What's at stake: Incumbent County Councilor DeWitt Walton, a Democrat, has held the District 10 seat since 2016. Walton didn’t face any challengers in the last election, but this year, mental health professional Eric S. Smith and private chef Carlos Thomas are vying to replace him. The 15-seat council, which oversees the county budget and can serve as a check to the county government and executive, is dominated by Democrats, though Walton has sometimes been at odds with others in his party. District 10 includes the Hill District, Oakland, Bloomfield and other East End neighborhoods and eastern boroughs.
Annual stipend: $10,939
Eric Smith
Smith was raised in the Hill District and now lives in East Hills. He’s a primary counselor in the behavior health treatment industry and the CFO of the nonprofit Coalition for Fathering Families. He has worked for both Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh. Smith said his top priorities include investing in workforce development, maintaining current property taxes and creating a county program to rehabilitate homes.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: Pittsburgh (East Hills)
Education: B.A., Point Park University
Current occupation: Mental health professional/supervisor
Related experiences: Allegheny County Democratic Committee member, 13 Ward, including 8 years as its treasurer (2014-2023); branch manager for Beneficial Credit Services (1993-1997); auditor for the City of Pittsburgh in the finance department (1990-1992)
Endorsements/supporters: n/a
Links: Email
WESA Candidate Survey
What is the most important issue for residents of your district? What will you do to tackle that issue?
The most important issues for the residents in my district are safety in our streets and schools. And also abandoned houses and trash left outside of those abandoned houses that create blight.
Once elected to county council, I will introduce legislation that rebuilds our communities and will work throughout Allegheny County to clean up areas around abandoned houses. I will find state, federal, and county funding to take down abandoned houses throughout the county and rebuild new affordable housing.
With the concerns of safety, I will work with the county executive and all members of county council to assist with mental health training for county police officers.
Allegheny County’s property tax assessment system has been subject to much criticism in recent months. How do you think property tax assessments should be handled going forward, and what steps will you take to accomplish that?
People, specifically young people, are leaving our county by the hundreds. With that said, it's important that we have fair tax assessments. I would vote down any outlandish assessment that is unfair to the people in mid- to low-income neighborhoods. I would advocate for homeowners in housing court to keep their homes and assist them in the courts with coming up with a fair assessment. I would also introduce legislation on county council that would structure a 10-year flat rate for the county that is both fair and affordable to the residents of this county.
County Council has passed a number of environmental ordinances during the past year, including a ban on fracking in county parks and creating a new Department of Sustainability. But there is still debate on issues such as the county's approach to large industrial polluters. What changes, if any, would you like to see in the county's energy and environmental policies, and why?
I would like to see the County Council continue to pass smart environmental ordinances that promote safety and health of the residence of our county. I would like to see fair rates in energy policies and sound environmental policies because if they’re not responsible, then the families of Allegheny County suffer.
Conditions at the Allegheny County Jail have become a subject of intense debate, and there is increased discussion of finding a replacement for the now-closed Shuman Juvenile Detention Center. What concerns, if any, do you have about the future for these facilities, and what would you do on council to address those concerns?
Jail reform needs to happen in Allegheny County before this election has ended. The conditions in the Allegheny County Jail are deplorable. The people who are appointed to the board need to take the position seriously. I would remove any person appointed from the Jail Oversight Board that never showed up to conduct walk-throughs of the jail and see the conditions for themselves. Shuman Detention Center should have never been shut down. The county officials should have made the changes necessary to keep the center open. Any violations of state regulations should have been [addressed] and the right changes should have been made to ensure that the center stayed open.
County Council has played a more activist role in recent years, sometimes thwarting the county executive's agenda and pursuing its own policy goals. Critics say council is a part-time body whose role was originally intended to simply oversee the county's budget process. What role do you think council should play in shaping policy, and do you think council needs more staff and resources than it has now?
The County Council needs to play a bigger role in shaping policy. Remember, the people choose the County Executive and County Council over the three-commissioner form of government. That was to create more inclusion of the county residents and to have a council that legislated and governed with more community input. I feel County Council needs [more] staff to assist with the community concerns and field issues in the community, and follow up with residents’ concerns and assist with forming meetings with the councilman.
Carlos Thomas
Thomas has lived in Pittsburgh for most of his life and is now a private chef in the area. His priorities include improving the local economy “by destroying the systemic poverty that impacts the people or our district and county.” He has worked with community groups including the Hill District and Homewood Food Access Working Groups, Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh (BUGS), and Feed the Hood.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: Pittsburgh (Homewood)
Education: Peabody High School; Le Cordon Bleu Pittsburgh
Current occupation: Private chef
Related experiences: Youth and Young Adult Chair of the Board of the NAACP, Pittsburgh Chapter
Major endorsements: Steel City Stonewall Democrats, Young Democrats of Allegheny County
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
WESA Candidate Survey
What is the most important issue for residents of your district? What will you do to tackle that issue?
My district is very diverse through the neighborhoods and municipalities it represents, but the No. 1 issue I think we could agree on is our air quality. Polluters need to be held accountable to the residents of this county. Air quality has been a historic problem in our entire county, and we can no longer continue to wage our residents up for health as means for income.
Allegheny County’s property tax assessment system has been subject to much criticism in recent months. How do you think property tax assessments should be handled going forward, and what steps will you take to accomplish that?
