10.12.22 NPC

Pittsburgh

CLIMBING THE LADDER

‘Girls Fire Camp’ exposes girls to the firefighting profession

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Most people don’t usual ly associate Black women with being a firefighter. Heck, most people don’t usually associate women

in general with being a firefighter.

But Lisa Epps-Cuda checks both boxes. Not only is she held in high regard as a firefighter-turned fire inspector/fire prevention officer with the City of

Pittsburgh, but she wanted desperately to open a path for more women, especially Black women, to enter the field.

On Aug. 22, the first-ever “Girls Fire Camp” was held by the City of Pittsburgh.

It was a week-long camp, held at the Fire Training Academy, on Washington Boulevard, and Ebenezer Baptist Church, in the Hill District. Seven girls participated in the camp— Brooke Clark, Gabriella

Minton-DeSarro, Angel Epondulan, Isabella Ferro, Ajayda Jetter, Samantha Vietmeier, and Damaya Williams.

Pittsburgh has more than 700 firefighters, but just four are women. The four

women—Lisa Epps-Cuda, Lt. Lindsay Bihler, Lt. Kari Burnham and Judy Pud up—led the camp. “I’m so emotional right

Camila Rivera-Tinsley named CEO of Women and Girls Foundation

Making organization more inviting for women and girls of color a top priority

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

The Women and Girls Foundation has taken a big step in its commitment to tackling the issues that affect not just women, but women of color.

Camila Rivera-Tinsley officially began her tenure as CEO on Aug. 15, but it wasn’t made public un til Sept. 26. She told the New Pittsburgh Courier she identifies herself as a “woman of color,” and she believes being a woman of color played a role in her selection as CEO.

And the organization’s current director of its youth advocacy arm, “Girl Gov,” is also a woman of color, Alexis Walker.

The Women and Girls Foundation, based in Pitts burgh, has a mission to achieve equality for wom en and girls, “now and for generations to come.”

Rivera-Tinsley told the Courier she’s excited to bring her environmental education background to WGF. She’s the former di rector of education for the Pittsburgh Parks Conser vancy, and before that, worked at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, in Philadel phia. Rivera-Tinsley also helped start two small environmental-based non profits focused on advo cacy for people of color in the outdoors, and served on numerous boards and committees that were ded

icated to improving envi

ronmental outcomes for underserved audiences.

“The issues of our time— reproductive rights, paid family leave, pay equity, equitable access to quali ty healthcare and health outcomes—none of these issues can be solved or addressed without consid ering their intersection with the climate crisis, and conversely, the climate cri sis cannot be addressed or solved without addressing the needs and the voices of women, femmes and gen der-expansive individuals,” Rivera-Tinsley said in a statement. “I feel a strong sense of urgency to empow er the women and girls of Pittsburgh and across the state, to tell their stories and advocate for the issues important to them. I want to continue the work of cre ating leaders that can im plement the needed chang

DAMAYA WILLIAMS, A CAMP PARTICIPANT, WITH THE “JAWS OF LIFE” TOOL.

BROOKE CLARK, RIGHT, ONE OF THE CAMP PARTICIPANTS. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

For the past four years, former Virginia Lt. Gov. Jus tin Fairfax said his accusers had avoided investigations into their sordid claims.

It has forced Fairfax, his wife, and his children to live with the indignity of him being labeled a sex offender.

With an active FBI inves tigation into Old Dominion political figures that report edly have uncovered some nefarious payouts by Fair fax’s rivals to the women, the one-time and wouldbe governor believes all of this has finally cleared his name.

“There are some real truth-tellers who cut through the political sensa tionalism and what is the truth,” Fairfax said during an appearance on the Na tional Newspaper Publish ers Association’s live morn ing news program, Let It Be Known.

“I would be the only Afri can American governor in the United States today,” Fairfax demanded, had it not been for what now ap pears false allegations.

“This resulted in large part because they wanted to smear me. We have a 400year history of Black males being falsely accused. Once people find out that it’s not true, it’s extremely difficult to get the politicians and the journalists to admit they were wrong.”

In 2019, during the Virgin ia gubernatorial campaign, two women alleged that Fairfax sexually assaulted them.

The allegations suspi ciously arrived when racist photos of then-Gov. Ralph Northam, seeking reelec tion in the race against Fairfax, surfaced.

Old photos showed Northam in blackface or wearing Ku Klux Klan garb.

“Within three minutes, Terry McAuliffe called for me to resign as lieutenant governor,” Fairfax noted.

“Talk about due process. There was a retroactive fab rication, and so many peo ple connected to this.

The scandals involving Northam and Fairfax paved the way for McAuliffe to run for governor, losing to Glenn Youngkin in the 2021 race.

“Terry ran again, and so many involved need to be held accountable. This smear campaign has been going on for nearly four years,” Fairfax stated.

“It’s really cruel what’s been done.”

Fairfax has maintained his innocence and repeat edly called for a criminal

investigation.

He filed a defamation law suit against CBS News for the network’s interviews with his accusers, Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Wilson.

Though a judge ultimately threw out the suit, Fairfax noted numerous inconsis tencies. For example, he’s alleged that McAuliffe and Richmond, Virginia, Mayor Levar Stoney were chiefly responsible for orchestrat ing his demise. Reportedly, investigators are homing in on Stoney and McAuliffe, both rivals of Fairfax.

“Had Fairfax ascended to governor in 2019, replacing Northam, he would have been the prohibitive favor ite for the nomination in 2021, cutting out McAuliffe and Stoney,” political writ ers for The Intercept deter mined.

“One of the things liars tend to do is change or mod ify their stories, and Justin never changed,” said Jour nalist Lauren Burke, who worked on Fairfax’s cam paign.

“The other thing you don’t see is someone in trouble asking for police involve ment. That never happens,” Burke continued.

“Anyone sitting with the FBI with no attorney present stands out. It also stands out that the people making the allegations dis appear when prosecutors get involved. Then the FBI gets involved, and one of the attorneys for the accus er gets angry. If your client is the victim of a crime, you should want law enforce ment involved.”

Burke, who championed and stood by Fairfax from the beginning, finally has company.

Sophia Nelson, a jour

nalist and former House Republican Congressional Committee counsel wrote an editorial this month apologizing to Fairfax.

Nelson acknowledged Fairfax as a “young, well-ed ucated Black man with a lovely wife and beautiful children, all by his late 30s.”

“A former federal prosecu tor with a spotless personal and ethical record and a great future ahead. Until the bottom fell out,” Nelson penned.

She continued:

“He became a target for the #MeToo movement. But evidence recently emerged that Fairfax might have been the victim of a coordi nated smear campaign.”

“Thankfully, I was among the journalists who re viewed the new informa tion, and I was stunned by what I learned,” Nelson wrote.

“As a Black woman who was a victim of sexual as sault as a young girl, I had immediate empathy for the women who accused Fair fax. After all, we should believe women when they share their stories. Right?

Of course, but looking back now at how hard I was on Fairfax, I think I was wrong. I think we all were.”

Fairfax said he’s grateful to Nelson, Roland Martin, and the Black Press for not rushing to judgment.

“I’m very grateful to So phia, and I thanked her for her courage, integrity, and willingness to tell the truth, which has been missing for three and a half years,” Fairfax said.

“This will come down in history as one of the great est scandals in politics in the history of Virginia and our nation.”

This Week In Black History A Courier Staple

• OCTOBER 12

1854—Lincoln University is founded in Pennsylvania.

1932—Richard Claxton “Dick” Greg ory is born in St Louis, Mo. Gregory is an American civil rights activist, social critic, writer, entrepreneur, conspiracy theorist and comedian.

1945—The lynching of Jesse James Payne takes place in Madison County, Fla. The lynching came to typify the lies that prompted many a lynching. Payne got into an argument with his White boss and threatened to expose some of his boss’ illegal dealings. But the boss then spread a rumor that Payne had molested his daughter and Payne was lynched.

1972—Nearly 50 Black and White sail ors were injured in a race riot aboard the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam War.

1999—Basketball legend Wilt Cham berlain dies at age 63. The 7’1”, 280 pound great included among his records the scoring of 100 points in one game when the Philadelphia Warriors beat the New York Knicks 169 to 147 on March 2, 1962.

• OCTOBER 13

1902—Arna W. Bontemps (19021973) is born. He was a noted poet and librarian of Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. Bontemps frequently collaborated with another noted Black poet Langston Hughes.

1914—Garret Morgan, an Afri can-American inventor and community leader, invents and patents the gas mask.

He is renowned for a heroic res cue in 1916 in which he and three others used the mask he’d developed to save workers trapped within a water intake tunnel, 50 feet beneath Lake Erie.

1919—Whites riot in Phillips County, Ark., leaving nearly 80 Blacks lynched. 1926—Jesse Leroy Brown is born. He became the first Black naval aviator.

1970—Communist and activist Angela Davis is arrested as a fugitive in New York City for her alleged role in a Cali fornia courthouse shootout that left four dead. She is later found not guilty.

• OCTOBER 14

1902—William Allison Davis is born. He earns a PhD and becomes a leading educator and anthropologist. Among his lasting legacies were his well-docu mented challenges to the cultural bias of IQ tests which generally portrayed Blacks as less intelligent than Whites.

1916—Washington and Lee Univer sity of Virginia refuses to play Rutgers University of New Jersey because it has a Black player on its team. That player was Paul Robeson who withdrew from the game, but later became world fa mous as an actor, singer and advocate of Black and socialist causes.

1964—Martin Luther King Jr. be comes the youngest man ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He was 35 and had already become world famous for his leadership of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.

1999—Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere dies at 77 of cancer. He had led his country to independence and called on American Blacks to come to Africa to help rebuild the “mother land.”

• OCTOBER 15

1859—White minister and mystic John Brown leads a violent uprising in Harper’s Ferry, Va., in a bid to spark a Black uprising against slavery. Dozens of Whites are killed, but the revolt is eventually put down. President Abra ham Lincoln once referred to him as a “misguided fanatic,” but Brown actually had a fanatical hatred of slavery and wanted it ended at all costs.

1887—The U.S. Supreme Court declares the Civil Rights Act of 1885 unconstitutional. The decision was spurred by the end of Reconstruction and helped to usher in the Jim Crow period in the South whereby Black rights won during Reconstruction were taken away.

1991—Conservative Black judge Clar ence Thomas is confirmed as the 106th associate justice of the U.S. Supreme. He remains on the court with a voting record, which continues to anger many Black leaders.

• OCTOBER 16

1849—The man considered the first Black historian in America is born. His name was George Washington Williams. He was also the first African American to serve in the Ohio legisla ture. He died in Blackpool, England, in August 1891.

1855—John Mercer Langston, prob ably the first Black elected to public of fice in America—wins the race for Clerk of the Brownhelm Township, Lorain County, Ohio.

1876—Race riot in Cainhoy, S.C., leaves five Whites and one Black dead.

1895—

The nation’s leading African American medical group—National Medical Association—is founded in Atlanta, Ga.

comes the first Black leader to dine at the White House with the president when Theodore Roosevelt invites him. Some Black leaders charge Wash ington’s invitation was a result of his policies which they charge tended to accommodate racism. Nevertheless, the invitation and dinner served to crown Washington as the Black leader of the period.

1917—One of the most unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, Fannie Lou Hamer, is born in Montgomery County, Miss. Her famous and most oft-repeated quote: “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

1940—Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. is named the first Black general in the regular U.S. Army. Davis died in 1970 at the age of 90.

1968—Sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith give the clenched-fist Black power salute when accepting their medals at the Mexico City Olym pics as a protest against racism in America. Sadly, the two sprinters would become involved in a personal dispute years later. A White Australian sprinter also wore a human rights badge in sup port of their protest.

1973—Maynard Jackson, elected the first Black mayor of Atlanta, Ga., dies of a heart attack while on a visit to Wash ington, D.C., in 2003.

1984—Bishop Desmond Tutu is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end White minority rule in South Africa.

1995—Nation of Islam leader Min. Louis Farrakhan leads the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. More than a million Black men gather to “atone” and organize. No permanent organiza tional efforts resulted from the historic gathering.

• OCTOBER 17

1720—Jupiter Hammon, the first Black American poet, is born in slavery. He was a Calvinist and self-educated writer.

1787—Led by Black Mason Prince Hall, free Boston Blacks petition the Massachusetts legislature for equal school facilities for African-American children. In addition to spreading Free masonry among Blacks, Hall became the most prominent Black leader of the period. For reasons which are not en tirely clear, records show there were at least 21 men named “Prince Hall” living in Massachusetts at the time.

1871—President Ulysses Grant suspends the writ of habeas corpus in nine South Carolina counties in order to combat a Ku Klux Klan terror campaign against Blacks and some progressive Whites. Grant pretty much crushed the Klan during this period. It would not rise again until the 1920s.

1888—The nation’s first Black bank— Capital Savings—is chartered in Wash ington, D.C., by a group known as the Order of the True Reformers. The now little known, but once influential group set up chapters throughout the South and advocated Black self-help and the starting of Black-owned businesses. The founder was William Washington Browne—a Methodist Minister from Richmond, Va.

1928—Historian and Ebony magazine editor Lerone Bennett Jr. is born. His best known book is “Before the May flower.”

1956—Physician and astronaut Mae Jamison is born in Decatur, Ala.

1969—Dr. Clifton R. Wharton be comes the first Black in the 20th centu ry to head a major, predominantly White university when he is named president of Michigan State University.

•OCTOBER 18

1917—“Dizzy” Gillespie, bandleader and pioneer of “B-bop Jazz,” is born John Birks Gillespie in Cheraw, S.C. 1945—Actor, singer, activist and socialist Paul Robeson receives the NAACP’s prestigious Spingarn Medal for his artistic achievements. Robeson would be hounded by the U.S. govern ment because of his leftist leanings. He was labeled a communist, blocked from working in America and later denied a passport so he could not travel to Europe to work.

1951—Novelist Terry McMillan is born in Port Huron, Mich.

Pittsburgh’s 2022 Harambee Festival

Camila Rivera-Tinsley named CEO of Women and Girls Foundation

es in our communities.” Rivera-Tinsley told the Courier she feels Girl Gov can be even bigger. Right now it serves about 100 girls, teens and femmes per year and teaches them about civic engagement. The participants are given an opportunity to create their own advocacy cam paign and champion it, sometimes all the way to Harrisburg. Oftentimes, the participants can meet with different state legis lators. Having Walker as the director of the program gives Black participants a chance to “see themselves represented in our pro gram,” Rivera-Tinsley said. Rivera-Tinsley said WGF works closely with the Black Women’s Poli cy Center, in Pittsburgh, and played a role in the eye-opening “Pittsburgh’s Inequality Across Race and Gender” report, which was released by the University of Pittsburgh in 2019. Ri

vera-Tinsley also told the Courier that WGF gives out grants to organizations “that are doing grassroots work to uplift the issues of women, girls and femmes in the region,” and is look ing to expand that initia tive.

“Camila is a natural choice to take WGF into the next 20 years with a focus on intersectional justice,” said Suzan Lami, Women and Girls Foun dation board president, in a statement provided to the Courier. “Her leader ship work in the space of environmental education and environmental justice, along with her lived experi ence and understanding of how intersecting identities impact social change, will greatly benefit the import ant work that WGF does in our communities. Camila’s leadership will have a di rect impact on improving the lives of women, girls and gender-expansive indi viduals in our region.”

Pittsburgh’s

CLIMBING THE LADDER

Inaugural ‘Girls Fire Camp’ exposes girls to the firefighting profession

now,” Epps-Cuda said in a statement released by the city. “This is something I wanted to happen for four years and now to see it come to light and see how these girls are so enthu siastic to possibly become a City of Pittsburgh fire fighter...I am so proud of them.”

The first days of the camp were held at Ebenezer. For example, Day 1 fea tured team-building exer cises and health/physical fitness exercises; and Day 2 at the church was when the girls learned about rescue equipment, re ceived CPR training and “Stop the Bleed” training (administered by Raina Lewis of Pittsburgh EMS), and saw a demon stration of a polygraph test (which is part of the hiring process to become a Pittsburgh firefighter).

On Wednesday, Aug. 24, the girls were off to the Fire Training Academy for gear fitting, a tour of the academy and an ob stacle course practice. Graduation was held on Friday, Aug. 26, which is also when Mayor Ed Gainey declared that day as “Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Inaugural Girls Fire Camp Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.

“Young, Gifted & Deter mined” was the headline of the mayor’s proclama tion. The city admitted that something had to be done to help close the gender gap that currently exists in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire. “Where as, the camp’s focus on empowering young wom en is vital to building a workforce reflective of Pittsburgh’s population” in the department, the proclamation, obtained by the New Pittsburgh Cou rier, read. “Whereas, the curriculum for the camp is designed to challenge

participants while build ing their confidence and courage.”

Black women firefight ers may become the rule rather than the exception as the world continues to turn. But right now, finding Black women fire fighters across the coun try is like finding a needle in a haystack. The Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2021 show that nearly 96 percent of all firefighters in the U.S. are men. And of all firefighters, 85 percent are White, 8.4 percent are Black. Figures for the per centages of Black women

firefighters in the U.S. were not available.

Ironically, Black wom en who do enjoy a career as a firefighter find their way—no pun intended— “climbing the ladder” to the top of the department. Toni Washington is the current fire chief for the city of Decatur, Georgia. As of 2021, she was one of six Black women to hold the top job in a city’s fire department, according to a New York Daily News article.

Teresa Deloach Reed was the first Black wom an to lead a major city’s

fire department, Oakland, Calif., in 2012.

In Pittsburgh, Toni McIntosh was the city’s first Black woman fire fighter in 1976. Pitts burgh’s Bureau of Fire is currently led by a Black man, Darryl Jones.

“These firefighters are not only empowering these girls, giving them strength, and courage, and belief in themselves,” said Deanna DeSarro, mother of camp attendee Gabriella Minton-DeSar ro, “they’re also becoming

mentors to them outside of the Bureau for any thing going on in their lives and I will forever be grateful.”

THE GIRLS THAT GRADUATED FROM THE CAMP ARE FROM LEFT: AJAYDA JETTER, ISABELLA FERO, ANGEL EPONDULAN, DAMAYA WILLIAMS, BROOKE CLARK, SAMANTHA VIETMEIER, AND GABRIELLA MINTON-DESARRO (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

FOUNDER OF THE CAMP IS LISA EPPS-CUDA

Inaugural ‘Girls Fire Camp’ exposes girls to the firefighting profession

LISA EPPS-CUDA IS SHOWING THE GIRLS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE ON A LIE DETECTOR TEST WHICH IS ALSO PART OF THE TEST.

DAMAYA WILLIAMS USES A SLEDGEHAMMER TO MOVE THE METAL BEAM. THIS IS USED TO TRAIN FOR FORCED ENTRY.

Lisa Dawn Cave is production manager for super-popular ‘Frozen’

Now playing at the Benedum Center

by Genea L. Webb

For New Pittsburgh Courier

There are so many other positions in theater be sides being in front of the stage.

As the production super visor/production manager of Disney’s “Frozen,” The Lion King” and “Aida,” Lisa Dawn Cave wears many hats.

She’s had a love for the ater ever since she was a young girl. She loved listening to music and singing with all the re cords and dancing even though she lacked for mal training. Her mother saw her love for the stage and enrolled her in the High School for Perform ing Arts, a public school in Manhattan (New York City). She auditioned and got accepted into the school. That’s where she received her formal dance training as well as some acting.

Following high school. Cave enrolled in State University of New York at Purchase as a dance ma jor where she received her BFA in dance. She imme diately started audition ing for roles and danced and sang professionally in both Broadway and national tours for about 10 years. But in 1994, a car accident cut her act

ing career short. She de cided to move behind the scenes in the profession she adored. Her first show as a stage manager was a few months later in that year.

Fast forward to 2020, and Cave and two of her professional stage man agement colleagues, Bev erly Jenkins and Jim my Lee Smith, created “Broadway and Beyond Access to Stage Managers of Color,” to connect man agers to industry leaders to help people of color be considered for stage man agement jobs.

“We started that because we realized after the pan demic that there are more people out there than we know, we just haven’t opened the door and given a chance to,” Cave told the New Pittsburgh Courier.

“My colleagues and I hap pened to be the very few stage managers that liter ally worked on Broadway for years and we noticed there were only a few of us, there were not a lot— there were less than 10. You can have as many as 20-plus shows on Broad way at one time and each musical has three stage managers on them and each play has two... We were able to use our star power and say to them, if you are willing to open up

the door, we are willing to bring them to you.”

Cave said that there were many times when she or her colleagues would get the call for a job and when they couldn’t do the job—if they wanted someone of color—they would ask Cave for a re ferral. “We realized there wasn’t an organization for stage managers of color who were ready to work and who’d been working for years but never got their chance to break lose in certain venues,” Cave said.

During the 2021-2022, season Cave and her crew were able to get 50-70 stage managers of color prominent interviews. That led to about 15 of them getting jobs working on Broadway that season.

“It was pretty amazing,” Cave said. “For some of them, it was their first job—they were working off Broadway and were trying to get into Broad way and never could and now they did.”

Cave continued: “It has really boomed quicker than we thought. The in dustry professionals keep coming and the stage managers keep coming. We don’t promise anyone a job; we are there to have you meet people. We give access to people that they

probably weren’t able to meet before and then they get to know you and if there’s a position that they think you’re right for, then there’s a possi bility you can get a gig.”

Cave, an avid hiker, bike rider, and nature lover, has a wealth of knowl edge about “Frozen,” dat ing back to 2016 when it was just a reading. She has the knowledge of why

things are the way they are, what things are not on the stage and what changes are made. She put the show together as a pre-Broadway production and then the Broadway production as the produc tion stage manager.

“Frozen” is showing at the Benedum Center, Downtown, through Oct. 16. The uber-popular pro duction has a message of

“being empowered,” Cave told the Courier. “The message of love between you and a sibling; it has diversity in it, so there’s that love between differ ent cultures...it shows at the beginning that people think one thing, but they end up realizing another at the end, and that, in it self, is wonderful.”

LISA DAWN CAVE

Take Charge Of Your Health Today. Be Informed. Be Involved.

Start where you are and move a little more!

CARLOS T. CARTER

Physical Activity

This month’s feature highlights Dr. Bonny Rockette-Wagner’s work on physical activity and its ability to mitigate a myriad of health prob lems. Dr. Rockette-Wag ner also notes that in corporating physical activity into one’s daily routine does not have to be complicated or time-consuming.

Recently we connected with Carlos T. Carter, the President & CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh (ULGP) to gain perspec tive on the importance of physical activity for the Black community.

How have you benefit ted from physical activ ity as you move through different stages of your life?

I’ve used physical ac tivity to maintain good physical health as well as manage my mental health. From a young age until now, I’ve al ways tried to do some type of physical activity to stay in shape. I try and keep my body mo bile by walking at least three times a week. I also do some light weightlifting and incor porate pushups into my routine. While I can’t do the same things that I did in my twenties and thirties, I can continue to adjust based on what I can do at this stage of my life.

Staying healthy through physical activ ity and making healthy food choices makes me more confident as a per son. I especially enjoy going on walks through my neighborhood as I get to connect with neighbors. Walking also helps to clear my head.

What suggestions do you have for our com munity on ways to add physical activity into al ready busy lives?

Keep it simple. It’s nice to join a gym if you have the time and financial means available to do so. However, there are sim ple things that you can do to get moving. March in place, walk around your neighborhood, try to move as you talk on the phone, fill a jug with water and use it as a weight. Be creative with the time, space, and re sources that you have.

How might we come to gether in our neighbor hoods to encourage more physical activity in our lives?

One thing we can do is to encourage friends and neighbors to walk together. Leverage so cial media or simply call or text some folks to get together. Encourage peo ple to take a class with you or start your own.  If there are barriers to getting outside, try stay ing mobile inside your home.

I encourage our read ers to make physical activity a priority to ensure a healthy mind and body. One thing that I really enjoy is danc ing. Put on your favor ite music and just move and groove! You’ll break a sweat while increasing your joy!

Imagine a day in the notso-distant future when your doctor writes you a prescription. Only this pre scription isn’t for pills. It’s for physical activity. The prescription includes the support you need to begin and continue a life-long health journey, which fea tures better odds for living on your own and actively long into your elder years.

