This is Allegheny County. The City of Pittsburgh (inside Allegheny) is almost bankrupt. Mayor Murphy has run the city into the ground. People are leaving the county in droves to nearby butler and washington counties (in essence, the tax base is fleeing). The city is so messed up now, you have to pay the city $125.00 a year to work in and around it(<--I think that's the number now, thye just raised it). Plus, parking tolls are going through the roof. Murphy closed down quite a few shops in order to get large retailers into the downtown area. Many of those retailers have closed shop. After normal business hours, downtown is a ghost town. You have Station Square, and the strip, but the city itself is somewhat barren.
This latest stunt with recycling is no suprise to me. The mayor is doing anything he can to tax and fine the city out of near bankruptcy. Only problem, they won't cut spending where it needs to be cut.