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ELECTION GUIDE 2023:

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OCT. 25-31, 2023 //VOL. 32 ISSUE 43 Editor-in-Chief ALI TRACHTA Director of Advertising RACHEL WINNER Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD A&E Editor AMANDA WALTZ News Editor COLIN WILLIAMS Staff Writer RACHEL WILKINSON Photographer MARS JOHNSON Audience Engagement Specialist STACY ROUNDS Graphic Designer JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Sales Representatives SIERRA CLARY, ALEISHA STARKEY, MARIA STILLITANO Digital Coordinator MORGAN BIDDLE Marketing Coordinator LEE HOOD Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Contributors KAHMEELA ADAMS-FRIEDSON, REGE BEHE, LYNN CULLEN, MEG ST-ESPRIT, MATT PETRAS, JORDANA ROSENFELD, JORDAN SNOWDEN National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher CARS HOLDING, INC. GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2023 by CARS Holding, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of CARS Holding, Inc. LETTER POLICY: Letters, or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by CARS Holding, Inc. and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper. FIRST CLASS MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Available for $250 per year (52 issues), $150 per half year (26 issues), or $32 per six weeks. For more information, visit pghcitypaper.com and click on the Subscribe tab.

COVER ILLUSTRATION: SHAWN ATKINS

BY COLIN WILLIAMS

04 NEWS

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: JEFF SCHRECKENGOST

The Race for County Executive BY CHARLIE WOLFSON

Allegheny County Exec: Sara Innamorato v. Joe Rockey BY AMANDA WALTZ

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Allegheny County Treasurer: Erica Brusselars v. Herb Ohlinger BY RACHEL WILKINSON

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District Attorney: Matt Dugan v. Steve A. Zappala Jr. BY RACHEL WILKINSON

16 POLITICS

Voting Local BY COLIN WILLIAMS

18 POLITICS

The New Radicals

08 POLITICS

PA Courts, Explained BY COLIN WILLIAMS

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ELECTION GUIDE CHART 2023

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NEWS

THE RACE FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Allegheny County exec race a generational decision between Rockey, Innamorato BY CHARLIE WOLFSON // CHARLIE@PUBLICSOURCE.COM

CP PHOTO-ILLUSTRATION: JEFF SCHRECKENGOST

ARA INNAMORATO AND JOE ROCKEY grew up during starkly different eras for the Pittsburgh region, a fact that shows in their visions as they compete in the hottest race for Allegheny County executive in decades. Rockey, 59 and the Republican nominee, was born well before the collapse of the steel industry and

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witnessed it firsthand as he grew up in the North Side. Now an Ohio Township resident, his campaign is focused heavily on jobs and his pledge to visit companies nationwide to try to get them to bring employment to the region. Innamorato, 37, the Democrat, was born around the time steel faltered, and entered adulthood

as the “eds and meds” boom took off. She moved into burgeoning Lawrenceville in the 2010s and is part of a relatively new political class that does not view the region primarily through the lens of its industrial past. Her campaign is more focused on social services, addressing inequities and housing. What started as a seven-candidate

free-for-all in the spring is coming to an end. Allegheny County will elect a new county executive, its first since 2011, when voters choose between Innamorato and Rockey on Nov. 7. Several million dollars have been spent by those seeking the office this year. Two longtime stalwarts of local government — county Treasurer John Weinstein and Pittsburgh

Controller Michael Lamb — gave up lower offices to try, and fail, to ascend to the post. An Innamorato win would take the local progressive movement to new heights, its first countywide General Election victory, and mark the sixth consecutive county executive election won by Democrats. A Rockey win could validate his campaign message that county voters are largely moderate, and the progressive left has gone further than they are comfortable with. It would prove what some had begun to doubt, that a certain kind of Republican candidate can still win here. The last Republican county executive was Jim Roddey, elected in 1999.

WHO ARE INNAMORATO AND ROCKEY?

The two candidates cut drastically different paths to this moment, but they share at least one meaningful similarity. Both try to convey a populist message by recounting their upbringing in less-than-ideal circumstances. Innamorato frequently talks about losing her father to the opioid epidemic at a young age, and Rockey often talks about growing up in a home dependent on food stamps. Innamorato entered politics five years ago. A surprising state House election win in 2018, while she was a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, put her on the map, and her stature grew quickly among the local political crowd. In the House, she formed a political bond with Summer Lee (also elected in 2018 and now in Congress) and Ed Gainey, who became Pittsburgh’s mayor in 2022. She became the progressives’ choice for executive in a crowded primary field, a show of strength when progressive disunity likely would have led to a moderate Democratic nominee. Rockey is new to the political arena, at least as a candidate. This is his first run for any office, and records show a limited history

of donating to candidates. He announced his campaign early this year and enjoyed an uncontested primary and the undivided support of the county party. He recently retired from a career as a PNC executive. He said in an August interview that local GOP strategist Mike DeVanney is a longtime friend of his and helped convince him to run after he retired.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

The county government is sprawling and influential in a number of areas:

• Its Department of Human Services is one of the largest in the state. • The executive is responsible for

the county jail, which houses more than 1,000 incarcerated people at any time, and has been under much scrutiny in recent years after a string of deaths in the facility.

• The county regulates industrial polluters and levies fines against them. • The county administers elections and the executive sits on the Board of Elections — deciding its partisan majority — which is responsible for certifying the county’s votes. • The next executive will inherit a

property assessment system called ‘broken’ by many, the subject of litigation and possibly the source of inequities and unfair taxation

• The executive appoints members of dozens of influential boards and commissions that set policy for the region. PROPERTY TAXES: One of the most clear-cut disputes in the campaign: Rockey would continue outgoing Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s pledge to forgo a countywide property reassessment. Innamorato said she would work toward a reassessment after

solidifying protections for seniors and longtime homeowners against tax bill hikes. The county’s property assessment system has been a subject of controversy for decades, and properties have not been reassessed since the last time a judge ordered the county to do so, more than 10 years ago. The result, experts say, is a property tax that effectively overtaxes low-income communities and undertaxes others. A reassessment would result in more or less the same amount of revenue to the county, but would increase some individuals’ tax bills while lowering others.

THE ENVIRONMENT: Innamorato has pledged to take a hard line on pollution controls, and opposes new fracking projects and a hydrogen hub of the sort recently awarded to the Philadelphia region and West Virginia instead of a Western Pennsylvania proposal. Rockey blames the incumbent county administration for driving U.S. Steel to invest in Arkansas instead of Western Pennsylvania, and while he said he would continue enforcing anti-pollution laws, he downplayed the impact of heavy industry on the region’s air quality.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL: This issue has brought a measure of agreement between Rockey and Innamorato. They concurred early in the campaign that former Warden Orlando Harper had to be replaced (he retired in September) and that jail operations needed an overhaul, criticizing current leadership in light of numerous deaths in the lockup. Both also said they would take an active role in the Jail Oversight Board, something that Fitzgerald has taken heat for avoiding.