That scenario is what University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. Bonny Rockette-Wag ner, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, is hopeful will happen based, in part, on her ongoing research on physical activity, sedentary

ty, Black people suffer more from conditions like heart disease, high blood pres sure, diabetes, and strokes than white people.

The same is true for obesi ty. Black women experience the highest rates of obesity or being overweight com pared to other groups in the U.S. (Office of Minority Health).

Although many people link exercise and weight loss, Dr. Rockette-Wagner thinks this mindset needs to be expanded. Physical ac tivity needs to happen first for its own sake.

“The message is to start moving more,” says Dr.

DR. BONNY ROCKETTE-WAGNER

how do you help someone move more who’s never re ally exercised at any point,”

falls far down the to-do list for many of us.”

That’s why Dr. Rock ette-Wagner’s research is important. She studies how physical activity can help to prevent major diseases and how to get and keep us moving more and longer.

In her current study, Dr. Rockette-Wagner hopes to prove that tools like physi cal activity trackers, online education, health coaches, and support from PCPs and other healthcare providers —can have a lasting impact on how people get and stay physically active.

“We’re currently studying how this type of interven

adults who were at a high risk of developing diabe tes. The trial demonstrated that diabetes could be pre vented or delayed if par ticipants lost weight and moved more.

With that in mind, Dr. Rockette-Wagner and Dr. Kriska showed that simply reducing the time partici pants spent sitting lowered their risk of developing di abetes. The same was true for inactive participants who became more active.

Ten years after the orig inal study, these partici pants continued to be more physically active—some times twice as much.

Dr. Rockette-Wagner also worked on additional re search with Dr. Kriska on a community-based version of the DPP.

It, too, resulted in simi lar findings. Participants who made lifestyle chang es based on the DPP—in cluding sitting less, moving more, and using fitness trackers—did much better than people who relied on health and nutrition advice alone.

As a result of all her re search studying the impact that physical activity has on preventing health con ditions, Dr. Rockette-Wag ner’s years of experience has produced some sur prising data people can use right now.

“The big takeaway is that increasing your physical ac tivity (with your provider’s permission) can help you no matter how old you are, how much you weigh, or what type of shape you’re in,” she says.

behavior, and health.

“Our studies are showing that increasing your ac tivity—especially if you’re inactive— is so important when it comes to improv ing overall physical health, particularly as we age,” she explains.

Based on her findings,

Dr. Rockette-Wagner hopes people will think about physical activity as a type of medicine that can help us live healthier, longer, more independent lives.

Viewing exercise as medi cine can be an empowering tool for the Black commu nity.

Due to systemic racism and the resulting mistrust of the healthcare communi

Rockette-Wagner. “If you can do that regularly, other health goals, such as how long and fast you move, nutrition, and weight loss, may be easier to reach.

For example, research shows that physical activi ty, such as a 30-minue walk each day at a moderate pace, can help to prevent or improve many health con ditions.

The challenge for Dr. Rockette-Wagner and other researchers is to learn effec tive ways to help someone who’s inactive and suffers from high blood pressure, for example, to become more active now and in the future.

“As a healthcare provider,

Adagio’s Power Up program makes the healthy choice, the easy choice

In Allegheny and 15 sur rounding counties, a no-cost program is helping fami lies understand and make choices that could put them on the path to living longer, more active lives. It’s the SNAP-Education program from Adagio Health called Power Up.

Power Up is part of the USDA’s SNAP-Education Program. It’s available at no charge to anyone who’s eligible for SNAP or cur rently receiving SNAP ben efits.

How does the program work? Educators at Power Up help SNAP clients of all ages make healthier food choices and live more active lifestyles.

For example, monthly nu trition lessons take place in a classroom setting for head start/preschool and school-age children, as well as community locations

she asks. “How do you do it in a way that’s supportive and affirming? How do you encourage that person to continue moving through out their lifetime?”

Dr. Rockette-Wagner notes it’s important to be aware of the difficulty many of us face when it comes to finding time to be more ac tive.

“Even when we know ex ercise is good for us, we have a lot of things that compete with it,” she says. “We have jobs, children, grandchil dren, and elders who need care. We make commit ments to our churches and neighborhood organizations we must meet. We have dai ly tasks at home. Exercise

tion can help at-risk people from developing cardiovas cular disease,” she says.

“We must not only support the participants, but also make sure their healthcare providers are involved, too.

“When doctors have easy access to patient activi ty data, they can use it to create an individualized healthcare plan for that person,” she adds.

During her doctoral work under Dr. Andrea Kriska, Dr. Rockette-Wagner ex amined data on sedentary behavior and physical ac tivity from the landmark Diabetes Prevention Pro gram (DPP).

The DPP was a large, nationwide clinical trial of

“You can begin today, right where you are on your health journey. You don’t need fancy shoes, equip ment, or a gym member ship. You don’t need a big time commitment. You just need to move more than you did yesterday.

“Whether you move your body while you’re sitting in a chair or standing, just move. Then do it again— or do a little more—tomorrow.”

It seems, then, that physi cal activity is an investment for our golden years.

“It’s truly one of the best gifts you can give your self at any age,” Dr. Rock ette-Wagner adds.

Start your journey to an active life with simple movements

with adults and seniors.

The program delivers ev idence-based education along with printed materi als, nutrition education re inforcement items, and food tastings presented in a fun, engaging and memorable way.

Power Up also works with community partners, such farmers’ markets, food pantries, grocery or corner stores, healthcare sites, senior centers, WIC, the YMCA, and more.

To get entire families to use Power Up, educators also provide nutrition ed ucation via workshops, at community events, and share newsletters.

Learn more about Adagio Health’s Power Up and how it can help you take control of your well-being. Visit the program’s website at powerupeatright.com.

If you haven’t been physically active for a long time, but want to start, begin by doing simple move ments that wake up your joints and muscles.

First, set a goal, such as complet ing 3, 5-minute segments of move ments: One in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the eve ning. Do this 3 times per week.

Once you reach this goal, work up to 3, 10-minute segments 3 times per week. Then increase that to 5 times per week and so on.

Here are some examples to try af ter you’ve talked it over with your healthcare provider: Stand or sit in a chair and march in place for 2 minutes while you’re watching TV.

Stand or walk around whenever you’re talking on your phone.

If you can stand comfortably, hold on to your kitchen counter and raise your heels and stand on your toes. Repeat this movement for 1-2 minutes.

Use a soup can or a 1-pound bag

of dried beans as a hand weight and do 10 bicep curls on each side.

Do 5 or 10 stand-and-sit exercis es. (Sit in a sturdy chair that won’t move easily. Rise from the chair using your lower muscles, not your arms. Sit down again. This com pletes 1 rep.)

Stand or sit in a chair and raise your arms straight out in front of you as if you were stiffly holding a broomstick. Raise the “broomstick” over your head, then lower it. Re peat 5-10 times.

Put on your favorite song and sway or dance to the beat.

Praise & Worship

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

rate informa tion, call 412-4818302,

to feature positive youth from our Pitts burgh church commu nity.

Pittsburgh Courier

McAuley Ministries’ grants enables start of ‘Neighborhood Capital’

Three-year program helps local Black developers in real estate investment

McAuley Ministries, Pittsburgh Mercy’s grant-making foundation, announced in September 18 new grants totaling over $5.2 million to support ad vocacy, capacity building, community and economic development, education, and health and wellness initiatives in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland communi ties, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned.

Pittsburgh

Grants announced in this cycle include a $2 million dollar grant to Neighbor hood Allies to create a new, three-year program called Neighborhood Capi tal, which would complete the continuum of real es tate investment capital for local Black developers and Black communities starting with the neighbor hoods of the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oak land. These communities are facing development pressure that threatens to destabilize and displace long-time residents. Black and low-income commu nities are often forced to compromise their visions or compete against other demographically similar neighborhoods for scarce resources.

This project will support 10 transformative real estate projects in these communities through a combination of technical assistance and patient, flexible capital that en courages prudent risk-tak ing and promotes equitable outcomes for businesses

and residents. According to Presley Gillespie, Neigh borhood Allies president and CEO, “This historic investment represents an intentional shift in how re sources are directed to and absorbed by Black com munities—making exist ing sources such as banks, CDFIs, government, and philanthropy more accessi ble for Black and brown de velopers and lower-wealth communities. The part nership and investment from McAuley Ministries is furthering our capacity to advance racial equity in community-based real es tate, and deliver enhanced value to community part ners and businesses.”

Neighborhood Capital is the first initiative to flow out of a new strategic fo cus of McAuley Ministries. The grant-making founda tion serves in the spirit of the Gospel as a compas sionate and transforming healing presence. It com mits resources and works collaboratively to promote healthy, safe and vibrant communities. In keeping with this founding mis sion, and following a pro cess of discernment, McAu ley Ministries’ Board will focus energy in 2022 and beyond toward the dimin ishment of racism and vi olence in the communities it serves so that it can be a catalyst for transforma tive efforts in Pittsburgh, in the country, and in the larger world.

Marisol Valentin, exec utive director of McAuley

Ministries stated, “We be lieve that a healthy and vibrant society is one in which all people are re spected, their gifts and cultural heritage are ap preciated, the opportunity to participate fully in the life of the community is available, and people can live in the community of their choice in peace and security. We, along with our neighborhood part ners, want to intentionally address and remedy the evils of racist ideological thoughts, structural rac ism, and violence by work ing together in programs McAuley Ministries cur rently supports as well as new initiatives toward this goal.”

McAuley Ministries will start an advisory coun cil to launch an expanded community engagement initiative. The council will be composed of members who represent and advo cate change for children and youth, community pro gramming, cultural enrich ment and the arts, dimen sions of wellness, economic development, education, gun and gang violence, hate crimes, housing, se niors, social justice, so cial supports, and women. The goal of the council is to provide key communi ty input that will identify and shape new strategic initiatives for McAuley Ministries, as well as guide funding principles toward key actions that will en hance and improve all as pects of life that lead to

vibrant, healthy, safe, and whole community living and satisfaction. Individu als interested in learning more about the council are encouraged to email Mari sol Valentin.

The grants Advocacy Regional Housing Legal Services: $153,000 payable over two years to continue working on McAuley Min istries affordable housing priority by using legal strategies to prevent mass evictions, deploy aid, help create programs that pre serve existing affordable housing for vulnerable families, and engage in ad vocacy to improve policies and programs.

Capacity Building

The Citizen Science Lab: $500,000 to expand op erations to accommodate growth and provide youth with full access to premier hands-on STEM programs by relocating to the Martin Luther King Jr. Reading and Cultural Center in the Hill District.

Jubilee Association: $500,000 to renovate/ex pand their facility to in crease accessibility, space, and safety and strengthen programming including enhancing their Prevent ing Homelessness Pro gram, implementing a new path to self-sufficiency pro gram, increasing childcare assistance, strengthening partnerships, enhancing counseling services, and facilitating a comprehen

sive service delivery model. Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise: $252,450 to support leadership coach ing and the Regional In dicators of Community & Nonprofit Well-Being Pro gram for three years.

Pilot Community Ambas sador Project: $238,000 to support staff, technical assistance, and training while creating a compre hensive digital catalog of resources anyone can eas ily navigate.

Community Develop ment

Food Helpers: $130,000 to Moving Lives of Kids Arts Center (MLK Arts) to cre ate four permanent works of public art in the Hill District. The project will involve local youth who will work with professional artists.

Neighborhood Allies: $2 million to launch Neigh borhood Capital in the greater Hill District. The program will support 10 transformative real estate projects in the neighbor hood through a combina tion of technical assistance and patient, flexible capital that encourages prudent risk-taking and promotes equitable outcomes for businesses and residents.

Travelers Aid: $76,500 to renew their Transporta tion Assistance Program, which removes the trans portation barrier for indi

“Surely, He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smit ten of God and afflicted. But He WAS wounded for our transgressions, HE WAS bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace WAS upon His; and with His stripes we are healed.”

REV. WALKER SAYS: Isaiah proclaims some 700 years before Jesus paid for our sins on the cross. Using the past tense WAS, that Je

sus had already sacrificed Himself for OUR Salvation. What are we waiting for!!!

PRESLEY GILLESPIE, Neighborhood Allies president and CEO. MARISOL VALENTIN, McAuley Ministries executive director.

Pittsburgh’s 2022 Harambee Festival

McAuley Ministries’ grants enables start of ‘Neighborhood Capital’

viduals to attend training programs at the Energy Innovation Center.

Education

1Hood Media: $153,000 payable over three years to resume educational pro gramming for youth ages 16 to 26 and those who interact with them by add ing staff and offering staff development opportunities to cultivate a culture of youth success, creativity, and leadership through in dividualized development planning, self-expression, positive peer engagement,

community building, and proactive participation in civil society.

Center that CARES: $173,400 to support its af ter-school program, Pass port to Success, and Hill Loop transportation pro grams for the next year.

Hug Me Tight Childlife Centers: $224,400 for op erational support for fiscal year 2022/2023.

The Pittsburgh Prom ise: $153,000 payable over three years to support their “Promise Coaches” at Pittsburgh Milliones University Preparatory

School in the Hill District to increase the percentage of 9th graders who earn a post-secondary credential within 10 years to 80 per cent by 2030.

Small Seeds Develop ment Inc.: $153,000 pay able over two years to support its Mother to Son Program, providing single mothers and female guard ians, their male children (ages 5 to 18), and their sons’ siblings with emo tional support, training, and workshops to build family self-sufficiency and well-being.

Health and Wellness

ACH Clear Pathways: $76,500 to start-up their arts programming for se nior citizens which will in clude sound healing, mind fulness, and other arts programming.

American National Red Cross Western PA Region: $10,200 to help the Red Cross support fire victims in its neighborhoods, re sponding to at least one home fire per day.

The Neighborhood Resil ience Project: $499,800 for the Community Support

Programming of the orga nization, the micro-com munity interventions in the Hill District, staffing support of those programs and a desperately needed new roof for the organiza tional building.

The Pittsburgh Contin gency: $73,440 to fund the Senior Jazz Connection for one year. The program will gather seniors living in the Hill District and connect them to vital community resources while providing recreational and social time and building a data base of senior needs and

community services.

Venture Outdoors: $51,000 to expand outdoor learning experiences and leadership opportunities for youth and young adults through outdoor learning, environmental career ex ploration, and meaningful mentorship.

How to achieve homeownership, even in this market

Buying a home is one of the most important purchases you will make in your lifetime, and the pressure is mounting for those looking to buy right now, with home prices fluctuating and mortgage rates t their highest lev els in over a decade.

While existing home sales have fallen monthover-month since the be ginning of the year, pric es still hit a record high above $40,000 in May, according to the National Association of Realtors, as low levels of housing inventory and supply chain constraints have created an affordability squeeze for homebuy ers. Mortgage rates have nearly doubled in the last six months—from 3 per cent in 2021 to close to 6 percent in 2022—making it increasingly challeng ing for many Americans to purchase a home, espe cially for those with limit ed income.

So, how do you know when you’re ready to buy a home? More important ly, how much home can you afford? We sat down with Detroit’s Ken Corley, Community Home Lend ing Manager at Chase, to answer those questions and discuss what the current state of the mar ket means for you and your family’s homebuying dreams.

Q: What are the main factors mortgage lend ers look at when eval uating an application?

A: When it comes to homeownership, your credit score and debt-toincome ratio are major factors in the application process.

Your credit score is set based upon how you’ve used credit, or not used credit, in the past. Using credit responsibly, such as paying bills on time and having a low utili zation rate will result in a higher score. High er credit scores can help you qualify for the lowest interest rates. A score at 700 or above is generally

considered good.

Additionally, lenders look at your debt-to-in come ratio. This is a sim ple equation of how much debt you have relative to how much money you make. Borrowers with a higher debt-to-income ra tio are considered more risky while a lower debtto-income ratio may allow

An unhappy workforce can cost you money

you to qualify for the best rates on your home loan.

Q. What are some tips for improving your scores?

A. There are a number of things you can do to improve your credit score, starting with reviewing your credit reports to un derstand what might be working against you. You can also pay down your revolving credit and dis pute any inaccuracies.

Additionally, there are services like Chase Cred it Journey to help mon itor and improve your credit score. Credit Jour ney monitors all of your accounts and alerts you to changes in your credit report that may impact your score. You’ll get an alert any time Chase sees new activity, including charges, account open ing and credit inquiries.

Chase will also notify you if there are changes in your credit usage, credit limits or balances. You don’t have to be a Chase

(StatePoint)—Amid the Great Resignation, the pandemic-era phenome non of employees leaving their jobs, new research studying employees in the United States, the Unit ed Kingdom and Ireland are shedding light on how employers can retain their staff and keep them happy.

“Unleashing the Hu man Element at Work: Transforming Workplac es Through Recognition,” a new research report by Gallup and Workhuman, reveals that currently, only about one-third of employ ees say their employer has a formal recognition pro gram, and 81 percent of senior leaders say recogni tion is not a major strate gic priority for their orga nization.

Industry experts define a culture of recognition at its most basic level as one in which gratitude, praise and appreciation are free ly given and regularly re ceived in an authentic and equitable way throughout the organization. The data suggests that not embrac ing this ethos is a missed

opportunity. Indeed, Gal lup’s analysis of the study data shows that an orga nization of 10,000 people with an already engaged workforce can save up to $16.1 million in turnover annually when they make recognition an import ant part of their culture. What’s more, employees who feel recognized are more likely to be engaged and feel loyal to their orga nization.

“The data clearly shows that when recognition is genuinely embedded in workplace culture, people feel its full impact—they feel seen, valued and mo tivated to put in a little extra effort,” says Dr. Mei sha-Ann Martin, senior di rector of People Analytics and Research at Workhu man.

Employee recognition doesn’t just have an im pact on work performance though, it also has an in sulating effect that can help shield employees from burnout and support their overall well-being. More than 70 percent of employ ees who have good recog

nition experiences at work rate their lives more posi tively overall and are more likely to be “thriving” in their everyday lives com pared to those who are not being fully recognized.

But Dr. Martin advises companies to consider how they go about recognizing their employees. The study found that more than half of employees who say the recognition they receive at work is not authentic or equitable are actively look ing or watching for new employment opportunities.

Further, two in five em ployees say they are not re ceiving enough recognition from leaders at their orga nization—only a few times a year at most—when the bare minimum for positive impact is at least a few times a month.

Recognition of employees is not only useful for re tention, it can assist with recruitment too, say ana lysts.

“In today’s competitive talent marketplace, the power of employee refer rals cannot be understat ed. Yet, only 28 percent of

employees in this study strongly agree they would recommend their organi zation as a great place to work. Organizations that acknowledge employees through strong cultures of recognition can boost this figure to 68 percent,” says Ed O’Boyle, Gallup’s global practice leader. “When or ganizations celebrate em ployees’ successes and con tributions, those employees pay it forward and become brand ambassadors.”

To read the full report and learn more about Workhu man, a leading global pro vider of technology solu tions, analytics, expertise and services to build hu man-centered workplaces, visit workhuman.com.

“Recognizing employees is a simple way organi zations can demonstrate their commitment to their employees and inspire them to feel connected, confident and card about, and in today’s climate, it’s no longer a nice-to-have program but rather a busi ness imperative,” says Dr. Martin.

Calculating your debt-to-income ratio

When it comes to purchasing real es tate, the most important 3 factors in de termining desirability and home’s value is location, location, location. Most people know that. However, many people don’t know this. What’s the next most import ant factor when determining desirability and value of real estate? That would be square footage. Size does matter!

When it comes to qualifying for a mort gage to purchase a property, what are the most important three factors in de termining eligibility? Some would say credit, credit, credit. Credit is a measure that lenders use to evaluate a person’s willingness to repay.

Thin credit or bad credit is the biggest stumbling block to people being approved for a mortgage.

Credit aside, what do you think is the second biggest reason people fail to qualify for a mortgage? Based on the title of this article, I’m sure you got it right: Debt-to-income ratio. The second most important factor in determining one’s eligibility for a mortgage is what lenders refer to as ability to repay. Two things are being evaluated when deter mining ability to repay: 1. Source and Stability of income. 2. Debt-to-income ratio.

Although credit receives the glory when evaluating mortgage applications, ability to pay as expressed when evaluating debt to income ratio carry the most weight. Here’s why. Nobody woke up and decided on purpose—I’m going to be a deadbeat. I’m going to run up some credit balances, not pay it back, and ruin my credit score.

As a matter of fact, people tend to take more pride in having a high credit score than they do in having a high net worth.

For the record a high net worth trumps

having a high credit score. The reason people fall behind on their payments and ruin their credit is due to one of two rea sons: 1. Income interruptions by way of job loss, death, or disability. 2. Too much debt. They bit off more than they can chew wrongly thinking if the lender ap proved me, I must be able to afford it.

You cannot assume that if a bank ap proved you for a loan, you can afford it. When a bank approves you for a loan, their only concern is, can they reason ably expect you to pay them back with interest?

Based on the 3 C’s of credit— Character, Capacity and Collateral, they decide accordingly.

Character or will ingness to repay is evaluated by review ing credit reports and other items not reporting on credit reports such as rent.

Capacity or ability to repay evaluates sources and stabili ty of income coupled with debt to income ratio. Collateral serves as security or property that can be seized in the event you don’t pay such as car repossession or mortgage foreclosure.

Understanding how to calculate your debt-to-income ratio is important. It’s a very simple calculation. I’m going to de tail how banks calculate debt to income ratios for mortgage related loans. I’ll ex plain why the debt to income calculation methods used by banks serve the bank’s overall interest but fail to adequately take all of your needs, wants, and goals into consideration.

Lastly, I’ll explain

ments divided by gross income. Mort gage Lenders generally want you to have a front-end ratio or mortgage payment to income ratio of no more than 28 per cent of gross income. If your gross income was $5,000 per month, total mortgage payment should not exceed $1,400 per month.

Mortgage lenders generally want your back-end ratio or total monthly debt in cluding mortgage to be no more than 36 percent of gross income. Using the same $5,000 monthly gross income, all month ly debt obligations should not exceed $1,800 per month. I emphasize “gener ally speaking” in regards to these ratios because Lenders also consider compen sating factors to justify qualifying a can didate who has a higher than standard front-end and back-end ratio. Compen sating factors such as a high credit score, large down payment, strong equity posi tion, robust savings and investments can justify an approval with a back-end ratio as high as 55 percent.

Lenders established debt-to-income ra tios as a way to measure risk of default. I encourage you to calculate your own debt to income ratio as a way to ensure your monthly debt payments don’t hin der your ability to put food on the table, pay the utility bills, pay for children’s ac tivities, save and invest for future goals and have a life.

When calculating your debt to income ratio, you should use net income as op posed to gross income. The reality is if you gross $5,000 per month, you’d net approximately $4,000 per month. Using

Bank branch closures in Black America

by Charlene Crowell For New Pittsburgh Courier

In recent weeks, key Capitol Hill com mittees held hearings with CEOs of some of the nation’s largest commercial banks. At issue for both California Con gresswoman Maxine Waters, Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, and Ohio’s Senator Sherrod Brown, Chair of Senate Banking, are disturbing industry trends like growing mergers, closing bank branches, and a push towards online ser vices that together create ‘banking des erts’ in already underserved communities.

Although bank mergers create institu tions with larger assets, for consumers and small businesses alike, these industry moves change where and how communi ties can access full-service banking.

In opening remarks at a September 16 House Financial Services Committee hearing, Chairwoman Maxine Waters made clear what she hoped the bank CEOs would address.

“Over the past several years, we’ve seen the system of banking in this country take a dramatic shift,” stated Waters. “Our na tion’s biggest banks have gotten even big ger during the pandemic, in part, through mergers. Regulators have rubberstamped these merger applications for far too long, and it’s past time we get to the bottom of who these mergers are actually benefit ing.”

“I remain concerned,” continued Waters, “that branch closures across the country, which are often a consequence of mergers, are expanding banking deserts and harm ing communities that rely on branches for basic banking services.”

In response to Chairwoman Waters, Andy Cecere, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Bancorp, offered a different perspective on industry trends, one that embraces innovation as time-saving, competitive, and convenient tools.

