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Allegheny County Council elections tend to be more boring events than other local elections. Members of Congress work part-time, and most balance day jobs with government responsibilities.
But the 15-member council is expected to undergo significant turnover this year, with one of the council’s first true progressives set to retire, along with its longest-serving Democrat and most prominent Republican. It is expected that
Of the six seats up for election this fall, three incumbents have decided not to run. Add to this the number of councilors scheduled to resign next week, and in a year’s time more than a quarter of city council members will be new members.
In contrast, the 2023 election had nine seats on the ballot, but only two new members.
Incumbent Democrats Jack Betkowski in the 1st Ward, Anita Pulizio in the 3rd Ward, and Bob Macy in the 9th Ward have decided not to run for re-election. And, as first reported by KDKA TV, Republican Capt. Sam DeMarco is leaving to serve as southwestern Pennsylvania regional director under newly elected Sen. David McCormick.
Incumbent Pat Catena in the 8th Ward, Michelle Nacarati-Chapkis in the 9th Ward, and Bob Palmosina in the 12th Ward have all indicated they intend to run again.
Mr. Pulizio was one of the first progressive voices in Congress when he was elected in 2017, and one of the first local candidates to win with support from the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. . She said she modeled her campaign after Bernie Sanders.
“I think it probably captured the spirit of the time. People seemed to want change,” Pulizio said. “I really don’t know how we won. I think we surprised a lot of people.”
During his tenure, Mr. Pulizio supported county actions to protect workers and the environment. And she certainly helped bring other progressives into county government, including current Reps. Bethany Hallam, Dan Grzybek, Nakarati Chapkiss and County Executive Sarah Inamorato.
But Pulizio said an eight-year tenure “seems to be a good fit for me” now that progressives have taken the reins of the Legislature and county executive.
“I think the county executive and other legislators are fighting for the same things that I was fighting for,” she said.
Betkowski said only that “the time has come” to retire from 10 years of public service, including one term as a county councilman and Ross Township supervisor.
Macy, a conservative Democrat who has served in Congress for nearly 20 years, said he wants to spend more time with his family. In a statement announcing the decision, he said, “I want to pass the baton to the younger generation.”
“I feel that I have accomplished everything that is possible and necessary in my district, but there is much more to be done,” Macy said.
DeMarco was not running in this year’s election, but his seat will be the first to be filled. He took the post to work for McCormick, a move that was anticipated shortly after his victory over Republican Bob Casey was secured. Under county charter rules, the City Council will select a replacement for DeMarco, who was serving in the Republican-appointed “at-large seat” on the council. His successor will hold the seat until the next local election.
The field of challengers for other seats appears wide open. But in District 1, which includes Ross Township, airport-area suburbs like Moon and Findlay, and Ohio River areas like Ben Avon and Emsworth, strong candidates are already in the ring to replace Betkowski.
Republican Tom Foddy will announce his campaign this Tuesday, and Democrat Kathleen Madonna-Emerling will formally announce her candidacy at a kickoff event later this month.
Neither is a stranger to local governments. Foddy previously served on the Bellevue Borough Council and ran for the state House of Representatives. Madonna-Emerling was a Democratic Party organizer and door-knocker who twice ran unsuccessfully for Moon Township supervisor.
“I don’t necessarily want to be an elected official or be in charge,” said Madonna Emerling, who works in fundraising at the University of Pittsburgh. “But each time we participated in this process, we were able to help more people and make the problem more visible.” That’s important.
Foddy, a pastor who works in hospice care, wants to flip the 1st District Congressional seat to Republicans. Republicans are woefully underrepresented, currently holding only two of the 15 seats. But Foddy said Republican Joe Lockey won the precinct vote by seven points in the 2023 county executive race. And he thinks voters may be ready for change now that the county is “on the edge in terms of population loss, business losses and crumbling infrastructure.”
Other potential issues in the district and on this year’s ballot include the county’s first property tax increase in more than a decade, a 36% increase supported by Inamorato.
Foddy said he was already considering running, but the tax increase influenced his decision to run. “The real focus on everyone’s mind is, ‘Will we wake up at the end of next year and see another tax increase?'” he said. “So my promise from the beginning is: ‘As much as I can, it’s impossible.'”
But proponents argue that the increase was inevitable after years of flat rates, even as costs rose. Madonna-Emerling said part of her job is to make sure the money is put to good use within the district.
“Promising not to raise taxes forever was unrealistic and shocked many people, especially in the suburbs,” she said. But, he said, “If we’re going to put more money into it because it’s obvious that people need more services, I want to be an advocate for people to make sure they get the services they need.” I want to be.”