JUVENILE DETENTION: The question of whether and how to open a juvenile detention center in the county became a feature of this campaign the moment Fitzgerald took the surprising step of closing

the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center in late 2021. Members of both parties criticized the move and said the county needed an open facility. Rockey said as much early and often during the campaign, while Innamorato took a more cautious stance, not fully embracing the concept but acknowledging its necessity. Both candidates have criticized Fitzgerald’s latest move to contract with a private nonprofit to operate the facility.

POLICING: The county government has a limited role when it comes to policing. The vast majority of the thousands of officers within the county are employed by municipal departments, which answer to their respective leaders. The county has its own force of approximately 300 officers. Rockey proposed over the summer to expand that complement by 10% and have the department take a more active role in assisting municipal departments when needed. Innamorato said she, too, would be open to expanding the police ranks in a televised debate in September. During the primary season, she emphasized social services and addressing homelessness to improve public safety.

ELECTIONS: Election administration hasn’t stolen much attention during most of this campaign, but Innamorato’s side has begun raising it lately, ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Democrats have said it would be dangerous to give Republicans a majority on the county’s Board of Elections, pointing to the 2020 cycle when former President Donald Trump’s campaign pressured local officials to block results in swing states. The county board certified the county’s 2020 results by a 2-1 margin, with the one Republican member voting against. Rockey has said he opposes Trump, calling him “incredibly divisive,” and that the 2020 election was conducted fairly.

THE RACE FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, CONTINUES ON PG. 6

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 1, 2023

2023 ELECTION

ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXEC BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Progressive incumbent Sara Innamorato faces off against Joe Rockey, a Republican and former PNC bank executive, in this high-stakes race. Both will vie to replace longtime officeholder Rich Fitzgerald after his retirement. The executive oversees all sectors of county government, including drafting the budget and appointing members to powerful agency boards. The electee can also veto county legislation.

THE RACE FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, CONTINUED FROM PG. 5

Aside from certification, the county administration is responsible for distributing mail-in ballots, staffing polling places and facilitating ballot drop boxes or satellite voting centers.

TURNOUT, PARTISANSHIP:

BIOGRAPHY

Retired chief risk officer for PNC Financial Services. Grew up on the North Side and graduated from Duquesne University, where he now holds a board position. Formerly held positions at the Ronald McDonald House at Children’s Hospital and Oakland Catholic High School. Current board member at Catholic Charities and Saint Joseph’s House of Hospitality.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Identifies as pro-choice and promises to protect Allegheny County reproductive care providers. Has supported legislation that would fund and protect abortion access, including for out-of-state patients. Cosponsored bill banning public funding for “crisis pregnancy centers,” which advocates view as deceiving patients into opting out of abortion.

Sees abortion rights as a “national and statewide legislative issue” that should not be determined by the county. Has said during debates that his personal stance on abortion is “not relevant” and states that the Allegheny County executive does not set policy for abortion. Said he would enforce any law regarding the topic as county executive.

CRIME/PUBLIC SAFETY

Supports programs treating mental health and substance abuse, which she views as the root causes of violent crime. Campaign website touts an “inclusive coalition of experts on juvenile justice to provide an action plan on steps towards … divergent pathways for youth.” Said in a debate that she would be open to increasing the number of county police.

Promised to “boost the number of county police” by 10% if elected, according to TribLive. Said in a debate that the lack of police has led to Downtown Pittsburgh becoming an “open-air drug market.” Proposed a Safe Streets Task Force that involves city and county police, the district attorney’s office, and “various other stakeholders through the county.”

Openly critical of Allegheny County Jail for the deaths and alleged mistreatment of inmates. Pledged to attend all oversight committee meetings. Celebrated retirement of former ACJ warden Orlando Harper and promised to hire a new warden. Spoke out against reopening Shuman Juvenile Detention Center and cautioned against hiring a private contractor to run it.

Supports more oversight of ACJ, which he called “broken.” Promises to work with county health departments to provide more medical and mental health services to inmates. Supports the “reopening of a juvenile detention and rehabilitation center,” according to campaign website. Like Innamorato, seems wary of handing Shuman Juvenile Detention Center to private contractors.

Campaign website touts a Housing for All plan to make the county a “leader in developing quality housing that fits the character of our communities, help[s] seniors and lowincome residents stay in their homes, make property taxes affordable and fair, and protect renters from soaring costs.” Would combat homelessness crisis through drug and mental health treatment programs and transitional housing.

According to campaign website, Rockey has seen the “individual and community effect of homelessness” through work with the Second Avenue Commons shelter and St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality. Says plans to reassess countywide property taxes could “force seniors and the middle class from their homes.” No clear plan for providing affordable housing or tackling the homeless crisis.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, U.S. Representative Summer Lee, Pa. Governor Josh Shapiro, UNITE, Clean Water Action, Vote Pro Choice, Young Democrats of Allegheny County

Four Lodges of the Fraternal Order of Police (including the City of Pittsburgh and surrounding departments), Forward Party, Democrats for Rockey, Allegheny County Prison Employees Independent Union.

ENDORSEMENTS

Former state representative elected in 2018. Board member for Urban Redevelopment Authority and Allegheny County Housing Authority. Part of the UNITE coalition of progressive candidates.

INCARCERATION

JOE ROCKEY

HOUSING

SARA INNAMORATO

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Turnout for odd-year elections is typically far below 50%. But voters showed up for this May’s primaries in far higher numbers than four years prior, and highly competitive countywide races could lead to relatively high participation this year. Rockey could be Republicans’ strongest candidate for executive in many years, perhaps since Roddey. (Republican Matt Drozd notched under 32% of the vote in 2019, D. Raja managed almost 38% in 2011, and the GOP had no nominee in 2015.) But his task is a tall one: For every registered Republican in the county, there are two registered Democrats. Rockey has been open about his need to convince a boatload of Dems to back him, and his campaign rolled out a “Dems for Rockey’’ group this month. The last Republican wins for county leadership, in 1995 and 1999, came when Democrats had an even bigger registration advantage that they have today. But a nationalization of local politics and growing polarization have made it less likely for voters to cross their party in the voting booth — making Rockey’s task different, and more difficult, than that of local Republicans in the ’90s.

HOW TO VOTE, AND OTHER RESOURCES Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 7. Voters have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to return mail-in ballots, either by mail or hand delivered to the elections office at 542 Forbes Ave. •

Charlie Wolfson is PublicSource’s local government reporter and a Report for America corps member. He can be reached at charlie@publicsource.org.

2023 ELECTION

DA RACE

BY RACHEL WILKINSON // RWILKINSON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM The District Attorney serves as the county’s chief prosecutor and law enforcement officer. This election sees 25-year incumbent Stephen A. Zappala Jr. running against former county chief public defender Matt Dugan. During May’s primary election, Zappala, a longtime Democrat, lost to Dugan while successfully campaigning for the Republican nomination. High-profile donors means this race serves as a stand-in for a larger national debate about criminal justice.