“By using our branch network in com bination with digital tools, we enable our customers to be more connected to their financial future,” testified Cecere. “Last quarter, 82 percent of our consumer trans actions were enabled by our digital capa

Capitol Hill committees question reasons, effects

Trust, because the two heritage banks, in many instances, maintained separate branches in the same neighborhoods and even on the same street corners. These closure plans were reviewed as part of the merger approval process and had virtual ly no long-term impact on branch avail ability or convenience for clients.”

Research by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) docu ments how still shrinking numbers of bank branches in Black and other com munities of color diminish the economic futures of communities already reeling from a lack of sustained investment and redevelopment in its reported titled, The Great Consolidation of Banks and Accel eration of Bank Closures Across America.

From 1984 to 2021, the nation’s number of banks shrank from nearly 18,000 to few er than 5,000, according to NCRC. More than 4,000 of these closures occurred since March 2020, coinciding with the onset of the pandemic. Further, one-third of bank branch closures occurred in majority-mi nority neighborhoods and/or low-to-mod erate income areas, where convenient bank access is often viewed as central to ending inequities in financial services.

bilities, with 64 percent of loan sales exe cuted digitally. Digital advancements that differentiate us from the market add to the customer experience.”

Jane Fraser, Chief Executive Officer, Citi shared testimony that seemed to confirm many of the issues raised by Chairwoman Waters.

“Our retail bank serves roughly 70 mil lion customers in the U.S., where we op erate 651 retail branches concentrated in the six metropolitan areas of New York, Washington, D.C., Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles,” noted Fraser.

“We have fewer than the approximately 1,000 branches we had 10 years ago, but more than the 450 branches we operated at the turn of the millennium. Roughly 29 percent of our branches are in low- and moderate-income census tracts.”

Days later on September 22, the Senate Banking Committee held its own hearing

with bank CEOs. And like Waters, Brown’s opening remarks echoed many of the same concerns.

“Together, you have over $13 trillion in assets—that’s half the nation’s GDP,” said Brown. “You have hundreds of millions of customers. You also have the benefit of a federal backstop—a safety net—some thing that your customers don’t have.”

“And you profit from all those transac tions—to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. With those profits—and with the taxpayer support you get—come a re sponsibility to actually serve your custom ers and the larger economy,” Brown added.     William H. Rogers, Jr., CEO of a recent bank merger that created Truist, was one of the Senate hearing’s witnesses.

“Over the past ten years, Truist closed an average of 193 branches annually,” said Rogers. “Many of these closures occurred following the merger of BB&T and Sun

“The presence of local branch offices pro vides an opportunity for face-to-face inter actions that build both trust and finan cial literacy for individual borrowers and small businesses…Today’s larger, less-lo cal banks are still charged with serving the credit needs of the entire community they serve,” the report continues. “Chang es in how the public interacts with their bank do not create an exemption to the law.”

Summarizing his committee’s concerns, Chairman Brown underscored to the CEOs what might have been overlooked.

“It’s past time for the financial industry to be as good to the American people as the country has been to you,” concluded Brown. “We will continue to hold you to the highest standards, so that Americans can keep more of their hard-earned mon ey.”

Crowell is a senior fellow with the Cen ter for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org)

5 ways to instantly boost your home’s curb appeal

With the summer months finally here, now is the per fect time to spruce up your home—both indoors and out. It’s a well-known fact that homes with strong curb appeal not only tend to sell faster, but also have higher perceived home val ues—as much as 7 percent -14 percent more. While there are many large-scale renovations that can add curb appeal to your home, there are just as many sim ple refreshes you can make without spending a lot of time or money.

Here are five easy ways to boost your home’s curb ap peal—and its value—in as little as a few hours:

1. Clean or repaint your front door Since your front door is exposed to the elements, simply washing away some of the built-up dirt and grime can breathe new life into this focal point of your home. For an afford able, more eye-catching upgrade, consider painting your front door a bold, vi

brant hue that coordinates with the rest of your home’s color palette to help draw buyers in. You can also add visual interest with a sim ple seasonal wreath.

2. Ensure your doors, windows and siding are sealed

With warmer months there often comes rainy and wet weather, so now is the perfect time to en sure your doors, windows, siding and other exterior surfaces won’t fall prey to

water leakage during the next summer storm. Per fect for exterior touch-ups of any size, DAP’s AMP All Weather Window, Siding and Door Sealant delivers a 100 percent weather proof and waterproof seal for windows, doors, siding, trim, gutter, flashing and concrete. It outperforms silicone in key performance attributes such as wet sur face application, paintabili ty and crystal-clear clarity, while also offering excep

tional weatherability, du rability and mold and mil dew resistance, providing maximum performance for every project. It also has a 30-minute paint and rain/ water ready time—making even the smallest touchups a breeze while giving you added peace of mind. Additionally, the sealant line includes a kitchen and bath-specific formulation perfect for all your interior touch-up needs as well.

3. Update outdoor

Calculating your debt-to-income ratio

this will suggest that your mortgage/rent payments should not exceed $1,120 per month. Total debt or back-end ratio should not exceed 50 percent of your net pay. This will put all

debt including mortgage, car payment, and oth er loans at no more than $2,000 per month. Thus, you’re left with at least half your income to pay utili

buy groceries, save, invest

hardware and lighting House numbers, the entry door handle and porch light fixtures are all elements that add style and interest to your home’s curb ap peal, whether you realize it or not. Replace old house numbers with a customized or DIY number display, or simply choose larger, more modern numbers for a few dollars each. Also consider updating your porch light fixtures for added appeal and safety. Be sure to con sider your home’s style and the fixture’s configuration to ensure it illuminates your walkway or porch ade quately, and for added time and money savings, choose fixtures that use the same mounting system as your current ones. Complete your entryway upgrade by choosing a new entry door handle or lockset that complements your house numbers and light fixtures for the most cohesive look. For all three, bronze fin ishes often look best with traditional homes, while brushed nickel suits more modern ones.

4. Repair any unsightly cracked concrete

fixing them doesn’t have to be a costly headache with the help of Textured Con crete. This premium latex sealant simulates concrete with the durability needed to properly move and flex with heavy-trafficked con crete surfaces while provid ing a long-lasting, crack-re sistant seal. Perfect for use on concrete, mortar, brick, metal, stone, stucco, grout and textured walls, it’s easy to use and apply, won’t stain or bleed, and can be cleaned up with just water if needed. While most latex sealants require a 24-hour dry time before painting, this one is ready to paint in just two hours so you can perfectly match any sub strate and move onto your next project in record time.

5. Add color with flow ers or plants

with the 28 percent frontend ratio and

money worries, money

percent back-end

not over

help

Driveway, sidewalk, patio, and other outdoor concrete cracks are both common and inevitable given they are in high-traffic areas and are susceptible to the annual freeze/thaw cycle.

Without proper attention and repairs, these cracks are not only unsightly, but can lead to more serious issues or worse, pose safe ty concerns. Thankfully,

From adding flowers around your mailbox or planters on your porch, to installing window boxes for an added pop of color, this is an easy and affordable afternoon project that in stantly makes your home look more welcoming, ap proachable and modern while adding to its per ceived value. Be sure to choose varieties that will get enough sunlight based on where they’re planted and mix and match colors based on your home’s color scheme for the best results.

For more tips to help tack le your home improvement projects, visit DAP.com.

How to achieve homeownership, even in this market

the options available to them.

customer to take advan tage of Credit Journey.

Q. What are some fac tors that can affect the cost of a mortgage?

A. There are several factors to consider when reviewing mortgage op tions including loan term, interest rate, and loan type. Potential homebuy ers should contact a home

professional to understand and review

For example, there are two basic types of mort gage interest rates: Fixed and adjustable. While ad justable rates are initially low, they can change over the course of a loan, so your mortgage payments may fluctuate. Loan term indicates how long you have to pay off the loan.

Many homebuyers tend to opt for a 15-year or 30year mortgage, though

other terms are available. A longer loan term gen erally means you’ll have lower monthly payments, but you’ll pay more in in terest over the life of the loan. A shorter loan term may come with higher monthly payments, but you’ll likely pay much less in interest over time.

Q. What are the costs of homeownership beyond the monthly mortgage payment?

A. People often think

of the down payment and monthly mortgage but buying and owning a home carries additional costs. Closing costs, for example, can amount up to 3 percent or more of the final purchase price. Oth er factors that could add on to your monthly pay ments are property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and homeowner’s associa tion (HOA) fees. To get an idea of what this may look like for you, use an afford

ability calculator.

While there is no way for a buyer to completely avoid paying these fees, there are ways to save on them. Some banks offer financial assistance for homebuyers. As an exam ple, Chase’s Homebuyer Grant offers up to $5,000 that can be used toward a down payment or closing costs in eligible neighbor hoods across the country. There may also be home owners’ or down payment

assistance offered in your city or state. Contact a Home Lending Advisor to learn about resources you may be eligible for.

For a deeper dive into this topic, our Beginner to Buyer podcast—episode three, “How Much Can I Afford” is a great resource for prospective homebuy ers to get answers to all their homebuying ques tions.

Prioritize funding for survivors of domestic violence

There have been almost 500 gun-related domestic vi olence fatalities this year in the United States. There are 10 million people a year physically abused by an intimate partner and 20,000 calls are placed daily to domestic vio lence hotlines.

In Philadelphia:

The police responded to more than 100,000 calls each year that were domestic in nature.

On average approximately 10,000 petitions for protec tion from abuse (PFA) orders were filed from 2014 to 2019.

There were 43 people killed in domestic violence inci dents in 2021—more than doubling domestic violence murders from the year before, and the largest number known to date.

These cases may differ nationally versus locally, but all have similar effects. While these stories are happening every day, we need to examine them in October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

We see that domestic abuse does not discriminate. It af fects all races, ethnicities and walks of life—not even just women or children. It also can be directly tied to poverty, housing insecurity and job instability—all of which affect survivors’ abilities to escape any abuse.

“By intentionally denying Black people access to eco nomic opportunities, the ability to build intergenerational wealth, health care, education, and a sense of safety from governmental systems, racist policies increase the preva lence of risk factors for domestic violence,” according to a statement from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

The national coalition also said that more than 40 per cent of Black women have experienced physical domestic violence, domestic partner sexual violence and/or intimate partner stalking in their lifetimes. And more than half of Black adult female homicides are related to domestic vi olence.

At Coburn Place, a domestic violence service organiza tion, 65 percent of their clients in 2020 identified as Black and female, and that is true at many similar groups across the U.S. Black women and men experience intimate part ner abuse at a disproportionately higher rate than whites. But why?

“First of all, a lack of opportunities along with financial barriers lead to domestic violence,” said Jacqueline Wil lett, coordinator of Coburn Place intake and well-being services.

Cecily Johnson, director of strategic initiatives at the Do mestic Violence Network, agrees it’s a systemic issue.

“Because of the history, because of the 400-year gap and 400 years of being left at the starting line while oth er groups have moved forward with ease, that holds us back,” she said. “That’s the root cause. It’s a combination of things we’re not given. We’re just not given opportuni ties in education that generally would be made available to other populations, specifically white populations. And it’s socioeconomics. Typically, the higher you are in that socioeconomic strata, the greater access you have to education and resources where you can get some of this information, where you can receive services.”

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, first passed by Congress in 1984, was the primary federal funding source dedicated to assisting survivors of domes tic violence and their children with things such as emer gency shelters. It also provided core funding to more than 1,500 domestic violence shelters and programs.

The reauthorization of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, which expired in 2015, is long overdue. The act helped survivors access violence-prevention re sources, health care, housing, education, child support and much more. Resources from the act also helped oth er groups that support survivors get training, technical assistance and grants. Groups also used the funds to in crease their service capacity, community engagement and other things to help survivors.

The House has already reauthorized the act in 2021 and the Senate has yet to pass it.

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act is crit ical, lifesaving legislation that survivors depend on and we need to tell our senators to support domestic violence survivors by passing it.

We must ask our legislators to support this act and help to ensure that domestic violence survivors aren’t re-vic timized.

(Reprinted

The real deal

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Before I jump into the main subject of this week’s article, I would like to remind you that political campaigns are a costly endeavor.  Real support for your chosen candidate(s) is best demon strated with a campaign contribu tion.  Personal experience leads me to offer that a contribution in any amount is greatly appreciated and that you can also support candidates in states in which you cannot vote.  Our futures depend on fragile differences which can only be controlled with the election of candidates whose policies reflect our chosen outcomes.  Time is getting short, and elections offer us no dressed-rehearsals.

In the coming 2022 mid-term elec tion, the average voter-eligible Ameri can is inclined to vote instinctively on the basis of hearing a word or phrase that appeals to a deeply held value or belief system instead of researching or considering the “cause and effect” consequence of their vote.  This is not surprising and political operatives continually search for and experiment with methods to use this fact to their advantage.

So much of the Republican agenda for the 2022 mid-term election is root ed in contradiction, obfuscation, and double-speak that the infrequent voter or single-issue voter may be swayed to vote for a candidate whose policies appear to be benign and harmless.  I’m sure that, somewhere at some time, a Republican will deserve receiving a vote, but I find myself in agreement with Liz Cheney in opposing pro-

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary

Trump, Stop-the-Steal, or sympathiz ers of the January 6th Insurrection —most Republicans in general.

For years, respected political/social analysts have theorized that Ameri cans have notoriously short memories regarding political events.  I agree with this theory and point to the statements of Trump and Bannon in the early weeks after the 2016 Presidential Elec tion.  They each said that a primary goal of a Trump administration would be the “deconstruction of the adminis trative state (institutions and institu tional norms).”  Trump, Bannon, and their fellow-travelers have proceeded toward the realization of that end with all deliberate speed.

That goal explains the Real Deal of Republican politics today.  In words, deeds, and lack of intelligent respons es, both ultra MAGA and conventional Republicans have surrendered to the act of altering the principal norms, mores, and values upon which this country was founded and for which we have fought to perfect over the past 250 years.  A minority of Amer ican citizens with oversized egos and a willingness to follow the lead of a tyrannical, racist, orange huckster are willing to sacrifice their last best hope

for a secure and prosperous future for themselves and their offspring.  This fact begs the question—WHY?  This psychosis originates with this country’s original sin—RACISM.

To prevent the erosion and exchange of their traditional positions of power with people of color, whites are now willing to discard the freedoms they have enjoyed most of this country’s history.  I am reminded of the older fe male supporter of Trump who, in 2016, exclaimed on national television, “If we have to have a dictator, it might as well be (Trump).”

I’ve never vigorously objected to a person structuring their own personal choices and lifestyle, but those who would surrender their lives to the au thority of Trump and his minions also gladly surrender mine as well.  That is unacceptable!  Given past performance of the Trump administration, how far back would the rights of marginalized groups be forced to retreat to satisfy those imbued with racial animus?  Re member, we have already seen Roe reversed and Clarence Thomas crow about revisiting rulings governing other privacy rights.

In this coming election, I am sure that the racists among us will vig orously exercise their votes with the intent of protecting their power.  While they count, we must use our votes with equal vigor to protect our interests.

MID-TERM VOTES MATTER!

(Dr. E. Faye Williams, President of The Dick Gregory Society, United Nations Peace Ambassador.  (drefayewilliams.com; thedick gregorysociety.org)

Some politicians confuse freedom with irresponsibility

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—As extreme weather caused floods in Kentucky, collapse of the water system in Jackson Mississippi, and the savage destruction of central Florida—to say nothing of fires and drought and a growing water shortage in the West—we ought to agree on two simple realities: America faces a growing challenge from both cat astrophic climate change and a growing infrastructure deficit that is putting lives and communities at risk.

All should agree that we must act aggressively and at scale to address the climate challenge and rebuild our de crepit and aged infrastructure. We can invest now—or we will pay far more on the backside of calamity.

Yet that’s not how it works. Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis and his state’s two senators, Mark Rubio and Rick Scott, all Republicans, now call fervent ly for federal aid and resources to help clean up the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Ian. With millions still without electricity or safe water, and many still endangered by floods, fallen bridges, downed electric lines and col lapsed bridges, recovery will take years and cost tens of billions of dollars. The politicians are all in for getting federal dollars and resources to help in the wake of catastrophe. DeSantis regularly scorns federal spending in general and Joe Biden in particular, but when asked after Ian hit if he’d meet with Biden, he said, sensibly, “We need all the help we can get.”

Yet, Gov. DeSantis, who has presiden tial ambitions, goes out of his way to dismiss warnings about extreme weath er from catastrophic climate change. He said during his gubernatorial campaign that he doesn’t want to be labeled “a global warming person.”

When asked last December how

Jesse Jackson Sr. Commentary

he plans to address climate change, DeSantis replied that “people when they start talking about things like global warming, they typically use that as a pretext to do a bunch of left-wing things. … We’re not doing any leftwing stuff.” Last year, he signed a bill that blocked Florida cities and towns from transitioning to 100 percent clean energy. He also championed a resolu tion prohibiting Florida’s pension fund from considering the impact of climate change in its investment decisions.

The Lever, a reader-supported investigative news outlet, reports that about three months before Florida was clobbered by Ian, eight of the state’s Re publican lawmakers pressured federal regulators to halt a proposal requiring businesses to more thoroughly disclose the risks they face from climate change. Those lawmakers have raked in more than $1 million of campaign cash from oil and gas industry donors.

Similarly, all of Florida’s politicians voted against the bipartisan infra structure bill that Biden managed to pass through the Congress. DeSantis scorned the $19 billion that would go to Florida. Now, in the wake of Ian, of course, he wants a lot of “left-wing stuff,” like massive funds from the fed eral government to rebuild Florida.

Politicians like DeSantis, Rubio and Scott confuse freedom with irresponsi bility. They tout the freedoms of Florida,

where public health officials won’t tell you to wear a mask, planners won’t tell you where to build your house, politi cians won’t tax your incomes. And if that leaves the state with vulnerable bridges and water systems, with homes exposed on flood plains, with impover ished communities, so be it.

Pundits regularly expose the hypoc risy of politicians like DeSantis, Rubio and Scott seeking billions in aid to help Florida rebuild in the wake of Ian, while voting against aid for other disasters in other states. One of the first votes DeSantis took when he was sworn in as a congressman in 2013 was to oppose aid to the victims of Superstorm Sandy. But hypocrisy is a relatively minor sin among politicians. A far bigger failing is to sacrifice the lives and the security of the people they claim to represent to embrace the corruption of fossil fuel campaign money and the blinders of ideological posturing.

A catastrophe like Ian or a shameful horror like the collapse of the water sys tem in Mississippi’s state capital should concentrate our minds. Accelerating the transition to renewable energy isn’t “left-wing stuff,” it is a moral and existential imperative. Rebuilding the resilience and efficiency of our danger ously decrepit infrastructure isn’t a so cialist plot, it is the foundation for safe communities and a robust economy.

In the wake of a natural disaster, peo ple come together to help their neigh bors. Smart politicians put aside their partisan posturing to join in doing what can be done to save the endangered and rebuild from the destruction. Now, we need to demand that the same common sense and responsibility be exercised to protect ourselves from the calamities to come, not just to rebuild after them.

Democracy, disasters, and the Black vote

Philadelphia Tribune)

We all know that Democracy is under attack; that democracy is a system of government that is based on the concept of government for the people and by the people, inclusive of all the people and not just a few seeking to control everyone else. Such a gov ernment is based upon the electoral process we have in this country. It was that same electoral process that put Donald Trump in office as President of the United States and it was that same process that voted him out and Joe Biden in as President.

of survival so important, that voting will appear to many as no longer important.

This must not be allowed to happen.

We must all vote, no matter what it takes and Black people, in particular, can not afford not to vote because we are always in the position of already being further behind than others.

the midst of these disasters to be sure that our votes are counted. Those who bought the “Big Lie” that President Biden did not win the election, are counting on most of us not showing up at the polls on November 8, 2022. We are

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher

Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm

Manager Ashley Johnson Sales Director Rob Taylor Jr. Managing Editor

We have seen the efforts of some peo ple using voter suppression methods in more than 21 states to undermine the electoral process in an effort to control voting. We have also seen the failure to block the election of the ethnically identifiable U.S. Senators in the State of Georgia. Now, as we approach the November 8, 2022 midterm elections we see the enemies of democracy once again attempting to stack the ballots with those who share their belief in the Big Lie that Trump won the last election.

The recent disasters resulting from Hurricane Ian with the massive de struction of property and loss of life in states like Florida and the Carolinas, and the wildfires likewise destroying lives and property have made the act

In the midst of this crisis, we must remind the President that it was the Black vote that turned his campaign from loser to winner. And, it was the female Black vote in particular that made the difference. If we stood in long lines and marched to get the Voting Rights Act of 1965, then we can endure some hardships in

“We the People.” “We” are Democracy at work. We must not let others still our right to not only be heard but also to participate as guaranteed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Once again, the Black vote has an opportunity to determine the outcome of the November 8th General Election. Let’s not be the only people who don’t realize our strength.

Letter to the Editor: Make a law for car dealerships

Dear Editor:

In response to your article “Yet another reason why African Amer icans can be pulled over by police” (September 7-13, 2022)—Pennsyl vania should make it a law that car dealerships CAN NOT put a license plate frame around your

license plate, to advertise their dealership, if it blocks any wording on the plate.

I once removed this frame from my car, only to have the dealership put another one on!

Janice C. Brehm Wilmerding, Pa.

Moving from pain to promise

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—The late Peter Drucker was one of the most widely-known and influential thinkers on the principles of management. Known as the father of management thinking, Drucker’s work con tinues to be used by managers worldwide. Drucker believed a leader in any business has the responsibility of words and deeds. Managers must commit themselves when ever they speak, not just in formal settings, but at all times, including informal interac tions with employees.

Knowing what kind of example you want to set and acting accordingly will shape the culture around you, from customers to col leagues. He believed managers are leaders of society where they need to understand the value of human beings. Understanding the inner workings of a business is vital in moving the “system” forward, but it is only half the equation. The other half is people. Empathy and compassion for the people around you as well as adaptability will make the modern leader effective. Druck er’s human-centric approach not only ap plies to the business world, but it can also be relevant in our politics. While people are the greatest asset of any business, the same is true in every corner of our society.

He viewed culture as vital to sustaining organizational and societal values. He stat ed “A time of turbulence is a dangerous time, but its greatest danger is a tempta tion to deny reality.” One can easily say that the current events in our nation are so troubling that it makes the upcoming mid term elections the most critical midterm in modern history. These are without a doubt turbulent times, therefore none of us should deny the reality that many Black young adults believe voting is a total waste of time. They simply don’t care and feel there is no need to do it.

While schools may teach how people of color have struggled and fought in the past for the right to vote while being subjected to discrimination, threats, physical beatings and death, the images from the past does not resemble the reality many students

David W. Marshall

Commentary

face in their current day-to-day struggles. Politics and the idea of voting is not high on the priority list when trying to navigate and survive the realities of living in their version of America. There is more concern about being victims of street violence or po lice brutality.

Voting means nothing when there is no food in the house, no clean clothes to wear for school or constantly wondering if the lights will be turned off at home. It has to be understood that many young Black men embrace the belief; “A real man doesn’t ask, plead, or wait for a politician to come down from their “house on the hill” and save him. A real man finds a way to “make it hap pen” for himself and his family, regardless of which politicians are in office.” This male bravado is very real in a culture where poli ticians regardless of race are seen as “elitist others” who cannot be trusted. Conspiracy theories claiming elections are rigged sim ply reinforce their beliefs that voting is ir relevant. So how do we get people from pain to promise? Pain being the daily struggles of survival which can keep a person discour aged from seeing the merits of voter aware ness and engagement. Promise meaning those with hope who have come to realize that being invested in the election process increasing the chances of having your best interest and safety addressed by political leaders who understand the value of all hu man beings and their lives.

When Peter Drucker talks about people who are leading edge individuals in the business sector, he is basically describing people of promise. He illustrates how there is a constant distance between leading edge people and the rest of the pack. On a scale of one to ten, promise would be a ten and pain a one. Ideally, when it comes to voter aware ness and engagement, we want voters to be energized people of promise in the eight to ten range. The goal is to consistently close the gap by moving people away from their pain and toward promise. Even those who are on the furthest end of the scale. But peo ple have to arrive at the point of readiness before they can get beyond the place of con stantly replaying their pain. It is surprising how many young adults never had a serious one on one conversation which centered on voting and its importance.

