What’s at stake: Controllers preside over an office that pays county workers and oversees their work. The controller can review operations and finances at any agency that handles county funds. That watchdog function accounts for much of the office’s profile, though the controller also oversees compliance in construction and development. In addition, the controller sits on county retirement and investment boards, as well as boards overseeing the county jail and its juvenile detention system. Incumbent Corey O’Connor is seeking a full term, having been appointed last summer to complete Chelsa Wagner’s term after she became a county judge. He’s facing a pugnacious challenger in political activist Darwin Leuba.
Salary: $110,372
Further reading:
“Progressive activist Leuba to challenge O'Connor for Allegheny County Controller” (Chris Potter, WESA)
“O'Connor seeks full term as county controller, pledges independence as leadership changes” (Chris Potter, WESA)
"O'Connor, Leuba battle for Allegheny County controller post" (Chris Potter, WESA)
Darwin Leuba
At age 24, Leuba is the youngest candidate on the ballot for countywide office this year. But he’s already a familiar figure in progressive political circles, having helped to engineer the elections of progressive council members Anita Prizio and Bethany Hallam. Beyond his campaign work, Leuba has used right-to-know requests and already-available documents to make government policies more public. He's dug into matters including policies and procedures at the Allegheny County Jail, efforts to provide tax subsidies for an Amazon headquarters, and tax exemptions owed by UPMC.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: O’Hara Township
Education: B.S., Yale University; Fox Chapel Area High School
Current occupation: O’Hara Township Auditor; software engineer and digital campaign coordinator
Experience: Auditor of O’Hara Township (2018-present)
Supporters/endorsements: Food & Water Action, Climate Cabinet Action, Sunrise Movement Pittsburgh, Run For Something, Pittsburgh DSA, Lead Locally
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |Tiktok
WESA Candidate Survey
The controller's office has oversight over county operations and agencies. What areas of government require the most urgent scrutiny, and why?
Corruption happens when politicians receive campaign donations in exchange for government-funded contracts. The controller's office is responsible for enforcing contracts and preventing corruption. To ensure proper scrutiny, it's crucial that we elect a candidate who doesn't accept money from corporate PACs, county contractors, or alleged "nonprofits" including UPMC and Highmark. I don't take their money because we need to enforce county contracts and revoke tax-exempt status for ineligible properties. For too long, corruption has enabled corporate tax evasion and driven up the cost of public projects. The controller's office should urgently carry out this technical work.
How would you assess the availability and transparency of information about the county's finances and operations, and what, if anything, do you think should the next controller do to improve it?
Poor. I have filed many Right-To-Know Law (RTKL) requests with Allegheny County. These requests expose everything from contract noncompliance to negligence in our jail. Often, the county will refuse to release information without a court order, and even the current controller’s office denied 13 of my RTKL requests for information related to jail contracts. I appealed the office’s denials to the statewide tribunal last year and won all 13 cases, but the appeals process delays transparency and wastes the county’s legal resources. To address improper RTKL denials, I would use the office’s statutory authority to directly obtain information for requesters.
A controller acts as a fiscal watchdog, and an ability to maintain independence from the legislative and executive branch of the government is arguably essential. What can you point to in your background to demonstrate that independence?
Throughout his tenure, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has weaponized a $2.2 million campaign war chest, funded largely by corporations and county contractors. Its sheer size discourages dissent and its outgoing contributions purchase loyalty. I have never taken a dime of his money. Instead, I took his administration to court for the public release of Allegheny County’s Amazon HQ2 subsidy package. I provide blunt scrutiny and take necessary legal action because I know that our government cannot improve if we don’t directly and publicly tackle our challenges.
The controller sits on the Jail Oversight Board, as well as a juvenile detention advisory board, and a retirement and investment board. How well are these boards functioning in your view, and what role do you think you would play on them as controller?
The Jail Oversight Board refuses to mandate necessary changes; the Juvenile Detention Advisory Board did nothing as Shuman Center was forced to close; and the Retirement Board oversees an increasingly underfunded pension fund. These boards are not fulfilling their intended purposes, and we need a controller committed to not only providing lip-service but also to action. For example, on the Jail Oversight Board, members of the public are prohibited from asking questions, and public comments receive no response. The controller should circumvent this restriction by using their authority as a board member to ask the public’s questions during public meetings.
How would you assess the county's overall financial strength, and what fiscal concerns would you be paying attention to as controller?