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SYSTEMIC RACISM AND DIVERSION:

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BIOGRAPHY

MATT DUGAN

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STEVE ZAPPALA

Former Allegheny County Chief Public Defender. Moon Township resident and school board member. Duquesne Law School alumnus and current adjunct professor. Campaign and website highlight record of public service, initiatives to provide free expungements, efforts to help clients through bail hearings, and other projects.

Allegheny County District Attorney since 1998. Fox Chapel resident. Duquesne Law School alumnus. Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association board member. Campaign website lists no specific positions but reiterates commitment to “protecting the rights of our society.” Previously touted effort to implement body cameras for police.

Echoed a plan laid out on his website during the debate and said the county should carry out “targeted enforcement of open-air drug transactions” while adding a designated magisterial district judge to oversee Downtown cases and to direct those in need to treatment and other assistance.

Released several controversial campaign videos alleging a crime wave Downtown. Commented in a recent candidate debate that greater law enforcement and community engagement are needed.

Acknowledged “stark racial disparities” in Allegheny County, citing the Allegheny County Jail population. Vowed to regularly provide public data online. Had “sharp exchange” with Zappala regarding prosecutor Mark Tranquilli, who resigned over alleged racist behavior. Supports diversion for lowlevel offenders.

In the same debate, acknowledged racial disparities in law enforcement. Later added: “We do not have cases [of] driving while Black. … We do not have that type of conduct by police.” Told WESA that county residents want a system where those who “are struggling with addiction or mental health are given access to treatment.”

Agreed with Zappala’s goals of increased support and education for youth but argued the need for “a locked-down, secure facility” to prevent more serious crimes.

Though the county is seeking to reopen Shuman by year’s end, Zappala said “the Shuman name and the concept under which it was constructed … should disappear,” instead emphasizing more “support and education.”

Many Democratic officials and organizations including Sen. John Fetterman, Rep. Summer Lee, Allegheny County Democratic Party, Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood, One Pa., and Steel City Stonewall Democrats. Backed by the Pennsylvania Justice and Public Safety PAC, funded by George Soros.

Though still referring to himself as a Democrat, Zappala is the GOP nominee, and has affiliated with the Forward Party, founded by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 1, 2023

POLITICS

PA’S COURTS, EXPLAINED BY COLIN WILLIAMS // COLIN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

SUPREME SUPERIOR CRIMINAL

FAMILY

COMMONWEALTH ORPHAN

CIVIL

COMMON PLEAS MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT COURTS

CITY COURT

PHILADELPHIA MUNICIPAL COURTS CP INFOGRAPHIC: JEFF SCHRECKENGOST

ike many things in

Pennsylvania, our court system is complicated. Whether your legal issue is simple — say, a speeding ticket — or something more complicated, the state’s multi-tiered court system offers differing levels 8

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of access and differing forms of redress. At the top, as with most U.S. states, is the Supreme Court. Like the U.S. Supreme Court, Pa.’s Supreme Court is the final court of appeal for civil and criminal cases that rise to that level of scrutiny.

Recent cases include an appeal of Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner’s impeachment, a hearing on the constitutionality of capital punishment, and several cases pertaining to redistricting. But while the state Supreme Court is arguably the most

prominent court in the Commonwealth — and the one appearing first on voters’ ballots — it’s unlikely that anyone reading this will have a case heard there. Most locals’ legal journeys would begin instead in Pennsylvania’s Magisterial District Courts.

NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE

Forming the lowest (aka, most local) echelon of the state’s legal structure, magisterial district courts hear a wide variety of small cases ranging from property disputes to traffic violations. Pittsburghers seeking relief from an oppressive landlord or abusive partner would likely want to turn first to their local Magisterial District Judge. These judges are also likely to be located physically closest to most litigants. “People say magistrate court is your first level of court, but I believe it should often be your last court,” Kate Lovelace, a former public defender running to be Magisterial District Judge in district 05-2-31, tells Pittsburgh City Paper. (Magisterial district courts’ numerical names refer to their locations within Pa.’s 60 court districts. District 05 encompasses Allegheny County.) Lovelace says magisterial district judges are locally based for much of their working week. They’re also elected by, and thus beholden to, their neighbors. “There’s no one you feel more obligated to than the people who elected you,” she tells City Paper, adding that knocking on every door in her potential district “changed [her] life.” Lovelace says magistrates are also more likely to look at evidence in cases where a local is contesting potentially spurious charges. She recalls one example of a cell phone recording exonerating someone charged with a hefty moving violation.

“It’s people’s lives,” she says. “It’s not ‘no big deal’ to make someone lose points on their license and pay fines if you can’t prove it.” If elected, Lovelace will, like other magisterial district judges, also spend two days per week hearing cases in Pittsburgh Municipal Court — unlike the smaller boroughs in Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh has parallel court systems that complement one another. Philadelphia, ever the outlier, has its own unique municipal court structure. Between Philadelphia and the rest of the Commonwealth, there are 536 magisterial and municipal judges in the state. They are elected to six-year terms by the citizens in their district.

COMMON PLEAS

Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are served by 60 Courts of Common Pleas. These courts are the Commonwealth’s major trial courts. A total of 458 judges who are elected to 10-year terms adjudicate all of the state’s major criminal cases in the common pleas courts, which vary widely in size — some jurisdictions have as many as 93 judges, while others have only one, but all are led by a president judge. Pa.’s common pleas courts hear around 700,000 cases per year ranging from murder trials to custody battles. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) notes that the common pleas courts “hear

"LIKE MANY THINGS IN PENNSYLVANIA, OUR COURT SYSTEM IS COMPLICATED. WHETHER YOUR LEGAL ISSUE IS SIMPLE — SAY, A SPEEDING TICKET — OR SOMETHING MORE COMPLICATED, THE STATE’S MULTI-TIERED COURT SYSTEM OFFERS DIFFERING LEVELS OF ACCESS AND DIFFERING FORMS OF REDRESS." Pittsburgh’s magisterial municipal and municipal judges hear a variety of cases, however, most of their work consists of adjudicating traffic violations (69% of their docket). Magistrates can also settle small claims cases, officiate marriages, and fix and set bail. For more egregious criminal cases or ones appealed in municipal court, the next step up is Pennsylvania’s Court of Common Pleas.

major civil and criminal cases as well as cases involving children and their families.” The common pleas courts also hear appeals to rulings from magisterial district courts and those filed by governmental agencies. On Friday, Oct. 20 alone, there were nearly 100 cases before the Fifth Judicial District. A majority of those cases dealt with individuals involved in the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program, which

is “usually for first-time offenders.” The program offers a way for those convicted of lower-level crimes to avoid long periods of incarceration and have their records expunged. Other cases before the court concerned parole violations, jury selection, bail, or arraignments (the first step in many criminal proceedings). While a small number of cases stemmed from alleged homicides, most were less sensational, including DUIs, hit-and-runs, or drug possession charges. Other cases might involve matters of estates or dealing with the legal side of adopting children. In short, the two lower tiers of Pa.’s court system often look less like Law & Order and more like C-SPAN. However, when major cases in the common pleas courts are appealed, they can move up one level to the Superior and Commonwealth courts.