During the 2020 election, Congressman James Clyburn and Stacey Abrams were leading edge individuals who were success ful in moving voters from pain to prom ise. Congressman Clyburn’s endorsement and support for Joe Biden helped Biden to galvanize Black voters which ultimate ly propelled him to win the White House. Stacey Abrams’ efforts in voter turnout in Georgia was key to the Democrats winning the Senate. The hope is to build from the 2020 election and to not backslide by open ing wounds of disappointment after only two years of controlling the White House and Congress. Meaningful and long-lasting change in the political arena requires win ning multiple election cycles. That means winning in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

(David W. Marshall is the founder of the faithbased organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America.

‘The Woman King’ and the real magic of movies

A 1965 history book by historian Sam uel Eliot Morison discussed the Supreme Court case concerning a revolt aboard the Amistad, a Spanish slave ship, led by an African named Cinqué.

After the Africans killed most of the Amistad’s crew, it was captured by a United States warship. The Africans were charged with mutiny and murder, but the local court didn’t convict the Africans on the grounds that the slave trade was illegal under American and Spanish law.

The Spanish owners of the Amistad appealed the case to the Supreme Court. Former U.S. President John Quincy Ad ams argued against the appeal, and the Supreme Court ruled that the Africans were freed and could return to Africa.

However, Morison concluded, “The iron ic epilogue is that Cinqué, once home, set himself up as a slave trader.”

Let’s fast-forward to 1997 when Amis tad—the movie—was made.

The film was harshly criticized for his torical inaccuracies. Black critics called it a “White savior” movie because the hero of the film was John Quincy Adams and not Cinqué. Other Black critics complained that the movie omitted how the White missionaries worked zealously to rid the Africans of their names, lan guage, customs, and religious beliefs.

Right-wing radio hosts claimed the movie covered up two historical facts. 1). The Africans were on the Amistad because other Africans sold them to the Spaniards. 2). After Cinqué returned to Africa, he became a slave trader.

The movie producers insisted there was no documented evidence that Cinqué was ever involved with slave trading when he returned to Africa. From 1997

J. Pharoah Doss Check It Out

to the present, Black historians have made efforts to clear Cinqué’s name from being associated with slave trading.

Wikipedia even states that contem porary Black historians admitted that some of the Africans associated with the Amistad probably did engage in the slave trade when they returned to Africa, but they don’t believe Cinqué was involved. They claim Cinqué became a prominent figure in Sierra Leone and helped Christianize the country. (Some may wonder what’s worse, slave trad ing or spreading the religion of White colonizers.) At this point, it’s hard to tell which has more revisionist history, the Amistad movie or the attempts to clear Cinqué’s name.

Let’s fast-forward to Hollywood’s latest epic, The Woman King. A film about a unit of women warriors who protected the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey from their African and European enemies.

Once again, critics threw a fit about the film’s historical inaccuracies.

The main complaint was that the King dom of Dahomey was a huge participant in the Atlantic Slave Trade. Dahomey’s warriors raided villages, captured other Africans, and sold them to the Europe ans. One Black group went as far as to say the film glorifies an African King

dom that brutalized their ancestors, and groups on the far right criticized the film for depicting Black women murdering White men.

Unlike Amistad, critics actually wanted moviegoers to boycott The Woman King. When asked about the historical inac curacies of the film, the producers of The Woman King said that most of the story is fictionalized. It’s history, but we have to take license. We have to entertain people.

That’s understandable, but the produc ers left out their motive.

In 2018 Marvel’s Black Panther became one of the highest grossing films of all time. This comic-book movie presented an advanced African Kingdom whose ruler was protected by an elite all female guard. As it turned out, this fictional female guard was inspired by the women warriors of ancient Dahomey. The success of the Black Panther movie also sparked an interest in stories about women warriors.

Therefore, the producers of The Woman King had no interest in historical accu racy. Their goal was to capitalize on the fascination with women warriors while it lasted.

For the record, all historical films are fictionalized, and whoever boycotts a film because of historical inaccuracies doesn’t understand the real magic of movies.

Louis B. Mayer of MGM Studios ex plained, “This is a business where the buyer gets nothing for his money but a memory. What he bought still belongs to the man who sold it. That’s the real magic of movies, and don’t let anyone tell you different.”

This November, unite to defend the Black vote

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Right before our last national elections in 2020, thousands of Black voters in Detroit got a call from someone posing as a woman named “Tamika Taylor.” She warned them that if they voted, the government would collect their personal information and come after them for credit card debt, outstanding warrants, even forced vaccinations.  The calls were a voter sup pression scam, and the two White guys behind it were prosecuted. But we’ll nev er know how many people were nervous enough to avoid voting that year.

Dirty tricks like this make me sick.  And as we get closer to this year’s mid terms, civil rights leaders are warning that we’re likely to see more of them.

The Far Right is waging a war on Black voters, and disinformation is among its favorite weapons. Another one is passing laws to make it harder for Black citizens to vote. The Brennan Center at NYU keeps track of these efforts. The legal scholars there report that since 2020, lawmakers in 49 states have introduced more than 400 bills that would make it harder to vote. This midterm election is the first nationwide election since that massive voter suppression campaign started, and we have one way to fight it: massive voter mobilization.

Getting our friends and neighbors to vote so we can have a say in issues that affect our daily lives is a calling for all of us. I am fortunate to lead an organization that will make Black male voters the focus of our Get Out the Vote

Ben Jealous

Commentary

efforts this year. Our initiative, Defend the Black Vote, will reach out to Black men in 15 states who are registered but skipped two out of three of the last elections. Our focus will be men because they still don’t vote in the high percent ages Black women do. Our message will be simple: Vote this November. Vote because your vote is your voice and your power. Vote because of everything that is on the line in these elections: jobs, repro ductive rights, mass incarceration, who sits on our courts, education for our kids, health care, pollution in the environ ment where our families live.

Vote because we need to Ban the Box. Vote because Black Lives Matter. Vote because you have a dream of entrepre neurship. Vote because your mental health, and your family’s mental health, matters. Vote because the white suprem acists don’t want you to, and are doing everything they can to stop you, and that tells you how important it is.

I know that some folks don’t vote because they believe their vote doesn’t matter. History shows that it does. The

best example I can think of is what happened in Georgia in 2020, the first year we ran our Defend the Black Vote campaign. We motivated over 200,000 additional Black men in Georgia to vote that year—a year when the presiden tial election in the state was decided by 12,000 votes. The Black men who voted in Georgia made a historic difference, and the numbers prove it.

We know there’s one more way today’s Far Right and their predecessors—the Klan, the White League, and all the other terrorists like them—have tried to suppress Black votes, and it’s the ugliest: intimidation and threats of violence.

Our ancestors faced a real risk of being attacked or murdered for registering to vote or voting. Today the intimidation might be more high-tech: is your name in the system, will you be accused of an illegal vote? Florida’s arrests of return ing citizens who voted—after being issued new voter registration cards by the state itself—are especially cruel. They were meant to scare people, and they probably did.

So, vote because we refuse to be intim idated. Because those who went before us put their lives on the line to cast a ballot.  And if you are a man who doesn’t have a plan to vote, or you have a father, brother, uncle or son who doesn’t have a plan, it’s not too late to make one now.  We need you.

(Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and Professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.)

Scandal exposes mistreatment of poor families

by Marc Morial

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—“Apparently the nations’ love affair with a White ce lebrity like Favre is enough to ignore an ugly scandal where money was stolen to build a volleyball stadium. When people try to tell me that race does not play a big role in America, I can now include this scandal from my home state to prove them wrong. Perhaps if Favre is actually charged this may receive more attention. The fact that the known information up to now has not been enough to get the talking heads at ESPN, the National Football League offices, and the NFL Hall of Fame to muster a statement about Favre says a lot.’’—Milwaukee Independent Columnist Reggie Jackson

Last year, when Brett Favre partially repaid the state of Mississippi for $1.1 million in welfare funds he was paid for appearances and speeches at events he did not attend, he posted on Facebook, “I would never knowingly take funds meant to help our neighbors in need.”

But text messages filed in court doc uments revealed Favre was concerned the public would learn the source of the funds. “If you were to pay me is there anyway the media can find out where it came from and how much?” Favre texted to Nancy New, executive director of a nonprofit established to distribute mil lions of dollars from Temporary Assis tance to Needy Families meant to assist the state’s poorest residents.

Favre first met in July of 2017 with New and Mississippi Department of Human Services director John Davis to

request funds for a volleyball facility at his alma mater, the University of South ern Mississippi, where his daughter played volleyball. In addition to the $1.1 million paid to Favre, New’s nonprofit sent a total of $5 million directly to the university. Favre also worked to secure $2.1 million through the nonprofit for a biotech start-up in which he is an investor.

Favre is certainly not the central villain in Mississippi’s unfolding $94 million welfare scandal, but he is far and away the most prominent and the wealthiest. The pillaging of public funds intended for the desperately poor is disgraceful on its face, but even more so when the one who’s doing the pillaging is worth an estimated $100 million.

It’s difficult not to compare the public’s reaction to Favre’s misdeeds with the media backlash against Black athletes and coaches—not only Colin Kaepernick, who lost his career for kneeling during the National Anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice,—but also Michael Vick, who served federal prison time for his involvement in a dog fighting ring, Deshaun Watson, who was suspended for 11 games and fined $5 million for accusations of sexual mis conduct, and Celtics coach Ime Udoka, who has been suspended for the entire 2022–23 season for an improper rela tionship with a Celtics staff member.

The comparisons are imperfect. As sportswriter Jemele Hill points out, Favre has been retired for a dozen years while Vick, Watson, and Udoka were all active when their scandals occurred.

But Favre was an active player in 2008, when he harassed a Jets side line reporter with lewd text messages, including a photo of his genitalia, and voicemails. Favre was fined $50,000 for not cooperating with the NFL’s investi gation and didn’t miss a single game.

“While no one is standing up for Favre, there isn’t this loud cry that he should lose everything,” Hill wrote. People al most always want a pound of flesh when it comes to Black athletes, and it’s often unrelenting. So sometimes it’s not about coverage, but tone.”

About 43 percent of Mississippi’s Black children live in poverty, compared with 14 percent of White children. But fewer than one percent of those eligible to re ceive TANF assistance actually receive it.

“They make it so incredibly difficult for families that need these resources to get it,” Aisha Nyandoro, chief executive of the antipoverty nonprofit Springboard To Opportunities, told the Washington Post. “But then others who don’t need it can just send a text message and money magically appears in their bank account … There are people that didn’t receive the money they needed to get their car fixed, to get a job; moms who couldn’t get diapers. What good could have been done in Mississippi with this $94 mil lion? How many families could’ve been impacted?”

Perhaps some Americans can’t quite muster the same outrage on behalf of impoverished Black children that they can on behalf of a flag.

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IFB#300-24-22

OUTDOORS -

Estate of MR. RONALD R. WOLBERT, Deceased, of 4014 Firethorn Drive, McKees Rocks, PA 15136. Estate No. 02-22-06001, Ms. Bonnie E. Downs, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, Pa 15108

Estate of ROBERT V. LAMANNA, Deceased of McCandless Township, Pennsylvania, No.: 02-22-06353, Gina L. Kilpela, Executrix or to Ryan W. Brode, Atty, 6 Clairton Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15236

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

Concrete Support Authority Wide IFB#300-24-22

DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES

East Liberty

ASSOCIATE SAFETY OFFICER –RAIL OPERATIONS & FACILITIES

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking an Associate Safety Officer – Rail Operations & Facilities to provide technical and field support to the Deputy Chief Safety Officer and all Rail Division Management as needed.

Essential Functions:

• Assists Division Directors, Deputy Chief Safety Officer and other Safety Officers in identification and resolution of employee and operations safety issues.

• Provide safety support during all construction projects including design/specification review, site inspections and regulatory reviews.

• Conduct periodic reviews of work zones along the rail alignment to ensure compliance with Rail SOP’s.

• Work with Rail Operations and Maintenance groups to address safety issues concerning equipment and facilities.

• Conduct periodic reviews at various rail locations to determine operational and maintenance rule compliance.

• Assist the Director of Rail Service Delivery and Deputy CSO with periodic reviews and updates of the rail rulebook and SOP’s.

Job requirements include:

• Associates degree in Safety, Occupational Safety and Health, Environment Health and Safety, Emergency Management, Fire Science, or other Technical related field from an accredited school.

• Minimum of one (1) year experience in safety, emergency response, investigative/police work, analytical or related field.

• Ability to complete the National Safety Council’s Advanced Safety Certification course within three (3) years of hire.

• Ability to obtain the FTA required TSSP-Rail and PTSCTP certifications within 3 years of hire.

• Effective and professional communication skills including report writing.

• Valid driver’s license.

• Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred attributes:

• BA/BS in Safety Science, Occupational Safety and Health, Environment Health and safety or related field from an accredited school.

• Experience in program compliance work, corrective action plans, data, and trending analysis.

• Mass/rail transit experience, and especially in a union environment.

• Qualified accident and injury prevention provider as defined by Pennsylvania Worker’s Compensation Regulations.

• Experience with Power BI, and/or other business analytical software.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

PUBLIC NOTICE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY

The Advisory Committee of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority will hold a special meeting for general purposes on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. prevailing time in the Trefz Board Room at its offices located at 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15233. The public may view the meeting via livestream by visiting www.alcosan.org. Public comment may be submitted by contacting Jeanne Clark at 412-734-6222 or jeanne.clark@alcosan.org, by noon on the meeting date.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY

The Professional Services Committee of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority will hold a special meeting for general purposes on Thursday October 20, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. prevailing time, in the Trefz Board Room at its offices located at 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15233. Official action on the Committee’s recommendations will take place at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors at a later date. The public may view the meeting via livestream by visiting www.alcosan.org.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS

NOTICE is hereby given that the Board of Public Education of the School District of Pittsburgh shall conduct the following public meetings during the month of October 2022 Please be advised that these meetings will not be held in the Administration Building, 341 S. Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. All meetings will be held virtually via livestream or hybrid until further notice. Details for public participation will be available on the Pittsburgh Public Schools website at www.pghschools.org

Business Finance Committee Meeting October 10, 2022, 5:30 p.m.

Education Committee Meeting October 11, 2022, 5:30 p.m.

Agenda Review October 19, 2022, 6:30 p.m.

Public Hearing October 24, 2022, 6:00 p.m.

Legislative Session October 26, 2022, 6:30 p.m.

Dr. Wayne Walters SECRETARY

The documents will be available no later than October 3, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 9:00 AM on October 27, 2022

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on October 27, 2022 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessi ble via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to:

Mr. James Harris Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Legal Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2915

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on October 18, 2022 at 9:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/81843385816?pwd=K1ZGQXh vUEpMOUcxWitvQitwZUJCQT09 Meeting ID: 818 4338 5816 Passcode: 320314 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

ADVERTISEMENT

BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTBURGH

We

Bids

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR TRASH COMPACTORS AND CHUTE REPAIR - REBID

IFB#300-17-22 - REBID

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

Trash Compactors and Chute Repair IFB#300-17-22 - REBID

The documents will be available no later than October 3, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 10:00 AM on October 27, 2022 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 10:00 AM on October 27, 2022 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to:

Mr. James Harris General Counsel/ Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Legal Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5007 (for questions only)

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on October 18, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/82251346694?pwd=VUxTSTltaz RMS2orNFUwNmVqYmJuZz09 Meeting ID: 822 5134 6694 Passcode: 548991 Dial in:+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to

revised

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

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Proposals

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE POSITION OF FIREFIGHTER FOR THE ALTOONA FIRE DEPARTMENT

Applications for Firefighter for the City of Altoona can be obtained from the Human Resources Office in City Hall at 1301 12th Street, Suite 400, Altoona, PA 16601; between 8:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. For additional information and requirements, please visit www.altoonapa.gov/employment Completed applications must be received in the Human Resources Department no later than NOON ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022.

The City of Altoona is an Equal

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

FORM OF ADVERTISEMENT PUBLICATION DATE: October 7, 2022

1. The Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (“Authority”) shall accept sealed bids for the performance of the work described below (the “Work”) at its office at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222, until 10:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, November 2, 2022.

2. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The Project entails the Rehabilitation of the Brookline Lot Parking Deck Phase II.

3. The Instructions to Bidders, including the Form of Bid, Form of Agreement, General Conditions, Plans and Specifications, and Zoom meeting information will be made available after 3:00 p.m. local time on Friday, October 7, 2022 via email request to the Authority’s Project Management Department at tsowinski@pittsburghparking.com.

4. A Mandatory pre-bid conference will be held virtually via Zoom at 10:00 a.m. local time on Friday, October 14, 2022. The purpose of the pre-bid conference is to provide additional detail regarding the Work. The information provided at the pre-bid conference will be essential in preparing a bid to perform the Work. Persons or entities that intend to submit bids to perform the Work are required to join into the pre-bid conference via Zoom with at least one representative who will understand the information presented at the pre-bid conference in a manner that allows such information to be incorporated in the preparation of the bid to perform the Work. It is expected that the representative who attends the pre-bid conference will be experienced in construction matters and employed by the bidder in a supervisory capacity. Virtual Zoom Pre-bid attendance is mandatory, and each attendee must sign in via online form.

5. Sealed bids must be dropped off to the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, no later than 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 bids received prior to the deadline will be publicly opened and read 3:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, virtually via Zoom meeting.

6. Each bid submitted must be accompanied by a bid guaranty of ten percent (10%) of the proposed bid in the form of a bid bond, certified cashier’s or treasurer’s check payable to the Authority.

7. The Authority reserves the right to in its sole discretion, (i) change, at any time prior to the bid deadline at 10:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 the Contract Documents; (ii) waive any defect, irregularities, or informality in any or all submitted bids; and (iii) reject any or all submitted bids.

David G. Onorato Executive Director

require

bidder may withdraw his bid or proposal for a period of

NEW

(90)

the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The Community College of Allegheny County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/Disadvantaged owned businesses.For more information, contact Michael Cvetic at mcvetic@ccac.edu

COURIER

To

To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: • 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) Conference ID: 783 976 723#

No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held via tele-conference on each of the above items at 10:00 am September 28, 2022, as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conference.

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: https://bit.ly/3eLKBn7

To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) Conference ID: 132 416 526#

Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by Pittsburgh Regional Transit within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening.

These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a/ Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations.

Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The Board of Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a/ Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

FORM OF ADVERTISEMENT PUBLICATION DATE: OCTOBER 13, 2022

1 The Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (“Authority”) shall accept sealed bids for the performance of the work described below (the “Work”) at its office at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222, until 11:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, November 10, 2022.

2. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The performance of snow plowing, snow removal and salting for various Authority owned parking garages and lots located within the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as and when requested by the Authority.

3. The Instructions to Bidders, including the Form of Bid, Form of Agreement, General Conditions, and Specifications, may be obtained from the Authority’s website homepage at www.pittsburghparking.com after 3:00 pm EST on October 13, 2022.

4. A Mandatory pre-bid conference will be held via Zoom at 10:00 a.m. local time on Friday, October 21, 2022. The purpose of the pre-bid conference is to provide additional detail regarding the Work. The information provided at the pre-bid conference will be essential in preparing a bid to perform the Work. Persons or entities that intend to submit bids to perform the Work are required to join into the pre-bid via Zoom with at least one representative who will understand the information presented at the pre-bid conference in a manner that allows such information to be incorporated in the preparation of the bid to perform the Work. It is expected that the representative who attends the pre-bid conference will be experienced in matters and employed by the bidder in a supervisory capacity. Virtual Zoom Pre-bid attendance is mandatory, and each attendee must sign in via online form.

5. Sealed bids must be received by the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, no later than 11:00a.m. on Thursday, November 10, 2022, bids received prior to the deadline will be publicly opened and read at 2:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, November 10, 2022, virtually via Zoom meeting.

6. The Authority reserves the right to in its sole discretion, (i) change, at any time prior to the bid deadline at 11:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, November 10, 2022, the Contract Documents; (ii) waive any defect, irregularities, or informality in any or all submitted bids; and (iii) reject any or all submitted bids.

David G. Onorato, CAPP Executive Director

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY PUBLIC NOTICE

The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) is accepting Letters of Interest and Statements of Qualifications from Professional Companies who wish to be considered for the following:

MECHANIC TECHNICAL TRAINING PROGRAM PROJECT NO. M-2022

ALCOSAN is seeking experienced firms to provide the Authority Technical Training and Development firms interested in providing professional Materials Development & Instructional Delivery Services for a Mechanic Technical Training Program. This procurement is described in greater detail in the RFQ located at https://www.alcosan.org/workwith-us/planned-and-active-bids.

Electronic submittals must be received by the ALCOSAN Contracts Department no later than 2:00 p.m. on November 15, 2022 . Late submittals will not be considered. ALCOSAN intends to award the services to one firm to perform these services.

Allegheny County Sanitary Authority 3300 Preble Ave. Pittsburgh PA 15233

Attention: Suzanne Thomas, Procurement Officer suzanne.thomas@alcosan.org

All questions shall be submitted, in writing, to Ms. Thomas.

ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities, disadvantaged and women’s business enterprises to submit qualification statements or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to the selected Consultant/Firm. The Party selected shall be required to utilize minority, disadvantaged, and women’s business enterprises to the fullest extent possible. The goals of the ALCOSAN’s Minority and Women Business Policy are listed on the ALCOSAN website at www.alcosan.org.

Douglas Jackson Director of Operations and Maintenance

SONNY BOY

Steelers holding on for dear life in 2022 season...

CORRECTION

In the Courier’s Men of Excellence Spe cial Section that appeared on Oct. 5, we misidentified one of the honorees. It was the Hon. Kevin Cooper Jr. who re ceived his award from Courier editor and publisher Rod Doss on

not Rev. Michael Smith.

SUNDAY, OCT. 9 was a day to forget for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In coach Mike Tomlin’s words, they were “smashed” by the Buffalo Bills, 38-3, in Western New York. Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr. captured this photo of the Steelers’ Cam Heyward trying his best to slow down Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

STEELERS WIDE RECEIVER GEORGE PICKENS goes for a ball in the Steelers’ loss to Buffalo, Oct. 9, 38-3. (Photo by Brian Cook Sr.)

Voters Guide General Election November

FOR ELECTION

INFORMATION:

Contact your county Board of Elections or visit Vote. PA.gov. The League of Wom en Voters of Greater Pitts burgh also provides election information. Call 412-2614284 with any questions, or visit our website at www. lwvpgh.org

ABOUT THIS GUIDE:

The material in this Guide was compiled by the League of Women Voters of Penn sylvania-Citizen Education Fund. This material may not be altered or reprinted with out the permission of the League.

All information in Vote411 Voters’ Guides is submitted by the candidates and has not been edited or altered in any way. All candidates were invited to participate in the Vote411 online voters’ guide sponsored by the LWV PA-CEF and Patriot-News/ PennLive via email. All rea sonable efforts were made to encourage candidates to par ticipate.

This guide lists all candi dates whose names will ap pear on the November 8, 2022 ballot in Allegheny County. They are listed according to their ballot order. Nothing in this guide should be con strued as an endorsement or non-endorsement of any can didate, party, or initiative by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania-Citizen Edu cation Fund.

The party of the governor is, by practice, given the first po sition on the ballot in Penn sylvania.

ABSENTEE VOTING:

Registered voters who are ill, disabled, or will be ab sent from the municipality on Election Day may vote by absentee ballot. Completed applications for civilian absentee ballots for the November 3, 2020 election must be received by the county election office by 5

League of Women Voters Non Partisan Voters Guide

and you want to try to resolve the problem, then you can go in person to the County Board of Elections where a judge from the Court of Com mon Pleas will be on duty to resolve election problems. Al ternatively you can ask for, and vote, by provisional bal lot. If it is later determined that you were eligible to vote your ballot will be counted. You will be given instructions on how to determine if your vote was counted.

p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. Completed civil ian absentee ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. November 3 and received by the county election office by 5 p.m. on Friday, November 6 to be counted.

EMERGENCY

ABSENTEE VOTING:

If an emergency arises (such as an unexpected illness or disability or last-minute ab sence) after the Tuesday ap plication deadline, call the county Board of Elections for information on the Emer gency Alternative Ballot. An emergency application and ballot can be obtained and voted by 8 P.M. on November 1. If it is too late to mail your emergency application or ballot, you will also need to complete a designated agent form to allow someone else to hand deliver your ballot to and from the Board of Elec tions. These forms are avail able online at https://www. alleghenycounty.us/elections/ resources.aspx

ACCESSIBILITY:

• Disability: Any disabled voter having questions re garding the accessibility of a polling place should consult the county Board of Elections located at 542 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Room 604 (412-350-4500).

