Bill Peduto’s 12-year tenure as a Pittsburgh City Councilman comes to a close this week. As he transitions into his role as the city’s 59th Mayor, he said he’s most proud of his role in bringing the city back from the brink of financial ruin.
Pittsburgh entered Act 47 oversight less than two years after Peduto took over his District 8 council seat.
“I think back to where the city was back then, we were facing financial bankruptcy, and certainly my work on pushing for Act 47 and then voting for all the difficult things to take the city back from financial collapse to almost stability, I think would be one of the biggest,” said Peduto.
Peduto also said he’s proud of the city’s renewed commitment to the environment, and he looks forward to continuing that commitment as Mayor.
“I’m really proud of the green initiatives that I’ve been able to push,” said Peduto. “The first Clean Air Act since David Lawrence, the first Clean Water Act ever, the Hillside Preservation Act. (We’ve been able to) combine … green with innovation and technology.”
The mayor-elect said his governance style will be influenced not only by his twelve years on Council, but also by his experience as a businessman and political consultant.
“I’ve had opportunities to run my own company, to work with the state, the county, to work inside the beltway and to work on Capitol Hill,” said Peduto. “I have an in-depth knowledge of how to get things done and also how government works.”
Peduto said he does not leave any unfinished business as a City Councilman. The only thing he hasn’t had time to do yet is to reflect on more than a decade in office.
“At some point over the Christmas holiday, while I’m by myself and sitting there and tired and exhausted, I’ll probably think back on it all and cry,” he said.
Bill Peduto will be sworn in as Mayor on January 6, 2014.