TWO SYSTEMS

The second-highest level on the Pennsylvania judicial pyramid is split into criminal and civil components. The highest criminal court of appeal is the Superior Court, which was established in 1895 and consists of 15 judges elected to 10-year terms. The Superior Court is the final stop for any criminal appeals and issues around 5,000 decisions per year. As the AOPC notes, this is “the appeals court for most businesses and citizens,” with thousands of motions filed and hundreds of wiretap applications every year. The Superior Court often has the final word on common pleas PA COURTS EXPLAINED, CONTINUES ON PG. 10

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 1, 2023

PA COURTS EXPLAINED, CONTINUED FROM PG. 9

cases that have been appealed. T h e Su p e ri o r Co u r t j u d ge s don’t often gather together en banc — many appeals are decided through briefs alone — but judges do sometimes hear oral arguments in groups of three or in nine-judge panels convened in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, or Pittsburgh.

Pleas bench are uncontested this year, vacancies at the Supreme Court and intermediate courts have broad implications for the state. The Commonwealth Court, currently dominated by conservatives, has one vacancy that would either entrench that majority or give liberals a greater say in civil law.

"AT THE TOP, AS WITH MOST U.S. STATES, IS THE SUPREME COURT. LIKE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, PA.’S SUPREME COURT IS THE FINAL COURT OF APPEAL FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES THAT RISE TO THAT LEVEL OF SCRUTINY. RECENT CASES INCLUDE AN APPEAL OF PHILADELPHIA DA LARRY KRASNER’S IMPEACHMENT, A HEARING ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, AND SEVERAL CASES PERTAINING TO REDISTRICTING."

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Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Court is unique in the nation. It serves as a civil court of appeal and is relatively recent, having been added to the Pa. Constitution in 1968. Nine judges hear cases kicked up from state agencies or occasionally pertaining to nonprofit organizations. In short, the Commonwealth Court helps establish or define governmental regulations, including those pertaining to voting. “Anything election-related would be the Commonwealth Court,” AOPC’s director of communications Stacey Witalec tells CP. She says this includes recently hot topics such as ballot box access, ballot certification, vote-by-mail, and more — all topics of concern in an age of contentious elections. If these cases are appealed, they make their way at last to the seven justices of Pa.’s Supreme Court.

ELECTION IMPLICATIONS

All levels of the judicial system appear on November’s bal lot. Though many seats on the Common

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Meanwhile, two vacancies at the Superior Court — currently split evenly between Democrats and Republicans — give Democrats a chance for a majority. Republicanaffiliated candidates would need both seats to regain the edge on that bench. Pa. Supreme Court Justice Max Baer’s death in 2022 has left a vacancy that gives Democrats the chance to maintain their 5-2 edge or Republicans a chance to head into several mandatory retirements in 2025 with only a one-seat disadvantage. The results could make the difference between easier access to voting or tighter restrictions, as well as a host of other civil and criminal issues. Lovelace says it’s important for voters to show up and fill these vacant seats — especially the magisterial seats with the most on-the-ground perspective. Unlike the county executive, magistrates are more likely to be your neighbor and make decisions with local context in mind. “Magistrates don’t have a lot of power,” she says, “but if you can keep your case there, it’s not as big of a deal.” •

2023 ELECTION

SUPREME COURT

BY COLIN WILLIAMS // COLIN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM The state’s highest appellate court has had a vacancy since Justice Max Baer died in Sept. 2022. Of the remaining six justices, four are affiliated with the Democratic Party. Vying for a 10-year term in Baer’s open seat are Republican Carolyn Carluccio, a Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas judge, and Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Daniel McCaffery.

ENDORSEMENTS

ETHICS

ABORTION

PHILOSPOPHY

BIOGRAPHY

DAN McCAFFERY

CAROLYN CARLUCCIO

Judge of the Pa. Superior Court since 2019. Lives in Philadelphia. Served in the Army and graduated from West Point. Previously worked as Assistant DA and in private practice before being elected to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in 2013. Volunteered for “at least 50” Democratic campaigns before election to the bench.

First female President Judge in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas. Currently resides in Blue Bell, Pa. Was first-ever female Chief Public Defender for Montgomery County. Former federal prosecutor and Montgomery Co. Bar Association president.

Has said he “believes the Constitution is a living document.” Believes “our courts have been politicized.” Wants to preserve the rights that “we Democrats have fought for the last 60 years.” Cites SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts as an inspiration.

Has said she “will apply the law even when I don’t like it, even if I don’t agree with it.” Wants to restore “balance and trust” on the bench. Says the late Antonin Scalia “most reflects [her] judicial philosophy.” Scrubbed a mention of Second Amendment support and support for “All Life Under the Law” from About page of website.

Disagrees with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and is vocally in favor of preserving the right to an abortion. Says the decision to have the procedure is between a person, doctor, and “her conscience.” Vows to uphold 24-week access to abortion in Pa.

Said she will apply the law permitting abortion up to 24 weeks “as written.” Says it’s up to the governor and state legislature to change this. Has accused McCaffery of wanting to “do what he thinks is best” following Dobbs decision. Has expressed pro-life sentiment to ProLife Coalition of Pa.

Selected by the Pa. Supreme Court to serve on the Court of Judicial Discipline. Says work ethic and commitment to service are a result of Irish Catholic working-class upbringing and military service. Denies any connection to the scandal that took down his brother Seamus despite receiving lewd emails from him.

Attempted to connect opponent McCaffery to a pornographic email scandal that cost McCaffery’s brother Seamus and others their jobs in 2014. Cites Catholic background as a source of “strong ethics.”

Endorsed by the Pa. Democratic Party and pro-choice organizations, including Planned Parenthood. Supported by labor unions, including the Pa. AFL-CIO, and environmental groups such as the Sierra Club. Received third-party ad support from the ACLU. Rated “Highly Recommended” by the Pa. Bar Association.

Received Pa. Republican Party endorsement during the May primary. Has gotten ad support from GOP megadonor Jeffrey Yass. Endorsed by Pa. Pro-Life Coalition of Pa. and Pa. Pro-Life Federation. Rated “Highly Recommended” by the Pa. Bar Association.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 1, 2023

2023 ELECTION

SUPERIOR COURT

BY COLIN WILLIAMS // COLIN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM The Superior Court hears high-level criminal appeals and family cases. This 15-member high court is currently split 7-7 between Democrats and Republicans with one vacancy. With two judges reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, November’s election will fill two vacant seats — Republicans need to win both to gain the majority, while Democrats would have the upper hand with just one.