• English Proficiency: If you are not proficient in En glish, you may bring some one with you into the voting

booth to assist you in voting.

This person cannot be your employer or the judge of elec tions.

MAIL-IN VOTING:

Voters have the option to vote by mail without pro viding any reason or excuse. To apply online, go to vote. pa.gov. Contact the county election office to request a pa per application. Applications for a mail-in ballot must be received by your county elec tion office by 5 pm on No vember 1. Completed mail-in ballots must be received by the county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. Postmarks do not count.

FIND YOUR NEW DISTRICTS:

Pennsylvania has 3 new political maps defining district boundaries for Penn sylvania’s US Congressional seats, and the Pennsylvania State Representatives and State Senators who serve in Harrisburg. These maps were created using the 2020 US Census data, as required by the US and PA Constitu tions. There are several on line tools, including vote411. org and vote.pa.org where you can enter your address and find your district num bers. Brief text descriptions of the districts are also given below along with the can didate information for each race.

FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE:

The November 8 election will be held at your usual polling place. The new district maps did not affect the location of polling places. A few polling places may change for other reasons, as happens every year. If your polling place has been relocated, you will receive a postcard from the Allegheny County Elections Division.To determine the location of your polling place, contact the Allegheny Coun ty Elections Division at 412350-4500 or go to vote.pa.gov.

WRITE-IN VOTING:

Information for write-in voting will be available at the polling place as well as printed on your main-in or absentee ballot. You are not allowed to use stickers or paste-on labels for write-in candidates because the ballot scanning machines cannot read them and may become jammed. The law now says that write-in names may be written or stamped.

ELECTION DAY

PROBLEMS:

If your right to vote is chal lenged at the polls on Election Day and the problem cannot be resolved at the polling place, the judge of elections at the polling place should telephone the County Board of Elections. The problem could be resolved by phone if your name appears on the county records. If it does not

If you have any questions or need to report any problems, call 1-866687-8683 or the Allegheny County Elections Division at 412-350-4500.

IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

FOR NEW VOTERS:

If you are a new voter or if you are voting at a polling place for the first time then you must bring your voter ID card OR a photo ID such as a driver’s license, student ID or some other form of Federal or State government issued ID. Some forms of non-photo ID are also acceptable such as a firearm permit, current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check. If you do not have any acceptable ID then you must be allowed to vote by provisional ballot.

If you are not a new vot er and are not voting at your polling place for the first time, you are NOT re quired to bring or provide identification.

ON-LINE

VOTERS GUIDE:

The Vote411 Online Vot ers Guide is available at www.vote411.org. Links to this guide as well as links to Vote411 and other useful information for voters can be found on the League of Women Voters of Pennsylva nia homepage: www.palwv. org and the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh website: www.lwvpgh.org

PENNSYLVANIA U.S. SENATOR

Description of office: The US Constitution prescribes that the Senate be composed of 100 members (two Senators from each state). One third of the total membership of the Senate is elected every two years. Senators must be at least 30 years of age, a citizen of the United States for at least nine years and be a resident of the State from which s/he is chosen at the time of the election. Senators write and vote in favor of or against final bills and serve on various policy committees. The Senate has several exclusive powers not granted to the House, including advice/consent on presidential nominations and treaties and conducting the trial of federal officials impeached by the House.

Term: 6 years Salary: $174,000

DEMOCRATIC

(Vote for One)

JOHN FETTERMAN

Biographical Info: County: Allegheny

Occupation: Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania Education: Albright College, B.S. 1991 University of Connecticut., M.B.A. 1993 Harvard University Kennedy School, M.P.P. 199

transition, all while increasing our energy independence. My plan for the transition to clean energy starts with immediate investments into research and development and innovation; expanding renewable energy sources; and ensuring clean transportation infrastructure; and investing in environmental justice measures.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I am very happy that President Biden is rebuilding the US’s standing in the international community after former President Trump damaged it so much. As a world leader, America must first and foremost ensure proper diplomatic relations, protect its allies, and engage in vigorous diplomacy across the globe. In addition, where there is a need, and to the extent that we can, America must help. That includes accepting refugees fleeing war in their countries, or providing humanitarian aid, military aid, and other support to countries like Ukraine that are defending themselves from attacks on their sovereignty by brutal dictators like Putin.

REPUBLICAN

MEHMET OZ

Biographical Info: County: Montgomery

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: we need to renegotiate nato or flat out leave it as it serves no purpose.

GREEN

RICHARD L. WEISS

Biographical Info: County: Allegheny

Occupation: Lawyer Education: B.A. University of Pittsburgh; J.D. University of Denver; LL.M. American University; M.B.A. University of Chicago

Qualifications: I am born and raised in Pennsylvania. My parents owned Weiss Bakery in the Brentwood boro of Pittsburgh. My first job as an attorney was for the federal government in the General Counsel’s Office of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, D.C. and I have worked overseas Campaign Website: http://greenslate2022.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/ richard.weiss.1485537 Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/RichardLWeiss Link to position on abortion: http://ivoterguide.com/ candidate?elecK=778&raceK=11199&canK=56347&

RICHARD L. WEISS

JOHN FETTERMAN

Qualifications: Risk-Management Insurance Underwriter, Chubb & Son 1993-1994 Member, AmeriCorps 19951997 Program Coordinator, Braddock Out-Of-School Youth 20012007 Founder & President, Braddock Redux 2003-2017 Mayor of the Borough of Braddock, 2006-2019 Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, 2019-Present Campaign Website: http://johnfetterman.com/ Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/ JohnFettermanPA Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/JohnFetterman Link to position on abortion: http://www.prochoiceamerica. org/2022/07/01/naral-pro-choice-america-endorses-john-fettermanfor-u-s-senate-in-pennsylvania/

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Among my top issues are tackling income inequality and economic injustices; raising wages and benefits for working families; reforming the criminal justice system; codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law; passing anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ+ community; protecting and expanding the right to vote; and protecting and expanding the union way of life.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: I would strongly support legislation in Congress, such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the For the People Act, and the Freedom to Vote Act, which aim to expand voting rights. It is important that we make it easier for people to vote, eliminate dark money in politics, and knock down restrictions that marginalize voters, mostly voters of color. I would proudly eliminate the filibuster to do it. In the aftermath of the 2020 elections, I was removed from the floor of the PA state Senate after resisting Republican efforts to refuse to seat Senator Jim Brewster after he fairly won his election. We must enshrine the right to vote into federal law to stop Republicans from undermining it, and as Senator I will do everything to make that happen.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: Candidate did not respond.

LIBERTARIAN

ERIK GERHARDT

Biographical Info: County: Montgomery

Occupation: master carpenter Education: high school diploma Campaign Website: http://erik4pa.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www. facebook.com/erik4pa Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter. com

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: The Covid-19 pandemic underlines the need for universal healthcare. Many who lose their job cannot afford to maintain their health insurance. In the modern gig economy, many do not receive health insurance through their employer. They may face the choice of paying for rent or healthcare, but not both. Current health insurance has too many deductibles, copays and limitations on coverage. Employers who provide healthcare will benefit from Medicare for All by having costs reduced. Employers who do not provide healthcare will benefit from Medicare for All by having healthier workers. Medicare for All costs less for better care. Also, Ranked Choice Voting eliminates any so-called “spoiler effect.” See ballotpedia.org/Ranked-choice_voting_(RCV).

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

ERIK GERHARDT

erik4senate?t=S4tVUuPbGdYSsknEZDoWQ&s=09h

Link to position on abortion: http://twitter.com/erik4Senate/ status/1555299114857938946?s=19

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: the economy is my main issue. i would like to build small business incentives to grow the small business industry. i will work with both sides to accommodate my plans and start a true tripartisan way forward.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Every citizen should be registered to vote at birth or be allowed to register on the spot at the polling station. If they do not have photo ID then there should be a fingerprint reader available and they should be allowed to vote after giving their fingerprint. The fingerprint readers can be connected nationwide and eliminate any chance of double voting. They should be allowed to vote first and any objections they are not entitled to vote could be filed after they vote first. Voting by mail should be allowed. Make Election Day a holiday. Paper ballots. Hand marked. On camera. The hand count on camera is the official count. Ballots on camera from the time they enter the polling place as blanks to the time they’re completely counted.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A

: Climate change is an existential threat, and we need to transition to clean energy as quickly as possible. I have never taken a dime from the fossil fuel industry, and I never will. It’s a totally false choice that we have to choose between jobs and a clean environment. We can have both, that’s why I am always going to fight for creating thousands upon thousands of good-paying green union jobs as we

A: I will back legislation that makes id for voting and add in blockchain technologies to secure elections.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: I will not support bills that move away from free market capitalism

A: The latest UN report on climate change underscores the need to immediately make all efforts to stop emissions of greenhouse gases. This can be accomplished through a “just transition” to renewable energy that provides jobs, and does not cause cancer like mining and burning fossil fuels. The technology exists today. All we need to do is implement it. The first step is to halt fracking which is ruining the water and health of Pennsylvania. Fossil fuels provide fewer jobs which

are temporary, produce more expensive energy, leave behind environmental disasters and cause cancer. Re newable energy provides more and permanent jobs, produces cheaper energy, preserves the environment and doesn’t cause cancer. Cancer is a high tax to pay.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: Negotiate peace in Ukraine, reduce overseas bases to pre-9/11 levels, bring troops home and spend that money at home. Climate change is the greatest nation al security threat. We should not be afraid of China and engage with them on an equal basis to reduce ten sions. Stop funding terrorists and pass the Stop Arm ing Terrorists bill proposed by Tulsi Gabbard. The U.S. promoted radical Islamic fundamentalism in Afghani stan to fight against Russia, which was a violation of American values. Freedom of contract is a fundamen tal Constitutional right including the right not to pur chase, i.e. boycott. Create a Palestinian state. End U.S. support for the war in Yemen. Transition to renewable energy as quickly as possible. www.GP.org/platform.

KEYSTONE

DANIEL WASSMER

Biographical Info:  County: Pike

Occupation: Attorney / College Pro fessor Education: BA, MBA, JD

Qualifications: Former appointee to the DRJTBC, Assistant County Solicitor, Lecturer on Law, Govern ment and International Business issues.

Campaign Website: http://www.wassmer4pa.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/ Wassmer4USSenate Campaign Twitter URL: http://www.twitter.com/4was smer

Link to position on abortion: http://www.wassmer4pa.com/ about---my-positions

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: To list all of my major concerns would be virtually im possible nevertheless there are numerous issues that I have detailed on my website. Each is quite important to me. Simply prioritizing one over the other minimizes the importance and impact of a number of very important is sues. So for the sake of avoiding a declaration that I am specifically focused on one issue as opposed to a variety of interrelated issues seems more appropriate to my ap proach. To deal with the plethora of issues I would have to work with other like minded individuals and extend invi tations to all who would be inclined to participate. Please visit my website to read more exacting responses to each inquiry in this questionnaire.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Suppressive behavior, long a problem in the US general ly starts with a variety of fully constructed problems by the two major political parties. This has actually created an atmosphere ripe for “losers” to disparage results and seek to “mob”ilize any ideologue who will listen! The sad state of buying into the perception that any particular candidate is somehow their sole acting “savior” and the opponent is actually the “enemy” of democracy absolutely undermines the ideals we as US citizens ought to be striving for. Un fortunately both parties play this dangerous game and for quite some time have done so in a concerted fashion. To resolve “voting impediments” we need to have an honest discussion and create ease of access for voters.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you

support to mitigate climate change?

A: First we need a dialogue to convince even former envi ronmental science majors such as myself that we actually are dealing with a real problem. As a student at one of the first “environmental science” universities in the US I was handed a theoretical paper known as the “Global 2000 re port”. The report commissioned by the Carter administra tion had one of the first references to the theories of “acid rain” as well as “global warming’. For almost 40 years I have followed “the science” (empirical data) via actual reli able sources including: NASA, NOAA, various colleges and university studies and have asked pertinent questions re lated to this issue. To date these have not been satisfacto rily answered. Remedies should not be potential harms.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I have listened to and follow the guidance of Universi ty of Chicago International policy Professor John Joseph Mearsheimer. Mearsheimer takes a realist view of inter national policy. While the US plays an important role in international leadership we also need to disconnect from having our international policy guided by the military in dustrial complex which often times pushes policy in the direction of improper interventionist fiascos. In addition I would note that a role of the US senate is to be engaged in advising and consenting to US treaties. I remain appalled at the leadership of both the republican and democratic parties at sidestepping those checks and balances and merely ruling by proclamation in the field of treaty mak ing, etc..

PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR

Description of office: The Governor is the chief executive officer of the Commonwealth, executing the laws of the state through Executive Agencies. A Governor must be at least 30 years old and have been a US citizen and resident of the state for seven years preceding the election. S/he manages the financial affairs of the state and must annually present a balanced budget to the General Assembly. The Governor has extensive appointive powers, may recommend legislation, and signs or vetoes bills passed by both houses of the General Assembly (subject to 2/3 override). S/he is Commander-in-Chief of the state National Guard, except when they are called into the actual service of the United States. The Governor can grant reprieves, pardons, and paroles. The holder of this office may only be reelected once.

Term: 4 years

Salary: $213,026

Vote for the candidates of ONE PARTY for Governor and Lieutenant Governor

DEMOCRATIC

JOSH SHAPIRO

Biographical Info:  County: Montgomery Occupation: Attorney General of Pennsylvania Education: University of Roch ester, BA; Georgetown University Law Center, JD Qualifications: Whether as a State Rep., the leader of PA’s third-largest county, or Attorney General, I’ve brought people together to get things done. As Governor, I’ll continue to tackle the chal lenges facing Pennsylvanians and will move our Commonwealth forward.  Campaign Website: http://joshshapiro.org Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/JoshShapiroPA

Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/ joshshapiropa

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A:  As Governor, my top priorities are creating op portunity for Pennsylvania children by improving our education system, building a stronger economy by creating jobs, cutting taxes and lowering costs, and making our communities safer all across the Commonwealth. In order to move Pennsylvania for ward and build a better future for our children, we must work together to achieve these key priorities.

Throughout my career—and every day as Attorney General—I work hard to bring people together, solve problems, and get things done for Pennsylvania. As Governor, I will continue to do just that so that we can solve our biggest problems—because that’s how we will deliver results for people across our Com monwealth and move Pennsylvania forward.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A:  Defending democracy is the foundation for mak ing progress in Pennsylvania. I believe that if we want to grow our economy, improve our schools, and make our communities safer, then we need a stable democracy where all Pennsylvanians’ voices can be heard. As Governor, I will continue my work to en sure voters have access to the ballot box and that ev ery legal vote is counted in every election. That’s why I released a ten-step plan to defend democracy, en sure access to the ballot, and improve our elections by appointing a pro-democracy Secretary of State, allowing counties to pre-canvass and cure ballots, establishing automatic voter registration and early in-person voting, and vetoing any attempt to restrict mail-in voting in Pennsylvania.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A:  Throughout my entire career, I have worked to defend Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to clean air and pure water—and as Governor, I will contin ue that work by investing in clean energy and clean transportation, adopting the 2020 Grand Jury Re port recommendations to minimize health hazards arising from fracking, plugging orphaned and aban doned oil and gas wells, and addressing lead contam ination in order to keep protecting Pennsylvania’s environment. As Governor, my priority will be ensur ing Pennsylvania has a comprehensive climate and energy policy that protects consumers, creates jobs, capitalizes on our strength as an energy hub, safe guards our environment, and moves our Common wealth forward.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A:  Every Pennsylvanian deserves to feel safe at home, at school, and in their community—and I know we can achieve that while upholding Pennsylvanians’ rights and traditions. Throughout my career, I have worked with my colleagues in law enforcement and with local communities across our Commonwealth to fight gun violence and keep Pennsylvanians safe, taking thousands of illegal guns off our streets, shut ting down gun trafficking rings, and working to close the ghost gun loophole. As Governor, I will support common sense gun legislation to close background check loopholes, keep guns out of the hands of dan gerous individuals, and work with the legislature to increase funding for gun safety training programs.

DANIEL WASSMER

JOSH SHAPIRO

REPUBLICAN

DOUGLAS V. MASTRIANO

Biographical Info:

County: Franklin

GREEN CHRISTINA DIGIULIO

Occupation: Senator Education: PhD, History; Masters Strategic Intelligence; Masters Air power Theory; Masters Military Operational Art; Masters Strategic Studies, Bachelor of Arts, History Qualifications: 1986-Commis sioned in the US Army, 2nd Ar mored Cavalry Regiment (2ACR) on the Iron Curtain, 2ACR Desert Storm in Iraq, Af ghanistan (three deployments), Senior leader of NATO unit in Afghanistan comprised of 18 nations, Award winning author, Professor of Army War College (Car lisle)

DOUGLAS V. MASTRIANO

Biographical Info:  County: Chester Occupation: Scientist (analytical chemist)  Education: BS Biology-Chemistry  Qualifications: Community watch dog and organizer, Research and De velopment scientist for ORISE, DoD & it’s contractors, USP. Contract Of ficer Representative and DoD Acqui sition Certified, SPRDE -SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MGR LEVEL

2

Campaign Website: http://doug4gov.com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/ Fight4pa

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Infrastructure, Energy Production, Road / Transpor tation Improvements, School Choice, the Right to Life

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Voter ID, Poll Watcher Protection, Increased Penal ties for violating voting law, Repeal Act 77

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guaran tees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preserva tion of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I’m an Eagle Scout and respect the environmentwe are stewards of the land

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being con sidered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Uphold the constitutional protections delineated in our state and federal constitutions

LIBERTARIAN

MATT HACKENBURG

Biographical Info:

County: Northampton

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you pri oritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsyl vania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

MATT HACKENBURG

Q:  Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

CHRISTINA DIGIULIO

Campaign Website: http://greenslate2022.com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/ PKforPA

Campaign Twitter URL: http://www.twitter.com/PKfor PA

Link to position on abortion: http://www.greenslate2022. com/platform

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I agree with my running mates’ responses 100%. As a scientist, I know we must take immediate action to protect this and future generations. In Pennsylvania, I will advo cate for the creation of an agency for a just equitable tran sition. I will call for a ban on all new fracking wells; a five year decommissioning period for existing wells, a program to ensure proper capping of those wells; and reparations. To keep oil & gas companies, lobbyists, & those who profit ed equally accountable for the part they knowingly played, I will advocate for a required lifetime maintenance poli cy of their decommissioned & abandoned wells, including funding research into sustainable solutions for all wells.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I will work hard for the elimination of ballot access laws and rules that discriminate against smaller parties and independents, and otherwise place undue burden on the right of citizens to run for office. I will work to end parti san gerrymandering ensuring every Pennsylvanians’ vote counts, that all U.S. voting systems are verifiable, trans parent, and accurate. I will prioritize enacting proportion al representation voting systems for legislative seats on municipal, county, state, and federal levels, and provide full public financing of federal, state and local elections, and focus on equitable requirements in regards to public access for all candidates.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: We need to act on climate now... actually ...yesterday. Since we did not act earlier, we must act aggressively now. We must work to stop burning fossil fuels, eliminate green house admissions by 95% by 2050, end all fossil subsidies, and redirect any research dollars to resiliency research.

Qualified scientists must be the ones who guide policy. A scientist must not have any conflict of interest. Objective think tanks must be created to ensure the focus is on the health & safety the people, and the environment. There will be no more foxes in the hen house. The people will have more power at the table vs. industry. The think tanks will be comprised of the people, not the corporations with interest in profiting.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being consid ered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: We need to address and heal the foundations of society. Gun violence is a systemic problem with multiple roots that need to be treated by “fixing” those roots instead of avoiding them. All people should have access to quality health care (including mental, dental, reproductive), qual ity education, and jobs. In addition, we need sensible gun laws, accountability for gun companies, mandatory train ing for gun owners, support for high quality gun violence research, & accountability for law enforcement officers & private security. We must treat gun violence as a public health emergency, We must start requiring psychological impact studies as a part of policy & legislation decisions, especially, in known injustice areas. Treatment for trauma.

KEYSTONE

JOE SOLOSKI

Biographical Info:

County: Centre

Occupation: CPA (Retired)

Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University of Pennsylva nia

Qualifications: Certified Public

Accountant

Campaign Website: http://joeso loski.com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/joe.soloski

Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/joesolo ski

Link to position on abortion: http://joesoloski.com

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Pennsylvania’s budget is bloated and misman aged. Our operating budget has more than doubled, from $20 billion to over $41 billion in just 20 years. Pennsylvania doesn’t have a revenue problem; it’s got a spending problem! I will be working to cut our state budget by at least 5% per year, starting with my own salary. Pennsylvania has the 3rd highest paid Gover nor in the Nation; over $205,000 per year. I’ll be cut ting my salary by 65% to just under $70,000 per year. I’ll be leading by example. If the Legislature doesn’t go along with my budget cuts, then I’ll veto every budget bill they put on my desk. We have the highest paid Legislature in the Nation and I’ll be working to slash their pay, benefits, and ban them from receiving gifts.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Every Pennsylvanian who wants to vote should have the best and easiest opportunity to do so. I will work to see changes made that will allow indepen dent, third parties to be on the ballot. The Democrats and Republicans do all that they can to make laws and rules to prevent third party competition. Also, like Maine and Alaska, I will be working to see Ranked Choice Voting implemented here in Pennsylvania. That will give voters a better bang for their buck when it comes to their vote. Because of that, better represen tatives will be elected. I’m also a big advocate for term limits for our state legislators. Implementing Ranked Choice Voting and Legislative term limits will be ex tremely popular with Pennsylvania voters.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guaran tees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the pres ervation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: As Governor, I will charge the Department of Con servation & Natural Resources to continue its work to

JOE SOLOSKI

to manage, preserve, and conserve our state parks, and I will enforce regulations to preserve our air, water, and our environment. Nuclear energy is the cleanest, safest, and most cost-effective form of energy generation that we have. I will work to promote and streamline the process of getting more nuclear power plants constructed and online. Renewables, like solar panels and windmills, face difficult and costly dispos al problems at the end of their useful lives. That’s a growing environmental hazard. At the same time, those renewables cannot be relied upon to provide the necessary energy to meet market demands.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your po sition on these measures?

A: As stated in the Pennsylvania Constitution: “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of them selves and the State shall not be questioned”. I think that our Constitution is pretty clear on this issue. “Shall not be questioned”. I am in complete agreement. I will always defend our inherent right to defend our selves. As Governor, I will veto any bill that attempts to curtail our right to own a gun and to defend our selves and our families. More specifically, I want to see Pennsylvania become a ‘Constitutional Carry state’. You won’t hear that from any of my gubernatorial challengers. Red flag laws are a very slippery slope and I oppose them. Firearm safety classes are readily available and should be promoted.

PENNSYLVANIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Description of office: The Lieutenant Governor will be elected jointly with the Governor in the General Election although candidates are nominated sepa rately in the Primary. A Lieutenant Governor must be at least 30 years old and have been a US citizen and resident of the state for seven years preceding the elec tion. S/he is President of the Senate, presiding over the Senate but having no vote unless the Senate is equally divided. S/he is Chair of the Board of Pardons and the PA Emergency Management Council. The PA Consti tution provides that in case of the death, conviction or impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation, or oth er disability of the Governor, the powers, duties, and compensation of the office shall be transferred to the Lieutenant Governor for the remainder of the term or until the disability is removed. There are no term lim its to this office.

Term: 4 years Salary: $178,940

Vote for the candidates of ONE PARTY for Gov ernor and Lieutenant Governor. Maybe have the Lt. Gov candidate immediately after the Governor candidate, so the tickets stay togeth er?

