved a resolution to keep the borough independent. They point to no tax increases since 2004 and balanced budgets.
Backers of annexation say public services would improve and property taxes would go down.
We’re following the status of the petition and the process of the possible merger. It’s a demonstration of how government can work when decisions are left to voters.