HARRY SMAIL

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas judge since 2013. Lives in West Philadelphia. Began her career as a CANIDATE teacher.NAME Has sinceOF worked as a legal clerk, public defender, and legal counsel for Pa. Sen. Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia). Bested Beck in the 2021 Superior Court Democratic primary but lost in the general election to Republican Megan Sullivan.

Legal consultant for a staffing firm. Lives in Clarion County. Formerly served as contract specialist with the U.S. Dept. of CANIDATE Defense.NAME AssistantOF general counsel for the Pa. Dept. of Health under Gov. Tom Corbett (a Republican) and the Dept. of State under Gov. Tom Wolf (a Democrat).

Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas judge since 2014 — appointed by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, then OF electedNAME to full term on CANIDATE bipartisan ticket. Lives in Hempfield. Practiced law privately for many years while unsuccessfully campaigning for local office. Served as Westmoreland County GOP solicitor for 15 years. Said he “is known for quick rulings.”

Has suggested she would try to emulate retired SCOTUS Justice Anthony Kennedy, whom she called a “consensus-builder” and “tiebreaker.” Says she has worked to “help the underserved.” Called the seat she is vying for “not a political seat” during a campaign stop.

Has referred to SCOTUS Justice Ketanji Brown as a role model. Said she hopes to treat every person before the court with “dignity and respect.” Advocated for litigants to continue to use Zoom or similar software for accessibility. Participated in a panel sponsored by LGBT Rights Committee.

Did not say explicitly if she is a constitutional originalist, but compared her philosophy to SCOTUS Justice Antonin Scalia. Shares Scalia’s belief that “it [is] up to Congress and the state legislatures to make the laws when the Constitution [is] silent on an issue.” Hopes to better represent rural Pennsylvanians.

Ruled to throw out 204 provisional ballots in 2020. Ruled in favor of fracking in Westmoreland County and a broad interpretation of the Second Amendment. Has compared his philosophy to SCOTUS Justices Antonin Scalia and Neil Gorsuch and called himself “an Originalist and a strict constructionist.”

Though she has not offered public commentary on abortion, has advocated for women’s rights. Gisele Fetterman also wore a Jill Beck shirt at a gathering of pro-choice candidates in Beck’s absence.

Appeared with Gisele Fetterman at a pro-choice event and said “our bodies matter.”

Has not commented publicly on abortion.

Declined to offer a definite answer on abortion when asked about Dobbs, saying the issue “has a very real chance of being litigated before me.” Agreed with a SCOTUS case affirming parental rights.

Has said she has the experience to serve as a judge with “competence, integrity, ethics, and productivity without sacrificing the quality of the decisions.”

Has emphasized the importance of a diverse, efficient courtroom and “creating an unbiased environment.”

Has not commented on judicial ethics, but lack of responses on one survey suggest a view of strict separation of powers.

Has not commented publicly on judicial ethics

Endorsed by the state Democratic party as well as multiple Democratic committees and state lawmakers. Supported by women’s rights groups, including Planned Parenthood. Endorsed by numerous trade unions. Rated “Highly Recommended” by the Pa. Bar Association.

Endorsed by the Pa. Democratic Party and many liberal elected officials. Supported by labor unions, including the Pa. AFL-CIO. Endorsed by Planned Parenthood and Pa. National Organization for Women. Has received PAC support from the Collective PAC, focused on building Black political power. Rated “Highly Recommended” by the Pa. Bar Association.

Endorsed by the Pa. Republican Party and supported by a PAC affiliated with the Pa. Chamber of Business and Industry. Rated “Not Recommended” by the Pa. Bar Association after declining to participate in their evaluation process.

Endorsed by state Republican party and Pa. Sen. and President Pro Tempore Kim Ward. Supported by Pa. Pro-Life Federation and Firearm Owners Against Crime.

ENDORSEMENTS

BIOGRAPHY

Pittsburgh-based business attorney at Black Rome LP. Previously worked as a clerk for Judge Christine Donohue at the NAME OF CANIDATE Superior and Supreme Courts, drafting over 500 opinions from 2010 to 2019. Ran unsuccessfully for same office in 2021. Has worked for KidsVoice, a nonprofit focused on children involved with the welfare system.

PHILOSOPHY

MARIA BATTISTA

ABORTION

TIMIKA LANE

ETHICS

JILL BECK

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2023 ELECTION

COMMONWEALTH COURT BY COLIN WILLIAMS // COLIN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

The Commonwealth Court is the state’s highest court of appeals in civil and regulatory matters. Currently dominated by conservative judges, the court issues opinions on tax matters, state agencies, zoning, and voting. There are currently five Republicans and three Democrats on the bench, with one seat vacant. Voters can choose between Republican and former secretaryparliamentarian Megan Martin or Democratic municipal judge Matt Wolf.

Former Secretary and Parliamentarian of the Senate of Pennsylvania, the first and only woman to hold the role. Cumberland County resident. Graduated from the Delaware Law School at Widener University. Previously worked as a staffer for Republican Govs. Tom Ridge and Tom Corbett, U.S. Navy attorney, and law clerk.

Focused on “equity and access to justice” and highlights record working on tenant protections in Philadelphia. Opposes judicial activism. Notes that he is the only candidate for the Commonwealth Court with experience on the bench.

Likened her philosophy to SCOTUS Justice Samuel Alito and Pa. Supreme Court Justice Kevin Brobson. Has called herself a “strict constitutionalist” and says she does not believe the Constitution is a living document. Said she “will follow the law as it is written by our General Assembly.”

ABORTION

Appeared at an event with other prochoice candidates and public figures.

Agreed with the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the SCOTUS majority opinion comparing it to segregation.

Opposes changes to state judicial ethics standards, saying current ones are “sufficient.”

Says inside experience will help her “hold government accountable.” Vows to staunchly defend the rule of law.

Endorsed by Pa. Democratic Party. Touts endorsements from law enforcement and fire fighting agencies. Supported by labor unions including United Steelworkers, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, and many others. Endorsed by Planned Parenthood. Rated “Recommended” by the Pa. Bar Association.

Endorsed by the Republican Party of Pa. and the Pa. Pro-Life Federation. Supported by law enforcement agencies, including the Pa. State Troopers Association, and business groups such as the Pa. Chamber of Business and Industry. Rated “Recommended” by the Pa. Bar Association.

PHILOSOPHY

BIOGRAPHY

Supervising Civil Judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court. Based in Philly. Cites 25 years of experience as a private civil rights litigator before the state Supreme Court, federal courts, and courts in New Jersey. Decorated 20-year U.S. Army veteran and reservist with combat experience who continues to work as drill instructor in the Pa. Army National Guard.