DEMOCRATIC

AUSTIN DAVIS

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: State Represen tative

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the Uni versity of Pittsburgh Qualifications: Austin Davis is currently a PA State Representa tive where he serves as Chair of AUSTIN DAVIS

the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation and Vice Chair of the House Democratic Policy Com mittee. Previously, Austin served as Senior Advisor to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald for 6 years. Campaign Website: http://www.shapirodavis.org Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/AustinDavisPA Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/Aus tinDavisPA

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: The issues I plan to prioritize as Lt. Governor are working to create family sustaining jobs, build ing ladders of opportunity for folks to help them succeed, and ensuring every child receives a qual ity education, regardless of their zip code. I have a track record of getting things done as a State Repre sentative, and I will continue to use my platform as Lt. Governor to push these issues forward.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: The right to vote is sacred, held by all Pennsyl vanians, and I will always work to strengthen that right for every member of our Commonwealth. I be lieve expanding access to democracy is always the right thing to do and I would support measures such as automatic voter registration to do this.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Every Pennsylvanian deserves the right to clean air, pure water, and a good environment. Unfortu nately, this isn’t the case in many instances across the Commonwealth. I believe in holding bad actors who pollute our communities accountable and I have a track record of doing so as State Represen tative. However, in order to further protect these constitutional rights, we must reinvest in our De partment of Environmental Protection, which has been gutted over the past several decades. We must strengthen their ability to enforce existing laws, as well as increase their funding which will allow them to do a more efficient and effective job at protecting Pennsylvania’s environment.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Gun violence has become all too common across the country, including right here in Pennsylvania. I support common sense gun reforms, such as the ones listed above, in order to better protect our com munities. I also support the idea of classifying gun violence as a public health issue, which would allow for more resources to be used to combat it. In fact, as senior advisor to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, I helped to create the Office of Violence Prevention within the Department of Health to do just that.

REPUBLICAN

CARRIE LEWIS DELROSSO

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: Member of State House of Represen tatives  Education: University of Pittsburgh Qualifications: Oakmont Council Member 20182020; State House Member 2021 Campaign Website: http://www.CarrieForPA.com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://facebook.com/carrieforpa

Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/carrieforpa

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you pri oritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

CARRIE LEWIS DELROSSO

A: Lower CNIT- Push for PA to more attractive state to man ufacture and produce Provide a better return on investment with k-12 education Fully fund law en forcement Fully fund infrastructure Secure Elec tions Promote Ag Growth

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Voter ID Provide a more efficient system for ear ly/absentee voting and deadlines Voter Confidence -ballot security

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Promote energy growth and independence in PA while always mindful of our environment.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Protect our 2nd Amendment; right to people to bear arms

“I don’t care what responsibilities you have today, there’s no greater responsibility than being in control of your future and your future starts now! We don’t have time, no procrastinating, don’t let the discouragement take you off course, that’s not how my people or my generation will go down…this is the loudest way to make your voice heard!”

-Rihanna, Singer

LIBERTARIAN

TIM D. MCMASTER

Biographical Info:

County: York

Occupation: IT Analyst / Farmer

Education: Central Penn College (MCSE, CCNA)

Qualifications: Business owner, Citizen Campaign Website: http://tim 4pa.com

Qualifications: 33 years in elect ed office (Cherry Valley Borough, Council and Mayor), union leader, community organizer, serve on the board of several community orga nizations, founder of local, state wide and national organizations.

Campaign Website: http:// greenslate2022.com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/mikebag descanning

MICHAEL BAGDES-CANNING

TIM D. MCMASTER

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/McMasterLtGov2022

Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/Tim4PA

Link to position on abortion: http://www.facebook. com/McMasterLtGov2022/posts/pfbid02H9Fq8B3H vomDMoejx2AcuuFuhUvvmbLtuAa2xrGepM

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Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I would work with willing members of the PA Gen eral Assembly to find ways to reduce, on a path to the total elimination of the onerous and destructive prop erty tax. The very first way that I see to do this is to reduce excessive spending in the local school districts and focus on educating to the student, and not to the tests.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Voting is a sacred right that all citizens enjoy and a privilege that we should all exercise. However, to main tain the confidence of voters and the integrity of the system, some robust measures to ensure that sancti ty must be employed. Universal mail-in balloting is a very bad idea in theory and nearly impossible to secure in practice. In this current age, some simple, yet effec tive means of verification must be employed.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guaran tees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preserva tion of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: My first step would be to hold polluters personally responsible for their pollution. No more decades long ‘arbitration’ cases and then a fine to the ‘Super Fund’ as a way out. If you or your entity have personally vio lated the property (or health and well being) of others, you should be held to account. No exceptions or govern ment ‘favors’ for large donors or allies.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being con sidered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: The PA Constitution is quite clear and unambigu ous on this matter. It states in Article 1, Section 21: “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.”

GREEN

MICHAEL BAGDES-CANNING

Biographical Info:

County: Butler

Occupation: Retired teacher, community organizer (volunteer) with Marcellus Outreach Butler, Better Path Coalition, Beyond Extreme Energy, grant com mittee for Direct Support Fund and Frontline Commu nity Fund Education: BS, Education, Slippery Rock University. MS, Education, Clarion University

Campaign Twitter URL: http:// www.twitter.com/BagdesCanning

Link to position on abortion: http://www.greens late2022.com/platform

Other websites: https://www.instagram.com/mike 4pa64/

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I call on Congress to pass the Women’s Health Pro tection Act of 2021 or equivalent legislation. A woman’s right to control her body is nonnegotiable and it is es sential that the option of a safe, legal abortion remain available. I support a comprehensive gift ban, an end to the per diem, campaign finance reform, an end to outside jobs for our full time legislators, and an end to partisan gerrymandering. We are facing the existential crisis of climate catastrophe.We must take immediate action to protect this and future generations. Access to universal, comprehensive, national single-payer health plan is a priority. Healthcare is a human right. Crimi nal justice, immigrants, and tax reform are also issues I would like to tackle immediately.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: As noted above, I would work to end partisan gerry mandering. Establish guarantees that every citizen’s vote counts, and that all U.S. voting systems—includ ing electronic ones—are verifiable, transparent and accurate. I am also for the elimination all ballot access laws and rules that discriminate against smaller par ties and independents, and otherwise place undue bur den on the right of citizens to run for office. We must enact proportional representation voting systems for legislative seats on municipal, county, state and fed eral levels. Provide full public financing of federal, state and local elections, including free and equal radio and television time on the public airwaves for all bal lot-qualified candidates and parties.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guaran tees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preserva tion of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: We need to act on climate YESTERDAY. Since we didn’t, we must act aggressively NOW. We must work to stop burning fossil fuels, eliminate greenhouse ad missions by 95% by 2050, end all fossil subsidies and redirect any research dollars to resiliency research. We must ensure that workers and communities are offered a just transition as we move away from fossil fuels. We also must demand that corporations that have spent decades poisoning our air, water, and soil clean up their messes. We must make people harmed by ecological devastation be made whole. We must adopt a policy that rescinds the right of serial offenders of environ mental laws to do business in the state. We must build resiliency on a local and state level.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being con sidered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: All of these pieces of legislation treat the symptoms,

not the disease. Gun violence is a systemic problem with multiple roots and needs to be treated by “fixing” those roots. A lack of political will to make a change and an underinvestment in prevention is huge. All peo ple should have access to quality health care including mental health, healthy communities, quality educa tion, jobs, and treatment for trauma. In addition, we need sensible gun laws, accountability for gun compa nies, mandatory training for gun owners, support for high quality gun violence research, and accountability for law enforcement officers and private security. Fi nally, we must treat gun violence as the public health emergency. This is more than the 2nd Amendment.

KEYSTONE

NICOLE SHULTZ

Biographical Info:  County: York

Occupation: Self Employed  Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Small Business Administra tion and Entrepreneurship

Qualifications: Auditor Wind sor Twp., Small business owner,  Campaign Website: http:// Www.Nicoleshultz.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://WWW.Facebook.com/ShultzforPALtGov Campaign Twitter URL: http://WWW.Twitter. com/NicoleShultzforPA

Link to position on abortion: http://WWW.Ni coleShultz.com

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Misappropriation of our state’s tax revenue is one of the most important problems we face. Redirect ed funds end up staling out important state-wide projects with little to no transparency for Pennsyl vania’s constituents to know where their money is actually being spent. As a moderate third party, I am uniquely positioned to work with anyone in gov ernment to find actual solutions without being be holden to guard a party line

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Open primaries and equalization of ballot access rules across all candidates would be a good start. Up to twenty-five million dollars of Pennsylvania’s tax monies are spent on primary season alone. The number of Pennsylvania voters that are registered as third party, independent, or other is at 1.2 mil lion and growing; leaving a large number of citizens without a voice until election day while they con tribute to footing the bill. And many of their best qualified choices may never even make the ballot.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: As an example, fracking in Pennsylvania pro vides jobs to over 20,000 Pennsylvanians and brings in revenue of over 500,000,000 dollars. There is no doubt that industry is an important part of our economy. However, the rush to grow it has led to an oversight of the environmental impact to surround ing communities. I would like to see emphasis put into predicting the ramifications of business prac tices that could negatively impact the environment, guidelines put in place to prevent that from happen ing, and stricter penalties for failing to meet those guidelines. The goal is to create incentives that

NICOLE SHULTZ

would make it profitable for business to be conduct ed in our state, but in a safe manner that doesn’t leave us resourceless in the future.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I believe red flag laws could be easily manipu lated to wrongfully strip law abiding citizens of their rights. And any time individual’s rights are involved, we should tread carefully. Any laws put in place to limit inalienable rights should be as limited as possible. Background checks, in this regard, are more acceptable as they are less prone to being used in malice. Firearm Safety courses could go a long way in dispelling the fear and misunderstandings surrounding gun debates. If implemented correct ly I see that as a positive. Ultimately all of these things dance around the issue that no one seems to want to name. We desperately need to address men tal health issues and how they relate to gun related crimes.

US REPRESENTATIVES

Description of office:  The US Constitution re quires that the House of Representatives be com posed of Representatives from each state, elected in proportion to population. There are 435 members of the House of Representatives, with 17 Representa tives allotted to Pennsylvania after the 2020 census. A US Representative must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years, and be a resident of the state they seek to represent at the time of the election (though not necessarily the same district). The House of Repre sentatives is responsible for introducing and voting on bills, resolutions and amendments, and for ap proving the budget. Representatives also serve on various policy committees. The House may send Articles of Impeachment of elected officials to the Senate and elects the President if there is a tie in the Electoral College.

Term: 2 years Salary: $174,000

Vote for ONE.

PENNSYLVANIA US REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 12

THE NEW DISTRICT 12 CONTAINS:

• Part of ALLEGHENY County consisting of the CIT IES of Clairton, Duquesne, McKeesport and Pittsburgh and the TOWNSHIPS of Elizabeth, Forward, North Versailles, South Park, South Versailles, Upper St. Clair and Wilkins and the BOROUGHS of Baldwin, Beth el Park, Braddock, Brentwood, Bridgeville, Chalfant, Dravosburg, East McKeesport, East Pittsburgh, Eliz abeth, Glassport, Homestead, Jefferson Hills, Liberty, Lincoln, Monroeville, Mount Oliver, Munhall, North Braddock, Pitcairn, Pleasant Hills, Plum, Port Vue, Rankin, Swissvale (PART, Districts 01, 02 (only blocks 2014, 2015, 3007, 3008, 3009 and 3010 of tract 515100), 06, 07, 08, 09, 10 and 11), Trafford (Allegheny County Portion), Turtle Creek, Versailles, Wall, West Elizabeth, West Homestead, West Mifflin, Whitaker, White Oak, Whitehall and Wilmerding and,

• Part of WESTMORELAND County consisting of the CITY of Jeannette and the TOWNSHIPS of Hemp field (PART, Districts East Adamsburg, High Park,

Lincoln Heights West, Middletown (all blocks except 1000, 1001, 1004, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1026, 1027 and 1055 of tract 804701, blocks 1015, 2018 and 2019 of tract 804804 and blocks 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004 of tract 804901), Wegley, Wendel Herm and West Hempfield), North Huntingdon, Penn, Sewickley and South Huntingdon (PART, District Yukon) and the BOROUGHS of Adamsburg, Arona, Export, Irwin, Madison, Manor, Murrysville, North Irwin, Penn, Su tersville and Trafford (Westmoreland County Portion).

DEMOCRATIC

SUMMER LEE

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: State Representative Education: Summer is a proud graduate of Woodland Hills High School, Penn State, and Howard Uni versity School of Law. Qualifications: Summer is an or ganizer, attorney, advocate and twoterm state representative for PA’s 34th HD, the first Black woman ever elected to the leg islature from Western Pennsylvania, the founder/chair of UNITE, a grassroots PAC that has helped elect progres sives region-wide, up and down ballot. Campaign Website: http://www.summerforpa.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/ SummerforPA Campaign Twitter URL: http://www.twitter.com/Sum merforPA

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: In Congress, I’ll bring upon the same values and track record I’ve been dedicated to as an organizer, advocate, and state legislator—bringing broad coalitions of folks together for environmental, racial, and economic justice, so we can win real victories for all working people. This means a just transition to a clean energy economy, tackling our climate crisis, taking on corporate polluters and ensuring clean air and water for all. It means supporting/strengthening unions, raising the minimum wages, passing paid family and sick leave, protecting workers’ and their rights to orga nize with the PRO Act, passing Medicare for All, challeng ing mass incarceration and passing police accountability measures.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Not only must we end racist voter ID and suppression laws, restore the full power of the Voting Rights Act, and end gerrymandering, but we must go farther and provide every person in our country with the right to vote - from previously incarcerated people to immigrants, everyone deserves a voice in our democracy. Congress should be making it easier to vote, not harder, that means automatic voter registration, nationwide early and mail voting, feder al holidays for election days, and same day voter registra tion. As long as corporations can funnel billions into elec tions, our democracy will continue to belong to the highest bidder—we must pass comprehensive campaign finance reform and end Citizens United.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: We must pass a Green New Deal through a just tran sition to a 100% clean and renewable energy economy, centered in good-paying union jobs, with strong protec tions for workers and frontline communities who’ve born the brunt of environmental racism. This includes ending fracking, which poses a disproportionate threat to commu nities like the Mon Valley community where I was born

and raised, and which I represent today. We must hold corporate polluters accountable, invest in infrastructure to mitigate impacts from extreme weather events, landslides and erosion, fix aging and or lead pipes, and ensure clean water for all, to ensure a livable future for this and future generations.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I believe in a human rights and diplomacy centered approach to foreign policy. This means moving diplomatic solutions like the new version of the JHCPOA/Iran Deal forward, and building a clean energy economy, away from Big Oil and the authoritarians who control the wells. In stead of giving the Pentagon billions for private weapons contractors and endless war, we must pass budgets that prioritize people (education, health care, infrastructure, housing and more). We must create a functional, humane, inclusive immigration policy, starting with comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship, wel coming asylum-seekers and stopping brutal and discrim inatory policies around detention, family separation, and deportation.

REPUBLICAN

MIKE DOYLE

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q:  What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q:  How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA US

THE NEW DISTRICT 17 CONTAINS:

• Part of ALLEGHENY County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of Aleppo, Baldwin, Collier, Crescent, East Deer, Fawn, Findlay, Frazer, Hampton, Har mar, Harrison, Indiana, Kennedy, Kilbuck, Leet, Marshall, McCandless, Moon, Mount Lebanon, Nev ille, North Fayette, O’Hara, Ohio, Penn Hills, Pine, Reserve, Richland, Robinson, Ross, Scott, Shaler, South Fayette, Springdale, Stowe and West Deer and the BOROUGHS of Aspinwall, Avalon, Bell Acres, Bellevue, Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Blawnox, Brackenridge, Braddock Hills, Bradford Woods, Car negie, Castle Shannon, Cheswick, Churchill, Cora opolis, Crafton, Dormont, Edgewood, Edgeworth, Emsworth, Etna, Forest Hills, Fox Chapel, Franklin Park, Glen Osborne, Glenfield, Green Tree, Hays ville, Heidelberg, Ingram, Leetsdale, McDonald (Allegheny County Portion), McKees Rocks, Mill vale, Oakdale, Oakmont, Pennsbury Village, Ross lyn Farms, Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills, Sharpsburg, Springdale, Swissvale (PART, Districts 02 (all blocks except 2014, 2015, 3007, 3008, 3009 and 3010 of tract 515100), 03, 04 and 05), Tarentum, Thornburg, Verona, West View and Wilkinsburg and

• All of BEAVER County.

SUMMER LEE

DEMOCRATIC

CHRIS DELUZIO

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Occupation: Lawyer

Education: Bishop Canevin High School, U.S. Naval Academy, George town Law

Qualifications: Iraq War veteran, Voting rights attorney, union orga nizer

Campaign Website: http://www. chrisforpa.com

CHRIS DELUZIO

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/ ChrisforPA

Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/ChrisFor PA

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My desire to serve in Congress is animated by a core principle that we should be fighting for our common good. We should be fighting for a vibrant economy that leaves no one behind, not a system that rewards corporations and the ultra wealthy. These are values that I will bring to Congress and guide my decisions serving the people of Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: As a voting rights attorney, I deeply understand what is at stake; threats to our right to vote and our democracy are dire. In states under GOP control, Republicans are erecting hurdles to voting, locking in majorities through gerrymandered maps, and taking advantage of our post-Citizens United campaign finance landscape. I know these issues (elections, especially) well from my work at Pitt Cyber and the Brennan Center, and I would hope to continue much of the good work that’s been done on bills like the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: I absolutely support federal investment to create and support new union energy jobs and believe that regions like mine—which are energy-producing regions most likely to be impacted by the shift away from fossil fuels —ought to benefit from federal resources to combat the climate crisis. That investment must also be buoyed by climate resilience investments from Washington. And we should be looking every single day for ways to cre ate union jobs that improve our air and water quality: projects like capping abandoned wells and research into carbon and methane capture and hydrogen. And I’ll work to make sure that nuclear energy remains a strong and viable part of our energy mix as the path to decarbonizing accelerates.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: I saw firsthand the costs of a war that we never should have fought (Iraq), and committed myself to work hard to make sure we never again commit such a folly. I have seen far too many fellow veterans suffer with the pain of their service, and so I have worked to use my law degree to serve them: as a mentor in Allegheny County’s veter ans treatment court and through pro bono work with the Veterans Consortium. We must be judicious in sending Americans to fight and die abroad, and I will not support sending your children or mine into another ‘Forever War’ when there are other options available to protect Ameri can interests. We should support democracy and freedom abroad, provide American diplomatic leadership, and stand strong with allies.

REPUBLICAN

JEREMY SHAFFER

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Occupation: Software Engi neer. Business Founder & Entre preneur.

Education: Carnegie Mellon University (Ph.D. and Master’s Degrees in Electrical and Com puter Engineering National Science and Defense Fellow ship-U.S. Navy). Tulane University (Bachelors’ De grees in Computer Science and Computer Engineer ing – Valedictorian of Engineering School).

Qualifications: Former Ross Township Commis sioner and Board President Campaign Website: http://www.JeremyShaffer. com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/shaffer4pa Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/Jere

myShafferPA

Link to position on abortion: http://jewishchron icle.timesofisrael.com/meet-17th-district-congres sional-candidate-jeremy-shaffer/

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: The biggest issue we face is our out-of-control na tional debt, which surpassed $30 trillion this year. This debt puts an unbelievable burden on our chil dren and grandchildren. We must reign in spending and act now to get America’s fiscal house in order before it’s too late. I will put Pennsylvania families first, invest in our infrastructure, keep our commu nities safe, advance economic reforms, empower par ents and local schools, defend our freedoms, and put aside partisan politics to work for you. I will cospon sor and vote for term limit legislation when elected so that we can put an end to career politicians.

Q: What will you do in office to ensure all eligible voters have equal access to free and fair elections?

A: The American people deserve to feel fully confi dent in the outcome of our elections. In Congress, I will stand against power grabs that would under mine election integrity and voting rights. Free and fair elections are at the core of any functional de mocracy.

Q: What measures, regulations, or acts, if any, would you support to mitigate climate change?

A: It’s important to protect our environment, pre serve green space, and allow everyone to breathe clean air. We have done much to make our Pitts burgh area cleaner and greener; however, there is still more to do. As a volunteer for the National Park Service and a longtime member of Western Pennsyl vania Conservancy and Friends of the Riverfront, I have always been a strong advocate for clean air and clean water, and you can expect nothing less from me as your Congressman. I do believe we can have vibrant industry and a clean environment -it’s not an either/or choice.

Q: How do you view the role of the US in responding to challenges facing the international community?

A: While Russia is wreaking havoc, China is still the greatest foreign threat facing America. We need leaders willing to stand up to the Chinese Commu nist Party, end our dependence on China, and bring home the manufacturing of essential products. We need to stop taking a short-term view of China and develop a long-term strategy.

PENNSYLVANIA

STATE SENATOR

Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylva nia. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA Senate consists of 50 members, representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Senators must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen and a resi dent of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The Senate develops bud get packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the House of Representatives). In addition, the Senate tries officials impeached by the House and authorizes executive appointments. Senators serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation. There are no term limits to this office.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 38

The 38th State Senate district contains East Deer, Fawn, Frazer, Hampton, Harmar, Harrison, Indiana, McCandless, O’Hara, Pine, Richland, Ross, Shal er, Springdale and West Deer, Aspinwall, Blawnox, Brackenridge, Cheswick, Etna, Fox Chapel, Sharps burg, Springdale, Tarentum and West View, and sev eral neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh includ ing Highland Park, Morningside, Belmar, Garfield, East Liberty and Lincoln-Lemington.

DEMOCRATIC

LINDSEY WILLIAMS

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Occupation: Incumbent State Senator Education: Dickinson College, BA; Duquesne University, JD

Qualifications: Sen. Lindsey Williams is currently serving her first term representing Pennsyl vania’s Senate District 38. Prior to being elected in 2018, she worked for the Pitts burgh Federation of Teachers and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Campaign Website: http://www.lindseyforpa.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/lindseyforpa Campaign Twitter URL: http://www.twitter.com/ lindseyforpa

Link to position on abortion: http://lindseyforpa. com/scotus-decision/

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?  A: As a State Senator, I have prioritized the rights of workers, making state government more accessible and transparent, and investing in students. As mi

JEREMY SHAFFER

LINDSEY WILLIAMS

As minority chair of the Senate Education Com mittee, I support a transparent system to fund our children’s education, from pre-k to college or trade. Education dollars must be spent fairly, transparent ly, and equitably to do the most good for the greatest number of students. My background as an attorney, whistleblower, and advocate has led me to want to reform state government from the inside by making it more transparent, accessible, and efficient.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: The last reforms to voting passed out of the leg islature were done in the shadows, with little public input and a lack of awareness of what was actually in the bill. This has led to a lot of confusion and mis trust by the public, which is why I voted against Act 77. I support permitting pre-canvassing of ballots, so that election results can be delivered more timely with less room for conspiracy. I support permitting ballot curing, a way that counties can contact voters who made mistakes on their applications or ballots. I support the expansion of safe ballot drop boxes and our vote by mail system because they make vot ing easier and more accessible for people.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I don’t believe the legislature has done enough to uphold the right to clean air, pure water, and to preserve our environment. Pennsylvanians are feel ing the impact of climate change - residents are ex periencing flooding and property erosion more than ever. Pennsylvania can play a unique role in fighting climate change by creating standards for appliances to be more energy efficient, by taking the proceeds from carbon capture agreements to help workers who have lost their jobs and communities who have been impacted by industry, and by relying more on Pennsylvania’s own incredible food supply. I have supported many projects in my district that restore or build parks and trails for constituents to enjoy the outdoors safely.

