The City of Pittsburgh Republican Committee is calling for accountability and transparency from city officials who will be spending millions of dollars gifted by UPMC and the PNC Foundation.

In a letter to City Controller Rachael Heisler, committee chair Todd McCollum urged called for a “clear, itemized ledger” showing how and when that money is spent.

“This is a simple thing,” McCollum told TribLive. “This is something that should be bipartisan.”

Democrats hold all elected offices in the city.

UPMC last month announced it is providing the city with $10 million to purchase new ambulances. The PNC Foundation soon followed up with a $2 million gift to buy plows.

Heisler said the controller’s office plans to conduct an annual audit of the money, in addition to a yearly fleet review.

“Our office does not engage with political parties prior to doing our business, and this is no exception,” Heisler said.

The donations aim to alleviate the significant challenges Pittsburgh has faced in upgrading an aging fleet that is prone to breakdowns and often in need of costly maintenance.

Dozens of snowplows broke down during a recent snowstorm, and officials have reported ambulances breaking down while transporting patients to the hospital.

McCollum told TribLive he wanted to ensure city officials spend the money the way it’s intended.

He raised concerns that the city was “frivolous” in its spending of federal covid-19 relief money and pointed out Pittsburgh has faced financial challenges concerning enough to convince a majority of City Council to vote for a 20% tax hike this year.

That’s why he wants to see publicly accessible information about how gifts from UPMC and PNC are being spent, he said.

“At the outset, I want to be clear: this is a good deal for the city,” McCollum wrote in his letter to Heisler. “The ability to acquire critical vehicles and resources without directly increasing the burden on taxpayers is a positive outcome, and the willingness of private institutions to step up in support of public safety and essential services should be welcomed.”

He continued by asking the controller to publicly track when the donations are received, how and when the money is allocated, what vendors are selected and why, the cost and purpose of each piece of equipment and details of any remaining balances or delays.

“We don’t want anything to fall into a black hole we can’t see,” McCollum said.