I'm not completely knowledgeable [about the] property tax assessment system because I've never owned property in this county. What I do know is that the school districts in each of the municipalities have inequalities, which correlate to how the property is assessed.
County Council has passed a number of environmental ordinances during the past year, including a ban on fracking in county parks and creating a new Department of Sustainability. But there is still debate on issues such as the county's approach to large industrial polluters. What changes, if any, would you like to see in the county's energy and environmental policies, and why?
Having a department of sustainability with little authority is a reactive measure, when what we need is proactivity. I would also like the cost of violations to our country's air quality standards to increase, to encourage quality solutions to repairing our air.
Conditions at the Allegheny County Jail have become a subject of intense debate, and there is increased discussion of finding a replacement for the now-closed Shuman Juvenile Detention Center. What concerns, if any, do you have about the future for these facilities, and what would you do on council to address those concerns?
Fire the warden. It is clear that we need a Shuman Detention Center, but we can not entertain privatization. We need to develop a plan for what we want our juvenile detention center to be. Rehabilitative care should always be at the forefront in both of these facilities.
County Council has played a more activist role in recent years, sometimes thwarting the county executive's agenda and pursuing its own policy goals. Critics say council is a part-time body whose role was originally intended to simply oversee the county's budget process. What role do you think council should play in shaping policy, and do you think council needs more staff and resources than it has now?
Post-era pandemic showed us in a lot of ways how much of a community we are beyond the political lines set before us. There are a lot of decisions that need to be made in the coming years to continue the vibrancy we have in our region. There is space for the County Council to do more for its residents. This would create a working relationship with the County Executive and the residents’ voice.
DeWitt Walton
During his time on county council, Walton has been one of council’s loudest voices, an early proponent of a police review board who has often tussled with others on council in his own party. He has longtime ties with local unions, including the United Steelworkers, where he worked for 25 years. Walton is a member of multiple community organizations, including Three Rivers Waterkeepers and Americans for Democratic Action.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: Pittsburgh (Hill District)
Education: Idaho State University (B.A.)
Current occupation: Program director, Pittsburgh A. Philip Randolph Institute
Related experiences: 40 years of experience as a journeyman craftsman, union representative and negotiator
Supporters/endorsements: Allegheny County Democratic Party; Allegheny County Labor Council; United Steelworkers; and a variety of local labor unions
WESA Candidate Survey
What is the most important issue for residents of your district? What will you do to tackle that issue?
My district is broad and diverse, and different communities have different needs, ranging from economic development, to the need to raise per capita income, to public safety along with service needs from organizations such as ALCOSAN, some have challenges as well, such as possible annexation among others. My approach is to identify the problem, determine what resources are available to provide information for possible remedies if possible, [and] if no existing remedy is available, seek alternatives to resolve the issue. For example, to solve a sewage-overflow problem in Edgewood caused by issues in Wilkinsburg, we are seeking federal funding.
Allegheny County’s property tax assessment system has been subject to much criticism in recent months. How do you think property tax assessments should be handled going forward, and what steps will you take to accomplish that?
The tax issue is broad and will require multiple steps for reform. However the resolution will be determined by the courts as the tax levy is mandated by what's called common levy ratio and set by the State Tax Equalization Board. In order to address the challenge locally, I authored and passed legislation to extend the appeal period whereby residents can appeal their tax bills to ensure equity.
County Council has passed a number of environmental ordinances during the past year, including a ban on fracking in county parks and creating a new Department of Sustainability. But there is still debate on issues such as the county's approach to large industrial polluters. What changes, if any, would you like to see in the county's energy and environmental policies, and why?
I am pleased to have played a constructive role in the establishment of the Department of Sustainability, it will play an important role as we continue to try to improve the quality of life for residents of our county. I also authored and passed C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessment Clean Energy) legislation, which provides an opportunity to obtain funding for a reduction in energy consumption. I support the effort to expand the use of renewable energy generation, such as proposed hydro generation from a lock and dam replacement. I will also continue to support the County Health Department in their efforts to to increase monitoring and compliance of emission controls at the Clairton Coke works.
Conditions at the Allegheny County Jail have become a subject of intense debate, and there is increased discussion of finding a replacement for the now-closed Shuman Juvenile Detention Center. What concerns, if any, do you have about the future for these facilities, and what would you do on council to address those concerns?
As a matter of public safety, there must be a detention facility for juveniles who pose a serious threat to communities. It must meet standards set by the Commonwealth, provide the needed services to create a safe environment that provides opportunities for positive growth. As to the County Jail, we must find solutions to the staffing challenges that exacerbates other issues, and we must continue to work toward health care solutions for inmates that are incarcerated and soon to be released
County Council has played a more activist role in recent years, sometimes thwarting the county executive's agenda and pursuing its own policy goals. Critics say council is a part-time body whose role was originally intended to simply oversee the county's budget process. What role do you think council should play in shaping policy, and do you think council needs more staff and resources than it has now?
Council staff should be at least as diverse as the residents of Allegheny County. If council is truly concerned and wants to pursue policies that reflect being an activist body, that activism should start and be practiced internally. Council was established to be the legislative body of government, and as such is responsible to put forth legislation that addresses the concerns and challenges of our residents. Dealing with the county budget is one of many responsibilities of council.