ETHICS

MEGAN MARTIN

ENDORSEMENTS

MATT WOLF

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 1, 2023

COUNTY CONTROLLER

Opening Gala Thu, Nov 2

BY RACHEL WILKINSON // RWILKINSON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Sponsored by Sprezzatura and Two Frays

The Allegheny County Controller oversees the operations and finances of any agency that uses county funds. Democratic incumbent Corey O’Connor — appointed to the role in July 2022 after Chelsa Wagner became a judge — faces Republican Bob (Robert) Howard, appearing on the ballot after a successful write-in campaign.

Symposium Fri, Nov 3 Sponsored by Adda Coffee

Exhibition Nov 2-Feb 3

BIOGRAPHY

Appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf with state senate approval in 2022. Previously Pittsburgh City Councilor for District 5 (2012-2022). Swisshelm Park resident. Son of late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O’Connor. Campaign website lists accomplishments including efforts to “improve and modernize data transparency.”

Former controller and accountant for PPG Industries, retired after 34 years. Marshall Township resident. Past North Allegheny School board president. U.S. Army veteran. Penn State University alumnus (business administration). No campaign website.

JAIL REFORM

silvereye.org

BOB HOWARD

Conducted multiple audits of county jail as controller and recently described jail conditions as “deplorable.” Undertook additional audit of county programs for children of the incarcerated. Called for “generally” increased jail oversight.

Told WESA that Allegheny County Jail operations “require continued scrutiny” to address recent audit findings by the controller’s office. Recommends further auditing to “benchmark” ACJ with peers nationally.

OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES & BOARDS

Tickets & registration:

COREY O'CONNOR

Proposed ethics reforms to increase transparency around county pension fund. Highlights record of “standing up to big business” as city councilor. Declared that the Department of Health and Department of Human Services need to “strengthen” staffing levels.

Sees need to scrutinize “effectiveness” of Allegheny County Housing Authority in addressing homelessness crisis. Wants Pittsburgh Regional Transit Authority to “emerge from the shadow of the COVID-19 era.” Called for full transparency about county pension funding.

DATA AND ACCESSIBILITY

Silver Eye’s biennial features some of the most exciting artists working with photography today, creating exceptional and important work that explores photography’s possibilities in original ways. Radial Survey Vol.3 is supported by The Leonian Foundation and Henry Simonds

Created data dashboards where residents can view county contracts online. Plans for further community forums about “senior support, utility support, and general consumer advocacy.”

Plans to release a regular newsletter addressing pressing concerns, as information remains “buried.”

ENDORSEMENTS

Radial Survey Vol.3

2023 ELECTION

Local Democratic officials including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, Pa. State senators, and Pittsburgh city councilors. Organizations including Allegheny County Democratic Committee, Allegheny-Fayette County Labor Council, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, and Steel City Stonewall Democrats.

Local Republican committees; others not reported.

Lisa Toboz, Ghost Stories, Chapter 4, 2021

Silver Eye

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2023 ELECTION

COUNTY TREASURER

BY RACHEL WILKINSON // RWILKINSON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM The county treasurer is charged with managing billions of dollars per year, collecting revenue, and investing and disbursing these funds on behalf of the county. Incumbent John Weinstein will vacate the office after nearly 25 years, leaving a contest between Democrat Erica Rocchi Brusselars and Republican Herb Ohliger.

Information systems consultant. Chartiers Valley School Board member. Chairman of Firearms Owners Against Crime, a gun rights advocacy group and PAC “vigorously oppose[d]” to Second Amendment restrictions. Former Republican candidate for sheriff. Former Scott Township commissioner and current resident.

Told WESA she would publicly report revenues, overdue taxes, and other information. Pledged to improve the county’s system for online tax payment and promote greater collaboration with local organizations and officials.

Plans on a “new era” of public information as he views the treasurer’s office as “more than just dog licenses,” serving senior citizens and supporting other programs such as boating, hunting, and fishing. “It should be easy for the public to know how these programs are managed and how monies are collected,” he told WESA.

COUNTY PENSION FUND

Serving on the Retirement Board of Allegheny County (RBAC) as treasurer, plans to undertake a “holistic study” of long-term funding prospects for the county pension and foster public discussion. Pledged to “daylight” meeting minutes and proposals of the RBAC.

Pledges to work with members of RBAC to ensure funds are well invested “with a respectful eye towards risk.” Supports pending ethics reforms to prevent conflicts of interest with financial advisors working for the county pension fund.

Notes many systems of the treasurer’s office are “outdated” and vows to “align and streamline” systems across departments. Wants to prioritize improving county payment portals and making employee advances available online.

Pledged to build out online payment systems for county residents and businesses, including more electronic payment options. Said he will collaborate with future county executive to eliminate “unnecessary redundancies” in systems

Allegheny County Democratic Committee, Young Democrats of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, Steel City Stonewall Democrats, and 314 Action Fund (PAC supporting the election of scientists).

TRANSPARENCY

BIOGRAPHY

Corporate actuary for 14 years, specializing in pensions. Pittsburgh North Side resident and Carnegie Mellon University alumna, originally from Calif. Former middle school math teacher. Allegheny County Democratic Committee 23rd Ward Chair.

MODERNIZATION

HERB OHLINGER

ENDORSEMENTS

ERICA BRUSSELARS

STAY IN THE KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO PITTSBURGH

None reported.

NEW PRINT ISSUE EVERY WEDNESDAY + NEW CONTENT EVERYDAY ON PGHCITYPAPER.COM PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 1, 2023

POLITICS

VOTING LOCAL Turnout is often lower during elections for local councils and school boards. Local leaders say these races are critical — and that voter enthusiasm for them is growing. BY COLIN WILLIAMS // COLIN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

n Nov. 7, Greater

Pittsburgh, like the rest of the country, will head to the polls. The region’s patchwork of numerous small municipalities, school districts, and magisterial courts means that residents living blocks apart may have very different ballots. Some of these races may not seem glamorous, but candidates and elected officials agree that voting in these local contests has a major bearing on local policy. Allegheny County Councilor Tom Duerr, who serves on the county board of elections and has worked on several Democratic campaigns, encourages locals to pay attention to these races. “I see firsthand the impact that this local of an office can have,” Duerr tells Pittsburgh City Paper. Municipal elected officials “will have far more impact on your everyday life than any position in Harrisburg or D.C.” Not only do politicians at the local level address needs including trash collection, public transport, and infrastructure upkeep, Duerr says, but they’re much more accessible than state and national figures. “Even if it’s just keeping the roads paved or keeping them clear in winter, that’s all local government,” he notes. “It doesn’t matter who’s Speaker of the House if you can’t get to the grocery store.” Changing demographics, higher turnout, and more candidates running for office mean 2023 is a year with a lot of options. For voters hoping for change, this could be the year new officeholders make longhoped-for policies a reality — that’s true for voters on both sides of the rift between Democrats and Republicans. Progressives have a chance to entrench liberal policies, including

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a reassessment of local property tax rates. Conservatives, meanwhile, hope to reshape area school boards and put a stop to what they view as progressive overreach. Regardless of local party affiliation, local municipalities — some of them rocked by recent scandals — have an opportunity for a changing of the guard.

