What’s at stake: The county controller pays county employees while overseeing their work. The office can review operations and finances at any agency that handles county funds, and it ensures compliance with labor and other requirements on construction sites. The controller also sits on the county retirement and investment boards, as well as boards that oversee the county jail and juvenile detention system. Democratic incumbent Corey O’Connor was appointed last summer to fill the seat that was vacated by Chelsa Wagner. In his bid for a full term, O’Connor bested political activist Darwin Leuba in the primary and now faces GOP stalwart Bob Howard, who earned his spot on the Republican ballot through a write-in bid this spring.
Salary: $110,372
Further reading:
“O'Connor seeks full term as county controller, pledges independence as leadership changes” (Chris Potter, WESA)
“Corey O'Connor, Erica Rocchi Brusselars win in Allegheny County controller, treasurer races” (Julia Zenkevich/Christopher Ayers, WESA)
“Bob Howard secures Republican nomination for Allegheny County Controller” (Ryan Deto, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Bob Howard
Howard garnered a spot on the fall election ballot thanks to a write-in campaign assisted by the Republican Committee of Allegheny County. He ended up with more than 10,000 ballots — far more than he needed to qualify for the November election. Howard himself chairs the local party apparatus in Marshall Township, but he stresses his financial work for PPG over three decades.
Party: Republican
Place of Residence: Marshall
Education: Business administration from Penn State University; graduate studies at University of Missouri & University of Pittsburgh
Current occupation: Retired
Relevant experience: Worked as controller and accountant for PPG Industries. U.S. Army veteran, prior North Allegheny School Board director and president. Previously a small business counselor with SCORE, a volunteer program for retired business executives operated by the Small Business Administration.
Links: Not available
Fundraising:
Total raised (2023): None reported
Total spent (2023): None reported
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?
Operations and management of the Allegheny County Jail require continued scrutiny to ensure that the findings and recommendations in recent audits are adequately addressed. Furthermore, a real audit benchmarking the Allegheny County Jail with other similar operations across the nation is a central component in exploring innovative methods to improve operations and conditions for employees, incarcerates, and administration.
The need to address homelessness requires scrutiny of the effectiveness of the Allegheny County Housing Authority to manage over 3,000 dwelling units and the administration of over 5,000 housing vouchers.
The Pittsburgh Regional Transit Authority needs to emerge from the shadow of the COVID-19 era, with a sustainable model.
How would you assess the availability and transparency of information about the county's finances and operations, and what, if anything, do you think the next controller should do to improve it?
Much of the information remains buried in reports that are underutilized. As county controller, I plan to publish a periodic newsletter addressing the issues and concerns found in the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. For example, county taxpayers and residents need to understand the ramifications of a pension liability that is funded at 33.26% when a “healthy” pension fund has a funded ratio of at least 80%.
A controller acts as a fiscal watchdog, and an ability to maintain independence from the legislative and executive branches of the government is arguably essential. What can you point to in your background to demonstrate that independence?
I have actual experience in the controllership function, including experience reviewing budgets and operational effectiveness and efficiency. I have not been appointed to a political position, nor have I been part of the decision-making of the legislative and executive branches of government. I have no political ambitions to protect. I am not a member of the ruling political party. Therefore, I will be an independent watchdog, not a political lapdog.
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?
In my opinion, these boards are too internally focused and need benchmarking against similar operations across the nation. Innovation frequently comes from the outside. Establishing and maintaining a benchmark peer group of counties should be a priority if Allegheny County is going to maximize its service capabilities and be in a position to service its debt and fulfill its obligations to current and future retirees.
How would you assess the county's overall financial strength, and what fiscal concerns would you be paying attention to as controller?
While the county’s current fund balance and investment rating are adequate and steady, attention must be paid to the unfunded pension liability, the phasing-out of COVID-related assistance, the managing of debt service as the county responds to maintaining 533 bridges and 408 miles of inter-municipal roads, and the ability of Pittsburgh Regional Transit to achieve a sustainable operation after the CARES and ARP funding is gone. There is also an element of political risk related to the election of inexperienced county officials pursuing ideological rather than practical solutions that will threaten the county’s economic growth and its ability to sustain its commitments to its citizens.
Corey O’Connor
The son of the late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O’Connor represented Squirrel Hill and surrounding areas on Pittsburgh City Council for 10 years, and while he’s been serving as controller for slightly more 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 in 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
Relevant experience: Pittsburgh City councilor, District 5 (2012 – 2022)
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Supporters/endorsements: O’Connor is backed by a broad swath of the region’s Democratic leaders and allied labor and advocacy groups.
Fundraising (as of 10/23/23):
Total raised (2023): $192,291.49 (plus $92,607.95 on hand at the end of 2022)
Total spent (2023): $243,546.88
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 the next controller should 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 Jail Oversight Board [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.