REPUBLICAN

LORI MIZGORSKI

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q

:  What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 42

The 42nd State Senate district contains Kenne dy Township, Mount Lebanon, Neville Township, Reserve, Scott Township, Stowe, Avalon, Bellevue, Ben Avon, Carnegie, Crafton, Dormont, Emsworth, Green Tree, Ingram, McKees Rocks, Millvale, and several neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh in cluding Perry North, Northside, Manchester, Perry Hilltop, Allegheny Center, Allegheny West, Sheri dan, Corliss, Elliot, Duquesne Heights, Mt. Wash ington, Beechview, Banksville, West Liberty, Brook line, Summer Hill, City View, Northview Heights, Spring Garden, Spring Hill, Troy Hill, Lawrencev ille, Downtown, the Strip District, the Lower Hill, and the Bluff.

munities. One solution that has worked in other states is enacting extreme risk protection order legislation like my Senate Bill 134. ERPOs au thorize a procedure for loved ones and/or law enforcement to protect persons who are a threat to themselves or to others by temporarily re moving their access to firearms. The public is on our side on this issue. “Red flag” laws enjoy broad support across the ideological spectrum. I will continue to work with advocates like Cease FirePA to put pressure on legislative leaders to allow a vote on my SB 134.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support mak ing to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A:  I have been a long-time advocate for mailin ballots. My SB 128 would conduct our elec tions by mail. Eight other states conduct their elections primarily by mail, including Colorado that has been voting by mail for over 20 years. Voting by mail is safe, secure, convenient, cost efficient for counties, and popular across party lines. I would change is to give counties the abil ity to pre-canvass ballots they’ve received prior to Election Day. Because county election offices cannot begin counting mail-in ballots until the polls have closed, this often leads to the final tally being delayed several days. PA is the outli er nationally in this respect. My Senate Bill 128 would give counties the ability to pre-canvass 7 days prior to Election Day.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

Q

:  There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Gun violence - especially against our childrenis an epidemic in our country. I am co-sponsor on a number of gun safety bills including expanding background checks, mandating safe storage, and the Extreme Risk Protection Act or “red flag” bill. I have supported increased funding for mental health and drug/alcohol treatment that mitigates the un derlying causes of much gun violence. These support programs not only stem violence against others, but they also make a huge impact on our suicide epi demic.

Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt, Former U.S. President

DEMOCRATIC

WAYNE D. FONTANA

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: Realtor Education: Associate Degree in Business from Community College of Allegheny County Qualifications: State Sen ator, 2005-present; Senate Democratic Caucus Leader ship, 2011-present, Allegheny County Council, 2000-2005; Council Vice-President, 2004-2005; PHEAA Board Member, 2008-present; PHEAA Vice-Chairman, 2011-present; Sports & Exhibi tion Authority of Pittsburgh & Allegheny Coun ty, 2006-present; Campaign Website: http://votefontana.com Link to position on abortion: http://votefontana. com/issues/women/ Questions:

A:  Smart investment in electric vehicle infra structure by the commonwealth will fuel con sumers’ transition from internal combustion engines--about 40% of our greenhouse gas emis sion. It is also important that Pennsylvania en sures that our public transportation systems are adequately funded, as buses and commuter rail removes millions of trips in low-occupancy vehicles from our roads. And as chairman of the Sports and Exhibition Authority, I was pleased to advocate for solar panels to be installed at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and for PPG Paints Arena to be the first facility in the league to be certified LEED Gold.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety train ing. What is your position on these measures?

WAYNE D. FONTANA

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A : Gun violence continues to plague our com

A:  We must take action to combat the gun vio lence in our communities. No other country suf fers from gun violence as much as we do. As I stated earlier, my SB 134 is the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act. This would put a process into place for family members or law enforce ment to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from an individual who is threatening to harm themselves or others. ERPO is modeled after Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Pro tection Orders and provides for due process and standards for evidence. This concept enjoys sup port across the political spectrum and among gun owners and suicide prevention advocates.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylva nia. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA House of Represen tatives consists of 203 members representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their re spective districts during their terms of service. The House develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (in cluding redistricting in collaboration with the Sen ate). The House also has the exclusive authority to impeach public officials. Representatives also serve on various policy committees that may propose leg islation.

Term: 2 years

Salary: $95,432

same day registration, increased pay for poll work ers, pre-canvassing and more. While the State makes laws about our election process, elections are run at the County level. However, the State doesn’t provide adequate funding to Counties to consistent ly do things like early voting sites or to purchase drop boxes or to pay for mail ballot postage. We need to provide Counties with the resources needed to ex pand access to the ballot for our electorate.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A:  I would vote to increase funding to the Depart ment of Environmental Protection which has been underfunded for years. They have an important role to play in regulating and penalizing bad actors that abuse our environment. Additionally, I would push to improve our issue with storm water runoff. This not only leads to major flooding in the region but it also overwhelms our sewer systems causing rain water and waste to mix and get pushed into our riv ers.

Q:  There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

hard. I will continue to push my bill HB 1054, which would establish an insurance and low-cost grants program for homeowners who have been impacted by landslides.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I am a co-sponsor of the K Leroy Irvis Voting Rights Protection Act. Beyond that, I have been raising the alarm about the numerous attacks on our democracy for the year that I have been in office. See my full re marks about the Republican attacks on our democracy from my December 2021 press conference here: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7yEAGPTFfA I will con tinue this fight for as long as it takes, on as many fronts as it takes, to ensure that we have free and fair access to our elections by every qualified voter.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guaran tees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preserva tion of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

Vote for ONE.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 19

The 19th Legislative district contains several neigh borhoods in the City of Pittsburgh including Down town, the Lower Hill, the Bluff, South Oakland, parts of the South Side, Beltzhoover, Knoxville, Allentown, Glenwood, Glen Hazel, the Northside, Manchester, Perry Hilltop, Woods Run, Northview Heights, Perry South and Summer Hill.

DEMOCRATIC

AERION ANDREW ABNEY

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: Voting Rights/So cial Work

A: I support any measure that seeks to keep fire arms out of the hands of people who want to cause others harm. Additionally, I support gun buy back programs and safety trainings.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 20

The 20th Legislative district contains Ross Town ship, Avalon, West View, Bellvue, and the Perry North neighborhood in the City of Pittsburgh.

DEMOCRATIC

EMILY KINKEAD

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: State Legislator / At torney

A: I voted twice to protect Governor Wolf’s right to en ter Pennsylvania into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). I have worked to secure funding to replace lead water service lines across my district and will continue to do so. I have also worked with local ad vocacy groups to address air quality issues in Alleghe ny County. I will also advocate for finally fully funding the Department of Environmental Protection so that it can finally have adequate staff to protect our natural resources and hold polluters accountable. I will also ad vocate for harsher penalties so that fines for polluting can no longer be considered the cost of doing business.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being con sidered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support those measures. The major uptick in gun violence we have seen since the beginning of the pan demic speaks to the incredible economic uncertainty faced by many people and the lack of investment that many kids are getting in their education. I have spent my time in office educating constituents about the pro grams available to support those affected by gun vio lence, including securing considerable grant dollars to support and expand these programs. I will continue to put this issue at the forefront of my work in the legis lature.

REPUBLICAN

Education: Masters Social Work - University of Pittsburgh Campaign Website: http://vote aerionabney.com/ Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/Aerion AndrewAbney/ Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/ TripleA2

Questions:

AERION ANDREW ABNEY

Education: Bloomsburg Universi ty of PA; Bloomsburg, PA; B.A. Po litical Science, B.S. Biology | Uni versity of Pittsburgh School of Law; Pittsburgh, PA; Juris Doctor Campaign Website: http://emily 4pa20.com

EMILY KINKEAD

Campaign Facebook URL: http://facebook.com/emi ly4pa20

Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/emily 4pa20

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Anti displacement strategies that are part of our planning, programming, and policies. Working with PHFA and City Housing Authority to provide resources to increase affordable housing in the dis trict. Quality education that isn’t determined by a students’ zip code. Simplifying the funding formula and provide a more equitable funding distribution model for our schools. Creating more access to qual ity job opportunities that pay a living wage.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I would push for automatic voter registration,

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My priorities are and will continue to be criminal justice reform, ending gun violence, and growing the economy. I supported community bail funds when the GOP tried to eviscerate them. This is both a racial jus tice and income inequality issue. I have pushed back against permitless concealed carry and preemption of local common sense gun laws. I have brought back more than $16 million to my district and I will continue work toward passing legislation that addresses these issues. I have developed a bipartisan reputation as someone who is thoughtful, a competent legislator, and works

MATT KRUTH

Party: Rep Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 21

The 21st Legislative district contains Reserve Township, Shaler Township, Etna, Millvale, and several neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh, in cluding City View, Spring Hill, Spring Garden, Troy Hill, Lawrenceville, and the Strip District.

DEMOCRATIC

SARA INNAMORATO

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Occupation: State Legislator Education: University of Pittsburgh, 2008 Bachelor of Science in Business Adminis tration

ronmental Protection’s operations and maintain oversight to ensure that funding is going toward investigations, testing, and enforcement. We need to raise fines for violating clean air and clean wa ter regulations. The current fines are not much of a hindrance for the largest polluters. We need to require fracking companies to disclose the chem icals they use in fracking fluids and vigorously prosecute companies who dump wastewater into our waterways.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

nia’s 23rd Legislative District for 23 years, Democratic Chair of the House Health Commit tee, and Co-Chair of PA SAFE Caucus and LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus.

Campaign Website: http:// electdanfrankel.com

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you pri oritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

SARA INNAMORATO

Qualifications: I’ve been a proud Lawrenceville resident for thirteen years, and actively work to coordinate with local community organizations on social services and affordable housing solutions. I devoted my career to nonprofit work in community development, job creation, and environmental justice.  Campaign Website: http://saraforpa.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.face book.com/SaraForPA Campaign Twitter URL: http://www.facebook. com/SaraForPA Other websites: www.instagram.com/innamo/ Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A:  I stand with our neighbors in fighting for af fordable housing, worker’s rights, guaranteeing access to affordable healthcare and reproductive rights, clean air and water, raising the minimum wage, and making smart investments in our in frastructure. Given the current composition of the statehouse, pushing transformational legis lation that is needed to achieve a Pennsylvania for us all is highly unlikely. Still, I work with im pacted community members, policy experts, and my colleagues to proactively draft legislation that residents can organize around. The only way to work toward these agenda items is to stand firm and work to build grassroots movements to include the government toward these goals.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support mak ing to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A:  In 2019, I introduced a bill that would raise the number of residents registered to vote in Pennsylvania. The You’re Registered bill enables automatic voter registration when qualified cit izens interact with state services. Additionally, I have supported and co-sponsored a package of bills that would boost statewide voter turn out and voter protections. Bills promoting vot ing rights and transparency are key to making it easier and safer for citizens to exercise their right to vote. I strongly believe in same-day reg istration for citizens and making no-excuse ab sentee voting a permanent part of the process.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A:  We need to fully fund the Department of Envi

A:  I support strengthening background checks, closing existing loopholes, and also reinstating laws that promote responsible gun ownership. I would work to reinstate laws intended to target irresponsible gun owners and straw purchases by holding gun owners accountable for failing to report missing or stolen firearms that are later used in a crime. I would support closing the gaps in Pennsylvania that enable domestic abusers to access guns and support laws that would al low friends or family members to petition for ex treme risk protective orders.

REPUBLICAN

FRANK PERMAN

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: - no response -

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: - no response -

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: - no response -

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: - no response -

PENNSYLVANIA STATE

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 23

The 23rd Legislative district contains several neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh, including Squirrel Hill, East and North Oakland, Bellefield, Shadyside, Greenfield, Swisshelm Park, and Sum merset.

DEMOCRATIC

DAN FRANKEL

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Occupation: Legislator  Education: The Pennington School (1974), Ken yon College (1978), and Harvard University’s Ken nedy School of Government’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program (2000) Qualifications: Representative of Pennsylva

A:  Equality, the environment, firearm policy re form, government reform, and reproductive rights will be my priorities in my next term. I have been fighting for these progressive values for two de cades and have worked to build coalitions of law makers to advocate with me. For example, I found ed the Women’s Health Caucus and the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus. These caucuses have become passionate groups of leaders fighting for policies there were often disregarded just 20 years ago.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support mak ing to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A:  Everyone should be able to vote easily, wheth er they have a disability, are incarcerated, have an unstable address, or have an inflexible work schedule. Therefore, I support expanding access to ballot drop boxes, same-day registration, and guaranteeing the ability to vote early. In addition, updating Pennsylvania’s voting laws shouldn’t stop at improving voting access. It’s time we let our election officials canvass mail-in and absentee ballots before Election Day, allowing for a faster and more accurate ballot count.

Q

:  Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A:  Relying on oil, coal, and natural gas for Penn sylvania’s energy needs is an unsustainable path for our people and planet. The role of the Gener al Assembly should be to invest in green energy solutions while we effectively tax and regulate polluters. I always have and always will oppose giveaways and incentives that exclusively benefit the fossil fuel industry and will continue to work to close the Methane Loophole, which allows too many fracking wells to go unregulated in Penn sylvania. Lastly, I will continue to lead the fight in the PA House against the medical “gag rule” that prevents doctors from speaking with their patients about the chemicals in fracking and its potential impact on their health.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A:  As co-chair of the PA Safe Caucus, I have fought for two decades to pass common-sense gun regu lations. I support legislation for comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and mandatory firearm safety training for gun owners. Any ratio nal person can see that deadly weapons should be regulated at least as much as, say, swimming pools or lawnmowers. In the face of the Republican-led legislature’s refusal to take up meaningful reform measures, I introduced two bills to allow munici pal and county governments to create local laws that reflect residents’ desire to have reasonable limits on gun use and ownership. I also drafted legislation to require prospective gun purchasers to obtain liability insurance first.

DAN FRANKEL

GREEN JAY TING WALKER

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Occupation: Community Orga

nizer

Education: Biology and Eco nomics at Rensselaer Polytech nic Institute. Stuyvesant High School graduate.

Campaign Website: http:// www.jaytingwalker.com/ Campaign Facebook

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. You can read more about my stance on gun control at a link on my website https://www.jaytingwalker.com/issues.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 24

JAY TING WALKER

URL: http://www.facebook.com/jaytingwalker

Campaign Twitter URL: http://www.twitter.com/ jaytingwalker

Link to position on abortion: http://www.jayting walker.com/issues

Other websites: greenslate2022.com

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My first priority in office is an immediate mor atorium on fracking wells. Study after study has shown the serious impact fracking wells have on the health of nearby communities. Fracking pollutes the air and the water in the short term and ruins the climate in the long term. To do this I would also aggressively campaign for campaign finance reform. The fossil fuel industry donates heavily to both ma jor parties in Pennsylvania and both parties fight for it’s interests. Green Party candidates do not take corporate contributions and only fight for the inter ests of Pennsylvania residents. I would work hard to elect representatives that actually reflect the inter ests of their community so there are actually people to work with in the legislature.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I support March on Harrisburg’s “Money Out, People In” reform platform. The “money out” portion includes banning legislator gifts, establishing pub lic campaign financing, eliminating per diems and side jobs. It also includes closing the revolving door for public officials and personal use of campaign money. The “people in” portion includes expanding early voting, enacting same day registration, open primaries, ranked choice voting, support for paper ballots, fair ballot access laws for all parties and ending gerrymandering. I also fully support switch ing to mixed member proportional representation in all legislative bodies.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I would campaign aggressively for a moratorium on new fracking like was passed in New York with a rapid phase out of existing drilling operations. Most fracking in Pennsylvania goes to produce plastic overseas rather than to heating or electricity here in our Commonwealth. I would also crack down on PFAS pollution in our waterways and make sure polluters are held responsible for the pollution they cause. I would also fight in the legislature to em power the DEP and county health departments to use a health based standard to combat air pollution. Right now county health departments have their hands tied by the legislature preventing them from cracking down hard on Title V major source air pol luters like the Clairton Coke Works.

The 24th Legislative district contains several neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh, including Highland Park, East Liberty, Garfield, Bloomfield, Lincoln-Lemington, Larimar, Friendship, Belmar, Schenley Heights, the Upper Hill, Bedford Dwell ings, West Oakland and parts of Homewood.

DEMOCRATIC

LA’TASHA D. MAYES

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: Community Orga nizer

Education: University of Pitts burgh, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Mar keting, Political Science, Wom en’s Studies (2003); Carnegie Mellon University, Master of Sci ence in Policy and Management (2005); University of Pennsylva nia, Executive Program for Social Impact Strategy (2019)

Qualifications: Founder, President & CEO, New Voices for Reproductive Justice (2004-2022); Com missioner, Governor’s Advisory Commission on Af rican American Affairs (2016-2021); Board of Di rectors, Groundswell Fund (2016-2019); Candidate, Pittsburgh City Council - District 7 (2015)  Campaign Website: http://www.latashaforpa.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/latashaforpa Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/ latashaforpa

Link to position on abortion: http://www. latashaforpa.com/issues Other websites: instagram.com/latashaforpa

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: My campaign platform is healthcare access + re productive justice, community safety, environmen tal justice, equitable education and voting rights. I would also prioritize raising the minimum wage, opportunities for workers to unionize and adultuse marijuana legalization. The legislation I would champion would be rooted in the intersectional val ues of racial, gender and economic justice. I have worked with my colleagues in the State House of Representatives for over a decade winning legisla tive and policy change and I would continue build ing those relationships as well as with non-elected policymakers informed by advocacy organizations and community organizers who work directly with those first and most impacted by proposed legisla tion.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I have organized for voting rights focused on building the voting power of Black women since 2004. I led the creation of the New Voices Voice Your Vote! Project in 2009 in collaboration with the PA Center for Women in Politics. For the past eight (8) years, VYV! has outreached millions of times to voters across Pennsylvania turning out 80% of the voters we engage. From my direct experience with voting laws, I would maintain vote by mail, early voting centers, dropboxes that made it easier for Pennsylvanians to vote in 2020 and I would support pre-registration for youth and same-day voter regis tration. I would advance legislation to combat voter suppression, increase penalties for voter intimida tion and increase election worker pay rates.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: If you ask Alexa about the weather, she will talk about air quality alerts before telling you the fore cast for the day. Pittsburgh is one of the worst metro regions in the nation for poor air quality with high levels of particulate matter that impact the health of largely Black and poor communities. Pollution from toxic waste, trash and sewage overflow, privat ization of our water and increasing water rates im pact all Pennsylvanians. Our natural environments which are public spaces should be enjoyed by all. I would support legislation to ban fracking statewide, transition to renewable energy, support just transi tion for workers, emissions from public transit and to provide incentives for higher education and em ployment in the green economy.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Gun violence is impacting our cities from Pitts burgh to Philadelphia and this public health crisis is driven by access to guns within the compounding effects of abject poverty, unaddressed trauma, so cial inequality and under-funded services. I support comprehensive background checks for all firearms. Pennsylvania currently has not passed SB 88 and HB 235 leaving a critical loophole not requiring a background check for military-style assault rifles. Pennsylvania also has not passed red flag or ex treme risk laws which saves lives by temporarily reducing access to firearms that could reduce do mestic violence, suicide and mass shooting deaths. I support a requirement for gun owners to have gun safety training and to safely store their firearms.

LA’TASHA D. MAYES

Please go out and vote this November. Too many people have died and sacrificed so much for us to have our voice, we have to use it. Get information. Use our voices to do something great for our children.”

- Beyoncé, American Singer

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 25

The 25th Legislative district contains Monroeville, North Versailles, East McKeesport, Wall, Wilmerd ing, Turtle Creek, Pitcairn, parts of Plum Township, and the Allegheny County section of Trafford .

DEMOCRATIC

BRANDON J. MARKOSEK

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A:  Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support mak ing to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A:  Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A:  Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A:  Candidate did not respond.

REPUBLICAN

STEVE SCHLAUCH

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 27

The 27th Legislative district contains Ingram, Crafton, Green Tree, Heidelberg, Thornburg, Ross lyn Farms, Scott Township, and several neighbor hoods in the City of Pittsburgh, including Fairy wood, Windgap, Corliss, Crafton Heights, West End, Duquesne Heights, Mt. Washington, West wood, Ridgemont, and Oakwood.

DEMOCRATIC

DANIEL J. DEASY

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

REPUBLICAN

ED BROSKY

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 28

The 28th Legislative district contains Bradford Woods, the Townships of Marshall, Pine, Richland and West Deer, and parts of Hampton.

DEMOCRATIC

ALISON DUNCAN

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: Owner and Creative Director, Duncan Design Education: Bachelor of Arts in Jour nalism & Mass Communication and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from The Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Qualifications: Small business own er for 20+ years; Progress PA (Board Member and Communications Direc

tor, 2017-); Pine Twp Democratic Committee (Vice Chair, 2018-2022; Marketing/Comms Dir., 2022-); Pine-Richland Boys Ultimate Team (Booster President, 2020-2022)

Campaign Website: http://duncanforpa.com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://facebook.com/duncan forpa

Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/duncanforpa Link to position on abortion: http://www.duncanforpa.com/ issues-1

Other websites: instagram.com/duncanforpa --- tiktok. com/duncanforpa

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I am most passionate about: protecting reproductive freedom; ensuring that Pennsylvanians can vote safely, securely, and without fear of results being overturned; and bringing ethics reform to Harrisburg. Protecting these ba sic personal freedoms and fair representation are essential for a functioning democracy. All elected officials, as patri ots, should find value in working together to codify these protections, as well as anti-corruption and fair districting initiatives, into state law. I have spent 20 years working with teams across the country in a variety of industries, from higher education to manufacturing — all with very different expectations and demands. I will use this expe rience to forge working relationships in the State House.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: We should provide adequate election funding so coun ties have can provide each precinct with the staff, equip ment, and supplies needed. We must trust, respect, and value Pennsylvanians’ votes, regardless of the outcome. No single elected official or body should have the ability to overturn election results. We must make voting acces sible. The right to vote is a freedom that should be cele brated and protected, and greater participation can lead to a better-functioning government. Voters deserve early in-person voting options, secure dropboxes, and a holiday or leave to vote. To improve efficiency and timely results, counties should be allowed to begin preparing mail/absen tee ballots for processing at least 24 hours prior to Election Day.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Our right to safe, clean air and water is being threat ened. We all want to be able to drink, fish, and swim in clean water. We all want to feel secure that the land we play, garden, and hunt on is safe. And we all want the air we breathe to be pure. These resources and the natural areas where we live and play are vulnerable to unchecked pollution—enabled by legislators who aren’t willing to en force regulations on their corporate donors. As a member of the State House, I will put the people of PA first. I will work to: regulate and hold polluters accountable; make sure the Dept. of Environmental Protection has the re sources needed to enforce regulations; and encourage prac tical, increased use of alternate energy sources.  Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being consid ered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: My stepfather kept a gun in the house and in his truck for protection, and I fully respect the Second Amendment’s guarantee of the right to bear arms. However, we are clear ly experiencing an ever-worsening gun violence epidem ic, and while there is no perfect solution, changes must be made. I support stronger comprehensive background checks and red flag laws, and I would work to pass legis lation requiring training on the safe handling and storage of firearms.

REPUBLICAN

ROB MERCURI

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 30

The 30th Legislative district contains Kilbuck, Mc Candless, and Ohio Townships, the Boroughs of Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Emsworth, Franklin Park, and parts of Hampton Township.

DEMOCRATIC

ARVIND VENKAT

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: Physician Education: A.B. and A.M., Har vard University, 1996, M.D., Yale University, 2000

services on which we all depend. Third, we must preserve our democracy by expanding access to the ballot box. Finally, we must address gun violence by passing common sense gun-safety laws.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: We should make voting easy and secure as de mocracy works best when all voters participate. I am in favor of enacting same day voter registration, pre-registering 16-17 year-olds so that they are on voter rolls at age 18, and preserving no-excuse mailin voting that worked well in recent elections. I also believe we should enact in-person voting days pri or to election day to maximize participation in our electoral process and allow pre-processing of mail-in ballots by county election offices to allow efficient and rapid reporting of results.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I believe we must preserve and advance our en vironmental quality as it is fundamental to public health. If elected, I would be the only physician in the General Assembly and will bring that perspec tive to this issue. I would emphasize looking at the scientific and medical data for assessing the need for environmental interventions while recognizing that all regulations and government actions have a cost - intended and unintended. My hope is that my healthcare and scientific background will help find ing the right balance in meeting the constitutional mandate to ensure clean air, pure water, and a pre served high-quality environment for the residents of the 30th District and all Pennsylvanians.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: As a nurse, I will prioritize the growing mental health epidemic in our commonwealth. Between the isolation of pandemic lock-downs and inflation based economic hardships, our communities are hurting. We must in crease the supply of mental health professionals and the accessibility of services for patients. We can look at cross state licensure, expanded telemedicine, increase and student counseling services. Mental Health is a complex topic that will need to be targeted from many angles.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Voters must have confidence in the security and transparency of elections. We must support universal voting access for every legal voter. This could include increased funding for county election departments. We need to codify uniformity of vote counting and mail in ballot guidelines between counties to avoid conflicting rulings. I believe that a voter ID program that insured free voter ID’s for non-drivers would go a long way to re store public confidence in our voting system. It is critical that every legal vote is counted.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I strongly support the preservation of parks and green-space. We must support legislation to enhance our drinking and waste water infrastructure. Manag ing runoff through combined proactive planning of all levels of government will help mitigate flooding and waste water into our rivers. We must also guide federal infrastructure dollars towards a more efficient smarter power grid that will lessen the impact of pollutants on our air.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being con sidered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

Qualifications: Attending Phy sician and Core Faculty, Depart ment of Emergency Medicine, and System Chair of Clinical Ethics, Allegheny Health Net work, and Professor of Emergency Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine Campaign Website: http://www.VenkatforPA.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/VenkatforPA Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/Ven katforPA

ARVIND VENKAT

A: I look at gun legislation through the lens of pub lic health of preventing gun violence, not prohib iting gun ownership - which does have a constitu tional basis. I believe there is an individual right to own a gun under the Second Amendment. No right, however, is absolute—one cannot scream ‘fire’ in a theatre, for example. I am therefore in favor of legis lation that would mandate background checks, red flag laws with rigorous due process protections, and robust firearm safety training. None of these would prevent law-abiding citizens from owning guns while also mitigating intentional and accidental gun violence.