4 MUNICIPAL CLASHES Duerr says residents of Allegheny County’s 130 municipalities have plenty of those opportunities this election cycle. Party parity and energized electorates portend change in South Hills suburbs Bethel Park (where Duerr lives) and Upper St. Clair, as well as North Hills suburbs i n cl u d i n g Ro s s Town s h i p a n d Franklin Park. “In Bethel Park, every municipal race is contested,” he tells City Paper. Three council members are retiring, leaving four races open for both Democratic and Republican challengers. Duerr views Bethel Park and Shaler as “the two biggest bellwethers” for the region’s political trends. While Pittsburgh’s exurbs remain largely conservative, areas including the fast-growing northern edge of Allegheny County and southerly streetcar suburbs such as Mt. Lebanon seem to be growing more

progressive with each election cycle. Upper St. Clair, Duerr says, is another example of a fast-changing suburb. “Upper St. Clair is one of the fastest-trending Democratic areas in the county, but the municipal government has not caught up with that yet,” Duerr says. “This could be the year that starts to break.” In some municipalities, scandal and internecine conflict are making for a lively election cycle. In one instance, South Fayette Township commissioners drew local ire for going on a $10,000 “strategic planning retreat” at taxpayers’ expense and then limiting opportunities for open comment during commission meetings. May’s primary saw around 70% of all voters turn out in the township to oust the incumbent commissioners who took the trip.

4 Four Democrats and two Republicans are now vying for the seats — Duerr estimates that Democrats have a razor-thin edge in the township, so how the commission will look in 2024 is anyone’s guess. Other jurisdictions have seen similar controversies. In more reliably liberal Bellevue, a controversial plan to decertify the borough’s volunteer fire department raised locals’ hackles. Borough council vice president Amanda Sloane has since drawn

a Republican challenger. Using data from the past decade of elections, Duerr has ranked municipal elections by competitiveness. In addition to Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park, and Bridgeville, Duerr anticipates close races in McCandless, Ross, Franklin Park, and Robinson. Many of these municipalities also have multiple candidates of both parties vying for school board seats.

SCHOOL BOARD SCUFFLES Nothing has gotten Americans off the fence and into the political fray like school board elections. In places like Pine-Richland School District, a combination of COVID restrictions and the firing of a popular coach paved the way for a conservative board takeover in 2021. Two years and an influx of new residents later, a slate of liberal candidates is hoping to reverse conservative gains, which have resulted in policy changes some parents of BIPOC and LGBTQ young people find objectionable. Pittsburgh educator Russell Patterson, who lives in Pine-Richland, says COVID has turned up the heat in local school board contests — he’s running to restore a measure of cooperative spirit to the board. “I believe school boards should reflect an array of voices and perspectives,” Patterson tells CP. “When they operate as a cohesive team, they can have a massive impact on the children in our community.” Along with Patterson, Gehua “Gary” Yang, Ashley Fortier, and Jen Beuse are running on the liberalleaning Together for PR ticket. Beuse feels that “everyone should pay attention to school board elections because the success of schools is one of the leading factors for many when deciding which community to

join or leave.” On the other side of the issue, Pine-Richland Kids First (PRKF) has pushed back on what they perceive as a focus on social justice initiatives and poorly planned COVID mitigation strategies. This group of right-wing candidates includes Mike Wiethorn, who was instrumental in pushing for a policy that would compel transgender students to use the bathroom corresponding to their sex at birth. (PRKF did not respond to CP’s requests for comment by press time.) In Pittsburgh itself, veteran educator Ron Sofo is contesting the school board seat currently held by Devon Taliaferro. “Too many parents of economic means of all races have opted out of our city public schools,” Sofo tells CP. “Approximately 60% of students who live in Pittsburgh do not attend PPS-operated schools.” Sofo says increased spending has not increased the quality of local schools

encourage more voters to head to the polls and push for change.

POLITICS BY POST A positive sign for anyone interested in local politics is that turnout has been up in recent years. Though odd-numbered years still lag far behind even-numbered ones, when national elections drive turnout above 50%, more voters have been making their voices heard. In 2017, turnout sat at an anemic 23.6%, but that number rose to 28.9% in 2019 and 33.4% in 2021. Duerr says this is due to several different factors, but one of the big game-changers has been the introduction of vote by mail. “We have more easy ways to vote in Pennsylvania than ever,” he says. In addition to allowing voters to cast their ballot at their convenience, Duerr says it gives voters time to research candidates and make more informed decisions, especially in

“IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO’S SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IF YOU CAN’T GET TO THE GROCERY STORE.” — he says local school directors need to “rethink” their approach. Sofo, a Democrat, has positioned himself as a pragmatist running to Taliaferro’s right (Taliaferro did not respond to a request for comment). “I see the progressive wing of the Democratic party as being out of touch with real, practical, nuanced solutions to the challenges that face us,” Sofo says. Like Taliaferro, he wants more teachers of color in city schools and deplores the way charter schools have hurt enrollment, but he says the current board and administration of PPS aren’t transparent and don’t seem motivated to fix the district’s many pressing issues despite its $900 million budget. “We must look at ourselves as both the root cause of the mess we are in and as the source for the best solutions,” he says of Pittsburgh educators. He hopes “tangible progress” will

down-ballot races. He expects participation to continue to rise before plateauing as voters “form a habit” of casting ballots by mail every year. He says he’s hopeful Gov. Josh Shapiro’s support for automated voter registration at area DMVs could prove beneficial to turnout in years when national politics aren’t on the ballot. Duerr has also noticed a positive impact from better-organized campaigns. Pine-Richland candidate Yang is emphatic that these off-years matter. He says school directors and other local officials can have a major impact on policy. “While their decisions do not carry as much weight as the ones from the state or the federal level, the effect is usually long-lasting,” he tells CP. “Local elections are a great opportunity for voters to get their voices heard and to pick the candidates who share the same vision.” • PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 1, 2023

POLITICS

THE NEW RADICALS Carl Redwood and Sam Schmidt want Allegheny County voters to dream big

BY INDIA KRUG // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

Carl Redwood

arl Redwood is a scholar of lived experiences. As a longtime Hill District resident, prolific organizer, and staunch socialist, he has spent decades addressing the needs of Pittsburgh’s working class. Now, he’s running for Allegheny County Council District 10 to seek radical solutions to what he says are largely ignored problems.