Although our bond rating appears strong to lenders, county departments are severely understaffed, which limits economic growth. For example: when the Health Department is slow to provide permits, new restaurants cannot open as quickly, and that slows job growth. Addressing our underfunded pension fund would also be a high priority. Contribution rates have increased since 2017, and while there can be disagreement on how obligations/liabilities should be calculated or what a proper funded status might be (typically around 80%), even the county’s self-reported numbers put the funded status well below acceptable levels.
Corey O’Connor
O’Connor is the son of the late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O’Connor, but for more than a decade he has been forging a career in his own right. He represented Squirrel Hill and surrounding areas on Pittsburgh City Council for ten years, and while he’s been serving as controller for less than a year, he’s sought to make a mark in the office quickly, He has undertaken audits of operations at the county jail — a hot-button issue this cycle — and other functions. He’s also proposed reforms to limit the political influence of financial advisors who work for the county’s pension fund.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: Pittsburgh (Swisshelm Park)
Education: B.A., Duquesne University
Current occupation: Allegheny County Controller
Experience: Allegheny County Controller (2022-Present); Pittsburgh City Councilor, District 5 (2012-2022)
Supporters/endorsements: O’Connor is backed by more than 20 local elected officials at the state and local level, including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, all four of the county’s Democrats in the state Senate, numerous state House members and members of city council. He’s also backed by the Allegheny County Democratic Committee and the Allegheny Fayette Central Labor Council.
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
WESA Candidate Survey
The controller's office has oversight over county operations and agencies. What areas of government require the most urgent scrutiny, and why?
One of my priorities is addressing the systemic issues at the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ). Conditions at ACJ are deplorable. This is why my office has focused on several ACJ-related projects. These include the first audit of jail staffing in at least 10 years, a recently completed audit of DHS services for the children of incarcerated residents and increased oversight, generally, including additional surprise inspections of the facility.
As we look ahead to a new county executive we will need to ensure a smooth transition. We can’t let petty politics and personal biases interfere with the work of government.
How would you assess the availability and transparency of information about the county's finances and operations, and what, if anything, do you think should the next controller do to improve it?
We can and should always strive to improve how readily accessible data is to our residents. That’s why I was proud to publish our office’s data dashboard to put more information at the fingertips of residents. You can check them out for yourself here. We’ve already improved the means by which residents can search for and examine contracts in which the county is involved.
The county can and should publish information on operations that's presented as position-based budgeting. This is something that my team is actively working on right now and will roll out in the near future.
A controller acts as a fiscal watchdog, and an ability to maintain independence from the legislative and executive branch of the government is arguably essential. What can you point to in your background to demonstrate that independence?
On City Council I stood up to mayor-backed coalitions to fight against wasteful spending or ineffective programs.
I voted against wasteful spending on the City's 412 Boulevard of the Allies building and defunded unnecessary projects like the Mon-Oakland Connector. I've stood up against big business when they fought against my Paid Sick Days Act and fought the gun lobby when I proposed common-sense firearm safety regulations.
As controller, I've advocated for much-needed ethics reforms for powerful county boards. I've stood up to powerful interests to put taxpayers and residents first and will always remain independent, unbought, and unbiased.
The controller sits on the Jail Oversight Board, as well as a juvenile detention advisory board, and a retirement and investment board. How well are these boards functioning in your view, and what role do you think you would play on them as controller?
One of the major issues stymying the work of the JOB is the lack of cooperation from jail administration. JOB motions and requests for additional information are frequently ignored. Additional powers from the state giving the board more autonomy would be helpful.
The Retirement Board needs to be more transparent and responsive to the concerns of the retirees it serves. That is why I was disappointed in the board’s recent decision to reject my motion for ethics reforms. This package was designed to prevent conflicts of interest and protect against political interference in the board’s investment decisions.
How would you assess the county's overall financial strength, and what fiscal concerns would you be paying attention to as controller?
One major fiscal concern is a reliance on single-source funding in the form of American Rescue Plan money. Unless we prepare now, we’re at risk of seeing a large structural deficit in a few years when those funds run out or expire.
Additionally, the ongoing uncertainty regarding property tax assessments is a major fiscal variable not only for Allegheny County, but also for individual municipalities and school districts.
We also need to strengthen our staffing levels at places like the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services. These jobs deliver critical services, ensure compliance with environmental and health regulations, and support our neediest residents.