REPUBLICAN

CINDY KIRK

A: I stand for increased firearm safety training and stiff er penalties for those guilty of gun violence. We need to better enforce the laws already in place. We need to analyze the intersections of mental health, domestic vio lence, and crime; then support legislation that balances those factors with individual safety and constitutional rights.

Link to position on abortion: http://www.venkat forpa.com/issues/reproductive-health

Other websites: @VenkatforPA Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: First, we must preserve abortion rights in Penn sylvania. As an emergency physician who has actu ally treated a woman who had a back-alley abortion and nearly died, I understand profoundly the impor tance of reproductive rights. Second, we must make our communities thrive and economy work for all by making healthcare more affordable and accessible, including in-home care for the elderly and mental health care, and fully funding our public schools and police, EMS, and fire services so that more people can live their lives without worrying about basic

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: RN / UPMC Presby terian Hospital Education: MSN / University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing Qualifications: Allegheny Coun ty Councilwoman Representing 100,000 people in 15 municipalities of Allegheny County, Life-long com munity service inc. PTA, Boys and Girl Scouts of America, church, library, community as sociation, Southwestern PA Air Force Academy Associa tion, Jubilee Kitchen Volunteer, etc. Campaign Website: www.CindykirkPA.com Campaign Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/Cin dyKirkPA

CINDY KIRK

The 32nd Legislative district contains Penn Hills, Oakmont, Verona, and part of Plum Borough.

DEMOCRATIC

TONY DELUCA

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A:  Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support mak ing to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A:  Candidate did not respond.

Q:  Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A:  Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety train ing. What is your position on these measures?

A:  Candidate did not respond.

GREEN QUEONIA LIVINGSTON

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: PCT Campaign Website: http:// www.zarahforpa32.com/ Campaign Facebook URL : http://www.facebook.com/ zarahforpa32

Campaign Twitter URL: http://www.twitter.com/Zarah ForPA32

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A : More dependable resources for mental health / healthcare. Legislation that would continue to protect constituents of all races, genders, & more. Along with helping to work on ending gift ban.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support mak ing to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A:  Making it easier for folks to vote with more accurate mail in ballot procedures especially for the youth. Or possibly even introductions anoth er method of voting via phone.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A:  Working with already standing local organi zations that are doing the work, uplifting + high lighting that work. So that when more actions are introduced, the platform of knowledge will me more than well known to constituents.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A:  I think there needs to be several updates on what it takes to get a gun. Changing the rule for non-violent previously incarcerated people espe cially for the who have already shown continuous non-violent improvement.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 33

The 33rd Legislative district contains East Deer, Fawn, Frazer, Harmar, Harrison, Indiana, O’Hara and Springdale, Aspinwall, Blawnox, Brackenridge, Cheswick, Fox Chapel, Sharpsburg, and Tarentum.

DEMOCRATIC

MANDY STEELE

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Occupation: Nonprofit Man agement

Education: University of Pitts burgh - B.A. in Anthropology

Qualifications: Fox Chapel Bor ough Councilperson  Campaign Website: http:// www.steeleforpa.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/Steele forPA

MANDY STEELE

Campaign Twitter URL: http://www.twitter.com/ SteeleforPA Link to position on abortion: http://www.steele forpa.com/platform

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Pennsylvania has a massive opportunity ahead of it with the infrastructure money that will be pumped into our state. I’m running because we need a representative in Harrisburg who has the expe rience and work ethic it will take to drive money and investment to our communities. We can rebuild our once vibrant economy through union clean en ergy jobs and green infrastructure projects. Putting working families at the center of this transition is essential to success. There is tremendous opportu nity right now to make environmental and economic gains. This is our chance and I am ready to get it done.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I will support automatic voter registration or pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds and same day registrations, dropping Pennsylvania’s current registration deadlines. I will support expanded ear ly voting opportunities and adamantly oppose any forms of voter suppression, such as voter ID require ments, when any such efforts are brought forth.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: This is an important topic that lies at the heart of my work as an elected official and community or ganizer. In 2020, I led my community to be the first in the state to ban application of a tier 1A human carcinogen and component of our air and water pol lution using Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitu tion. I went on to lead 20 other SWPA communities to take similar action, yielding significant potential improvements in the quality of our air and water. I

believe many protections for our communities can be achieved at both the local and state level when we use the PA constitution. I will continue to pursue this course of action and ensure this vital constitu tional right is preserved.

Q:  There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Gun ownership is a right of every American. Hunters are an important part of a healthy ecosys tem. I am raising my own children to connect to our natural systems through hunting and fishing. I will advocate for responsible gun owners—supporting sensible gun safety laws like background checks, red flag laws, wait periods, and firearm safety training.

REPUBLICAN

TED TOMSON

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Occupation: Self Employed Education: Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon Universi ty, Bachelor of Science in Finance from Penn State University

Qualifications: 20+ years of management experience in the private sector. Academic study of public policy.

TED TOMSON

Campaign Website: http://www.tedforpa.com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/tedforpa Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Economy—We need to have our commercial centers thrive again. By rebuilding infrastructure through government and private industry improve ments that support high paying jobs and assist small businesses, we can restore the economic bene fits and influence our district once enjoyed. First Re sponders—A solution to having a strong and thriv ing community, is by supporting those that protect and serve that community. It is imperative that our police, fire rescue, and EMS have the resources to do their jobs. Opioid Crisis - The opioid crisis is still af fecting many families. A lot of politicians seemed to have moved on from this issue, but it is still present and it is still wreaking havoc on all of us.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Act 77, from my understanding, is in violation of the PA Constitution, so that would have to be repealed and the Constitution amended first. That being said, I do like how ACT 77 eliminated some one from choosing one box to vote for everyone from one party. Moving forward, I support the maintain ing of the integrity of the election process and that we need to discuss appropriate and fair ways that we can uphold a standard where everyone feels confident in its results. Losing faith in our election process is one of the biggest detriments democracy could suffer.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Pennsylvania is rich with natural resources. The ability to realize the huge potential gains from ex tracting them can lead to economic and social devel

QUEONIA LIVINGSTON

opment in many of our disenfranchised commu nities. That being said, I feel that with a good working communicative relationship between government and the oil and gas industry, we won’t compromise Article 1, Section 27 of the PA Constitution. In fact, I believe with a good working relationship, we can do more to protect those rights, than when government and indus try are adversarial.

Q:  There are several pieces of gun legislation bei ng considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety train ing. What is your position on these measures?

A:  Comprehensive background checks can help protect our citizens without jeopardizing any body’s right to own a gun. A problem with red flag laws is that the burden of proof is generally low. This sets up a lot of instances of abuse that can unjustly affect law abiding citizens. I don’t feel firearm safety training should be a require ment to own a gun. I do, however, feel that PA should vigorously promote firearm safety train ing so that those with less exposure to firearms have the opportunity to learn handling, storage, and cleaning safety.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 34

The 34th Legislative district contains Wilkins Township, Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, Wilkinsburg and a few neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh, including Park Place, and parts of Homewood, and Point Breeze .

DEMOCRATIC

SUMMER LEE

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q:  There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 35

The 35th Legislative district contains Clairton, Duquesne, McKeesport, South Versailles, Home stead, Liberty, Lincoln, Munhall, Port Vue, Ver sailles, West Homestead, Whitaker and White Oak, and part of West Mifflin.

DEMOCRATIC

AUSTIN DAVIS

Party:  Dem

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny Occupation: State Represen tative

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh

such as the ones listed above, in order to better protect our communities. I also support the idea of classifying gun violence as a public health is sue, which would allow for more resources to be used to combat it. In fact, as senior advisor to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, I helped to create the Office of Violence Preven tion within the Department of Health to do just that.

REPUBLICAN

DON NEVILLS

AUSTIN DAVIS

Qualifications: Austin Davis is currently a PA State Repre sentative where he serves as Chair of the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation and Vice Chair of the House Democratic Policy Committee. Pre viously, Austin served as Senior Advisor to Al legheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald for 6 years.

Campaign Website: http://www.pahouse.com/ adavis

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.face book.com/AustinDavisPA Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/ AustinDavisPA

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A:  The issues I plan to prioritize are continuing to work to create family sustaining jobs, build ing ladders of opportunity for folks to help them succeed, and ensuring every child receives a quality education, regardless of their zip code. I have a track record of getting things done as a State Representative and I look forward to con tinuing to deliver real results for the people of the 35th District.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support mak ing to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A:  The right to vote is sacred, held by all Penn sylvanians, and I will always work to strength en that right for every member of our Common wealth. I believe expanding access to democracy is always the right thing to do and I would sup port measures such as automatic voter registra tion to do this.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A:  Every Pennsylvanian deserves the right to clean air, pure water, and a good environment. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case in many in stances across the Commonwealth. I believe in holding bad actors who pollute our communities accountable and I have a track record of doing so as State Representative. However, in order to further protect these constitutional rights, we must reinvest in our Department of Environ mental Protection, which has been gutted over the past several decades. We must strengthen their ability to enforce existing laws, as well as increase their funding which will allow them to do a more efficient and effective job at protect ing Pennsylvania’s environment.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety train ing. What is your position on these measures?

A : Gun violence has become all too common across the country, including right here in Penn sylvania. I support common sense gun reforms,

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE

The 36th Legislative district contains Brentwood, Mt. Oliver, and several neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh, including Beechview, Brookline, West Liberty, Overbrook, Carrick, South Side Slopes, Ar lington, Arlington Heights, and St. Clair.

DEMOCRATIC

JESSICA BENHAM

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Occupation: State Representa tive

Education: University of Pitts burgh

Qualifications: Previously Di rector of Development at the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy. Currently serves on the House Health, Human Ser vices, and Aging Committees

JESSICA BENHAM

Campaign Website: http://www.benhamforpa. com

Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/benhamforpa

Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/jessi calbenham

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I would prioritize decreasing cost of living, and increasing access to healthcare, funding for public education, and community safety. As a member of the minority party, I have to work across the aisle as no bills authored by House Democrats have been enacted in the current session. I have been able to get my ideas into legislation by introducing amendments to Republican bills and by providing suggestions to Republican legislators on ideas to include in their bills. If Democrats take the ma jority, passing legislation will become easier for members of my party, though working together to create good legislation that addresses issues fac ing Pennsylvanians across the state will always be necessary.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I will continue to fight for election day voter reg istration, automatic voter registration, and more opportunities for early voting. When it comes to other democracy reforms, I support a ban on gifts to elected officials, limits on contributions to polit ical candidates, and full disclosure of all spending meant to influence the outcome of elections. I sup port a redistricting commission to draw fair lines for Congressional, State House, and State Senate districts.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: In Harrisburg, I have stood up to protect the Department of Environmental Protection from at tacks that would have weakened its ability to en force environmental regulations. I believe the state needs to pass laws to address stormwater manage ment, fossil fuel pollution, and corporate disregard for our environment. We can address environmen tal pollution while also investing in family-sus taining, union jobs.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I support commonsense gun legislation, includ ing comprehensive background checks, extreme risk protection orders, firearm safety training, and safe storage laws.

LIBERTARIAN

ROSS SYLVESTER

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Occupation: Teacher

Qualifications: Unlike politicians I understand economics and I do not want to control your life.  Campaign Website: http://www. rosssylvester4pa.com

Campaign Twitter URL: http:// twitter.com/RossSylvester2

Questions:

ROSS SYLVESTER

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I have two priorities, economic and personal freedom. I cannot use the cliché “I will reach across the aisle” because I am an outsider and will be placed in the corner with a dunce cap. I will build coalitions with both ruling parties to expand personal freedoms. When it comes to economic freedom, I will do my best to engage both parties and educate them on economics. Politicians in both sides of the aisle believe they have the authority and the knowhow to manage an econo my, when they don’t. I understand economics know the av erage person should drive the economy not politicians.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Penn sylvania’s voting laws?

A: This as a political wedge issue and is the least of my con cerns. I am more interested in removing the control politi cians have over the lives of their constituents, this would drastically reduce the importance of voting and eliminate this as a wedge issue. I am an advocate for the abolishment of taxpayer funded primary elections. The taxpayer should not be funding the internal candidate selection process of two very wealthy and powerful political parties. I would be open to discussing a NOTA (None of the Above) option and ranked-choice voting.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guarantees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Article 1 Section 27 is very vague and after reviewing court decisions, it only seems to apply to only public lands. I am not a lawyer and only touched the surface of these court cases so I could be wrong. This constitutional amendment did not protect individual rights, it simply regulated the ac tivity on state owned land. As far as environmental protec tion, I fully support the individual’s right to sue individuals, corporations, and governments for environmental damages.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being consid ered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: This is the law: Article 1 Section 21: “The right of the cit izens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.” I support repealing all state laws and the nullification of all federal laws which are not in compliance of Article 1 Section 21.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 38

The 38th Legislative district contains Baldwin, Whitehall, Dravosburg, Glassport, part of West Mifflin, and a few neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh, including Hays, Hays Woods, and New Homestead.

DEMOCRATIC

NICK PISCIOTTANO

Biographical Info:

County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 39

The 39th Legislative district contains Elizabeth, West Elizabeth, Forward, Jefferson Hills, Pleasant Hills, South Park, and parts of Westmoreland Coun ty including Monongahela, Carroll, New Eagle, Fin leyville, and Union.

DEMOCRATIC

RICK SELF

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”

- Abraham Lincoln

REPUBLICAN

Andrew Kuzma

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.- no response -

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 40

The 40th Legislative district contains Bethel Park, part of Upper Saint Clair, and Peters Township (in Washington County).

DEMOCRATIC

CHRIS TODD

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Occupation: Executive Director Education: US Merchant Marine Academy, B.S. Marine Engineer ing Systems; Purdue Universi ty’s Krannert School of Manage ment, MBA

Qualifications: Engineer, Ex ecutive and Sales Team Lead ership, Professional Coaching, Non-Profit Founder, Officer for Trade Association, Treasurer and Ruling Elder for Church, Musician Campaign Website: http://www.ChrisToddfor PA40.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/friendsofchristodd Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/Chris ToddPA40

Link to position on abortion: http://fb.watch/ fcLFMXy7_h/

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Protecting the fundamental rights of all Pennsyl vanians, such as equal voting access and women’s choice.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Voting must remain easy and accessible for all eligible Pennsylvanians, and I will resist efforts to purge voter rolls or make it more difficult to access the ballot box.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the

preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I am passionate about environmental protection for future generations, as evidenced by my most re cent employment involving municipal water purifi cation. I will carefully consider the environmental impact of any proposed legislation.

Q:  There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: We need to take common-sense steps to reducing gun violence in our communities including banning military-style assault weapons, limiting high-capac ity magazines, preventing dangerous persons and/ or those experiencing a mental health crisis from buying guns, and mandatory universal background checks.

REPUBLICAN

NATALIE MIHALEK

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny and Washington

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 42

The 42nd Legislative district contains Baldwin, Mt. Lebanon, part of Upper St. Clair, Dormont, and Cas tle Shannon.

DEMOCRATIC

DAN MILLER

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Occupation: Legislator Education: BA in History, BS in Secondary Education, JD

tedanmiller

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: I spend a lot of time working on disability and mental health issues. By their nature they are non partisan, so I try to work across the aisle as much as possible to create more opportunity and to end stigma. I host a Disability & Mental Health Summit every year to raise awareness and provide informa tion on resources and prospective bills. It is always a bipartisan event.

Q:  What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: I think we need to prioritize the recommenda tions from county officials about how we can help them run a smoother election. Making it easier to administer, making it easier to register and vote, and providing greater state resources would be key.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: One of the main things we can do is to actual ly fund our DEP. Unfortunately over the last two decades the DEP has been decimated by cuts and hampered by indifference. The DEP needs to be re-energized to fulfill its mission in a timely fashion.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: I have voted for more expansive background checks and for a bipartisan red flag bill. I am al ways for safety training but I can’t recall a bill in particular.

REPUBLICAN

PAT TYLKA

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Qualifications: Four years as Mt. Lebanon Commissioner, 5 terms as State Rep, Current Mi nority Caucus Chair, former Mt. Lebanon volunteer fire fighter, a term in AmeriCorps, and former Allegheny County public defender and county solic itor

DAN MILLER

Campaign Website: http://VoteDanMiller.com Campaign Facebook URL: http://www.facebook. com/VoteDanMiller/ Campaign Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/vo

CHRIS TODD

Not voting is not a protest. It is a surrender.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 44

The 44th Legislative district contains Aleppo, Cres cent, Findlay Township, Moon Township, North Fayette, Bell Acres, Edgeworth, Glen Osborne, Glen field, Haysville, Leet Township, Leetsdale, Sewick ley, Sewickley Heights and Sewickley Hills.

DEMOCRATIC DEBBIE TURICI

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

REPUBLICAN

VALERIE GAYDOS

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 45

The 45th Legislative district contains Collier Town ship, Kennedy Township, Robinson Township, Stowe, Bridgeville, Carnegie, Coraopolis, Neville Island, Kirwan Heights, McKees Rocks and Penns bury Village.

DEMOCRATIC

ANITA ASTORINO KULIK

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guaran tees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preserva tion of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being con sidered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Voters Guide General Election

REPUBLICAN

MICHAEL PENDEL

Biographical Info:  County: Allegheny

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 46

The 46th Legislative district contains South Fayette Township, Oakdale, and McDonald in Allegheny County; and part of Washington County including Cecil Township, North Strabane Township, Canons burg, Houston and McDonald.

REPUBLICAN

JASON ORTITAY

Biographical Info:  County: Washington

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the

preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: There are several pieces of gun legislation being considered on comprehensive background checks, red flag laws, and firearm safety training. What is your position on these measures?

A: Candidate did not respond.

SPECIAL ELECTION: PITTSBURGH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5

Description: Pittsburgh City Council consists of nine members elected by district by the city of Pitts burgh voters. The legislative power is vested in the council. Council members in old-numbered districts are elected 2 years after the even-numbered district members are elected.

TERM: 1 year for Special Election position

Salary: $76,544

Vote for one

DEMOCRATIC

BARBARA GREENWOOD WARWICK

Biographical Info:

Occupation: Tech writer

Education: Masters Degree

Qualifications: Community orga nizer

Campaign Website: barbforpgh. com

Campaign Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/Barb4PGH

Campaign Twitter URL: twitter. com/Barb4PGH

Questions:

BARBARA GREENWOOD WARWICK

Q: What issue(s) would you prior itize, and how would you work with others in govern ment to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Street safety: I will work with PGH DOMI to ensure that low-cost traffic calming analysis is part of every street maintenance review and that sidewalks are safe and accessible for people of all abilities.

Out-of-school programming: I will work with the may or’s office and Council to increase funding for Citiparks out-of-school programming to ensure that PGH kids have a safe place to go between when school gets out and parents get home from work.

Affordable housing: I will work with Council to pass Inclusionary Zoning and ensure that HACP meets its obligations to enroll more landlords in Section 8 and en sure they comply with safety requirements. I will also push for the URA to show that its funding is going to the residents who need it most.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guaran tees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preserva tion of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Stormwater: I will work with Council and PWSA to ensure that the new stormwater fee is used to solve issues around District 5 related to increased rainfall, including flood mitigation in Four Mile Run and runoff issues on Mifflin Road and elsewhere in the 31st Ward. I will also push for green infrastructure improvements at the source to help prevent overfilled sewers and ex cessive runoff in the first place.

Greenway: I will work with my colleagues on Council to introduce a resolution prohibiting the building of new roads for multi-passenger vehicles through our public parks.

Public Transit: I will work with the Mayor, County Exec, and County Council to increase public transit ser vice and reduce the number air-polluting cars in Pgh.

REPUBLICAN

EUGENE BOKOR

Biographical Info:

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get leg islation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

INDEPENDENT

MATTHEW ALAN MAHONEY

Biographical Info:

Occupation: Father, Husband, Non-Profit Director, Adjunct Pro fessor (listed in order of impor tance with the most important first)

Education: Master’s Degree in Renewable Energy and Sustain ability Systems from Penn State University and Bachelor’s De gree in Anthropology from Slip pery Rock University

ing and blaming others. I will preserve our shared values and genuine appreciation for our residential community. I will represent decency and respect for everyone, especially those that need our collective voice the most to defend our right to happiness and to make our own decisions. I will always listen first and continuously learn to do, what I know we can do better together.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: I earned my Master’s Degree to advance real solu tions that protect public health and advance corpo rate responsibility. Our District has a lot to protect, and as City Councilperson, I will work harder and smarter to address the environmental injustice our neighbors have faced for decades. First, I will secure funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act to address air and noise pollution and support clean, accessible transportation. Next, let’s use our energy smarter. We can work with businesses to reduce energy use, harmful emissions, and utility bills, a win-win-win. I will represent our District’s resilient character when we plan for the future by working together, and prioritizing all of us.

ROB FOR COUNCIL

MATTHEW ALAN MAHONEY

Qualifications: I am passionate about serving our community. I have 10+ years working in Pittsburgh’s non-profit sector. I’ve served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and AmeriCorps. To learn more about my qualifications, please visit my LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin. com/in/matthew-alan-mahoney-98213a27/ Campaign Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/ matt.mahoney.9235/ Campaign Twitter URL: twitter.com/mahoney matthewa

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: We work better together. That is why I will sit down with representatives from every level of gov ernment to ensure our District is heard by a strong political leader that represents everyone equitably. I will stand solid, with integrity and sensibility for everyone, without unnecessary politicking or sham

ROBERT MCCUNE

Biographical Info:

Questions:

Q: What issue(s) would you prioritize, and how would you work with others in government to get legislation passed and signed into law?

A: Candidate did not respond.

Q: Article 1, Section 27 of the PA constitution guar antees the rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment. What actions would you take to protect these rights?

A: Candidate did not respond.

BALLOT QUESTIONS

COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY PROPOSED HOME RULE CHARTER AMENDMENT

Ballot Question: Shall Article III, Subsection 6(b) of Allegheny County’s Home Rule Charter be repealed in order to allow Members of County Council the same freedom of right to seek other elected office as is accorded to all other independently elected offi cials in Allegheny County, such that Council Mem bers are permitted to run for nomination or election to elected office other than that of County Council Member without first having to resign from County Council?

WILKINSBURG BOROUGH—SPECIAL ELECTION QUESTION PROPOSED HOME RULE CHARTER GOVERNMENT STUDY COMMISSION

Shall a Government Study Commission of seven members be elected to study the existing form of

Summary: This ordinance, if approved, would allow sitting County Council members to remain in office while running for another elected office.Currently, a sitting member must resign from County Coun cil in order to run for another elected officeThis re quirement applies only to County Council members and not to any other elected officials in the City of Pittsburgh or Allegheny County government.

Q: Yes or No vote

A YES vote would remove the current rule.

government of the municipality, to consider the advisability of the adoption of a home rule charter and, if advisable, to draft and to recommend a home rule charter?

The special election question asks voters if they wish to create a commission of seven members to study whether a home rule government is advisable

Therefore, a sitting County Council member could remain in office while running for another elected office.

A NO vote would keep the current rule in place.

This means any sitting County Council member must resign from office before they can run for an other office.

for the borough. In August, residents had the oppor tunity to file papers to be a member of that commis sion and the election of those individuals will also be on the ballot.