In 1991, Redwood founded the Hill District Consensus Group to amplify the concerns of community members and document displacement. Before that, he helped form a public housing tenant council while studying at the University of Pittsburgh. But his introduction to

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activism came much earlier—as a child watching his father. “My father was a community organizer,” Redwood tells Pittsburgh City Paper. “He would bring me with him to community meetings in the Hill District.” Redwood’s family moved from

the Hill District to Homewood when he was young. “We were not directly displaced by the Lower Hill destruction, but we were part of that wave of Black people at the end of the 1950s moving from the Hill District to East End communities,” he says. In the 1950s and ’60s, the city used

eminent domain to raze homes and businesses in the Lower Hill District — displacing over 8,000 residents to construct the Civic Arena. Since then, Redwood has witnessed the continued erosion of cultural neighborhoods as families are forced to relocate and rent prices increase. The Civic Arena, renamed the Mellon Arena in 1999, held concerts and rallies, and was used by the Pittsburgh Penguins until 2010. It was torn down and replaced with a

parking lot in 2012. When the parking lot opened, Redwood and Hi ll District Consensus Group argued that the Lower Hill should receive a share of the profits, which could go to home repairs, green spaces, and public transportation. Collective demands are a large part of Redwood’s work across the county. He believes Pittsburgh is a “hot spot” for developers but that communities suffer when they are not included in the decisionmaking process. “We’re the target for large-scale commercial developers to come in and make those profits as they push people from traditional neighborhoods where multiple generations have grown up,” he says. He’s running for county council because things don’t seem to be getting easier for working class people. “The ‘American dream’ seemed possible at one point. That’s less and less possible today,” he says. That’s why Sam Schmidt is running, too, for Allegheny County Council District 13. “I don’t really see myself represented in local or federal government as a poor person,” she tells City Paper. Schmidt is heavily involved in mutual aid work across the city, making time to distribute with Food Not Bombs every week despite her hectic campaign schedule. She believes there’s a disconnect between the solutions that the government and stakeholders propose and the solutions that communities really need. “I think a lot of it is a lack of lived experience or lack of interface directly with the community,” she says. Or, there are no solutions proposed at all. One example, she says, is the Smithfield shelter, which the county closed earlier this summer. She serves hot food in front of the building on Sundays, and meets people who depended on Smithfield and now have nowhere to go. “Local government repeatedly closes these structures meant to house people without a solution for where they can go,” Schmidt says.

“And it’s just over and over again. Whether it’s clearing encampments or closing the shelters, where there are not enough beds to begin with.” Schmidt argues that mutual aid groups can act as models for local government. “I think it would behoove local government officials to pay closer attention to what those mutual aid and community groups are doing,” she says, “because it is working on a smaller scale, and government is able to fund biggerscale programs exactly like what we already have.” Schmi d t a n d Carl Redwood teamed up when they realized they not only share a border, but also share many of the same values. “We basically realized that our platforms were so closely aligned and that our values were so closely aligned that it would be easy for us to endorse each other,” she tells CP. “Our districts are neighboring, and they make up a really important part of Allegheny County.” The two organize events together and publicly support one another’s campaigns. Schmidt began her bid for county council after incumbent Liv Bennet announced she would not be seeking another term. “She encouraged me to get on the ballot and has been so supportive since then, so that is a really beautiful thing,” Schmidt says. Redwood is running against incumbent DeWitt Walton, a Democrat and frequent supporter of County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Both Schmidt and Redwood are running as Independents, which makes their coalition-building that much more important. “I don’t have the tools and resources that a Democrat or Republican might have when they run,” Schmidt says. “But I feel like we are steadily overcoming those barriers.” They have been endorsed by organizations like UNITE!, Sunrise Move m e n t Pi t ts b u rgh a n d PA Working Families Party, as well as community leaders including County Councilor Bethany Hallam. Carl Redwood and Sam Schmidt THE NEW RADICALS, CONTINUEDS ON PG. 20

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share a vision for Allegheny County — one that is underlined by a transition from private ownership to public ownership. One of Schmidt’s focuses is on the Allegheny County Jail and other local detainment facilities. The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas recently announced that the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center would be reopening under contract with Adelphoi, a private company that has faced “cash for kids” and sexual abuse allegations. County Council has since voted to file suit, saying the deal was made without their approval. Schmidt condemned the deal, advocating instead for investments in trauma-informed care. “We can help folks by creating communities of care as opposed to carceral systems,” she says. “And as long as carceral systems for children or adults exist at all, they at least need public oversight and public ownership.”

“WE BASICALLY REALIZED THAT OUR PLATFORMS WERE SO CLOSELY ALIGNED AND THAT OUR VALUES WERE SO CLOSELY ALIGNED THAT IT WOULD BE EASY FOR US TO ENDORSE EACH OTHER" Redwood argues that public ownership is also a solution to much of the county’s housing crisis. “Allegheny County, five years from now, could be a model for other counties around the country,” Redwood says. “We can take the lead in building out more and more affordable housing that is publicly controlled and not privately controlled.” One way Redwood hopes to achieve this is through community land trusts and cooperative housing. He knows that won’t be easy—in fact, he says that many of his ideas go against the grain of trends in Allegheny County. “Which is to shut down public and increase private. We need to go in the other direction.” Both Redwood and Schmidt advocate for a tenant’s bill of rights

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in Allegheny County. Schmidt hopes to also establish a tenant’s right to attorney in disputes with landlords. “We all know that when we are accused of a crime, we have a right to an attorney. When you are sued for eviction, you do not have that same right,” she says. Redwood and Schmidt say they’re energized by the community support they’ve received, especially from young people. “Young people are more open to change, experimenting with new ways of doing things,” Redwood says. “It’s the vibrancy of the youth that will really be the thing that pushes our world forward.” “You know, I’m, like, one of the older people in this group of volunteers that I’m usually working with,” Schmidt says with a laugh. Schmidt hopes that her campaign will inspire more people to get involved in their communities. During our conversation ,

Schmidt’s campaign manager, Jon Hanrahan, was reminded of a neighbor who heard about her mutual aid work at a houseparty and wondered why more people don’t get involved. “And then, within a few days, he showed up and helped Sam out on a shift distributing meals,” Hanrahan tells CP. “That small tweak of the imagination can unlock a lot for people.” Redwood believes we need new frameworks to meet the needs of community members. “It’s important that we organize residents in the community and provide a new vision for what our world could be like,” he says. “What my role is, and what our role is as progressive folks, is to start to make what is impossible today, very possible tomorrow.” •

WELCOME TO WHISKEY WEEK Explore Pittsburgh’s versatile food scene over the course of seven days. Savor the rich history and diverse flavors that whiskey

NOVEMBER 6

thru 12

and Pittsburgh have

to offer.

Immerse yourself in the world of Whiskey right here in Pittsburgh

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH Late Night Happy Hour • The Warren, 8-11pm TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH • Whiskey & Chocolate Pairing • The Industrialist Hotel, 5-7pm WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH Whiskey Tasting • The Foundry Table & Tap, 6-8pm THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH Happy Hour • fl.2 at The Fairmont Hotel, 6-8pm FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH Angel’s Envy Paired Dinner • Gaucho Parrilla Argentina, 7-10pm SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH Whiskey & Cigars • Burn by Rocky Patel, 8-10pm