What’s at stake: The first part of the election cycle in Allegheny County Council District 13 was dominated by the shifting plans of incumbent Liv Bennett, a progressive firebrand on council. Bennett originally planned to run for the council seat, which represents parts of Pittsburgh and Bellevue next door, while also running for county executive. Bennett withdrew amid problems filing her petitions, leaving Democratic challenger David Bonaroti with the nomination all to himself. But Bonaroti now finds himself facing a challenge after all, from independent Sam Schmidt, who is challenging Bonaroti from the left with Bennett’s support.
Annual stipend: $10,939
David Bonaroti
Bonaroti had reason to expect a competitive primary and an easy fall election. It’s worked out the other way around. But throughout he’s run as a liberal Democrat who espouses causes such as a ban on single-use plastic bags and full funding for the county’s community colleges. And as befits a Google employee, he pledges an interest in modernizing county technology and office functions.
Party: Democratic
Place of Residence: Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville)
Education: B.S., Penn State University; M.A., New York University; MBA, University of Pittsburgh; continuing education in programming, NY Code + Design Academy
Current occupation: Business development manager at Google Cloud
Relevant experience: 10+ years working in the private sector for both startups and large organizations including Google, Bank of America, and Foursquare; intern and legislative aide to former state Rep. Frank Dermody; volunteer in reading and math educational programs.
Links: Website | Instagram
Supporters/endorsements: Backing of unions including the umbrella Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council; campaign contributors include the Laborers and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s political committee
Fundraising (as of 10/23/23)
Total raised (2023): $22,981 (plus $508.17 on hand at the beginning of 2023)
Total spent (2023): $20,742.70
WESA Candidate Survey
What is the most important issue for residents of your district, and what will you do to tackle it?
We must address the worsening economic conditions affecting our community. To do so, we must focus on lowering some of the largest monthly expenses for the average family, like housing, education and transportation costs. This involves overhauling our county property tax/permitting model to incentivize and accelerate high density housing and single family home development. Increasing supply is the only way to alleviate the housing crisis. As for education, ensure CCAC is adequately funded to provide residents an affordable yet quality university experience to develop workforce skills. For transportation, pivot away from the car-centric model by expanding PRT routes and broadening the light rail network to incorporate more neighborhoods.
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?
We need to evaluate assessment models that allow us to meet the county’s budget requirements, ensure property owners can still afford to stay in their homes, minimize land speculation and encourage population growth. Due to our reluctance to perform a countywide reassessment, the onus has shifted to school districts. This model has yielded a “newcomer tax,” which penalizes first time homeowners and new families moving to our region. Various models have been implemented in other parts of our nation such as LOOP (Longtime Owner-Occupant Tax Exemption) and the land-value tax system, therefore, we must examine their efficacy to achieve our assessment goals. We need to do the math.
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? (Editor’s note: As we were assembling the WESA Voter Guide, the Allegheny County Court of Commons Pleas decided to contract with a nonprofit to reopen the Shuman Center.)
One of the most alarming statistics from the ACJ audit was that 75% of the jail’s population is prescribed at least one psychotropic medication. How can we expect to rehabilitate individuals when we are criminalizing mental illness? Mental health services available to our community are woefully underfunded and inadequate and placing those individuals in jail is not a solution. As for Shuman, we do need to reopen a juvenile facility but not through privatization (Adelphoi). The facility must focus on support and intervention where we can address destructive cycles (poverty, behavioral, etc.) afflicting our youth and end the school-to-prison pipeline.
What strategies do you think the county should be using to encourage job growth and economic development, and what strategies do you think the county should avoid?
We must capitalize on the new decentralized economy which allows individuals to work remotely. Western PA consistently ranks as one of the most affordable regions in the US: Therefore, we should be marketing our region to individuals and businesses in high COL areas (like NYC and San Francisco). Not only will this reverse our region’s population decline, but cities like Austin, Charlotte, Denver, and Columbus that have adopted this model are experiencing hyper-economic growth in nearly every sector (commercial, industrial, small business, etc.). Additionally, we must partner with institutions like Carnegie Mellon and Pitt to ensure that the talent and startups emerging from those universities remain in our region.
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 should be to oversee the county's budget process. What part do you think council should play in shaping policy, and do you think council needs more staff and resources than it has now?
The goal of County Council is to provide an adequate system of checks and balances. Unlike other positions in this election cycle, membership on County Council is part-time, meaning most members have a career outside of the political ecosystem. That provides us with a unique perspective as we are more aligned with the individuals who would be impacted by legislation as opposed to the politicians that create it. In time, I could see County Council becoming a full-time position, which would warrant an increase in staff and available resources
Sam Schmidt
Schmidt hasn’t followed a conventional political path: She is a veteran who talks openly of experiencing homelessness and addiction, and who now advocates on behalf of, and volunteers for, people facing similar challenges. Schmidt is one of two socialists running for council this fall, and she’s campaigning on a platform that includes limiting the number of homes for-profit corporations can purchase.
Party: Independent
Place of Residence: Bellevue
Education: B.A., Carlow University; M.A., California State University Northridge
Current occupation: Writer, personal trainer, and mutual aid activist
Relevant experience: 17-year veteran in U.S. Army and Army Reserve who advocated for services such as mental health support and better suicide and sexual-assault prevention programs; currently works on supporting unhoused people with meals and other support.
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Supporters/endorsements: Outgoing District 13 Councilor Liv Bennett, progressive Democratic officeholders on city and county councils including Deb Gross, Bethany Hallam, Anita Prizio, and Barb Warwick; Green Party of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists of America, Sunrise Pittsburgh.
Fundraising (as of 10/23/23):
Total raised (2023): $17,022.30
Total spent (2023): $12,260.99
Further reading: “Poverty ‘has been my lived experience,’ says council candidate Schmidt” (Steve Mellon, Pittsburgh Union-Progress)
WESA Candidate Survey
What is the most important issue for residents of your district, and what will you do to tackle it?
More than anything else, voters are asking me about housing: non-stop housing inflation, and unforgivable levels of homelessness. I am a renter who has been homeless. I volunteer for and interact with our unhoused neighbors multiple times a week. I get this issue at a deep, personal level, and so my housing platform is robust, informed by experience, and appropriately urgent. Among other things, I am running for more shelter space, better wrap-around services, an end to encampment sweeps, tenant right to counsel in eviction proceedings, better inspections of rentals — in short, housing as a human right.
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?
Our present, case-by-case property tax assessment system has led to uncertainty for our local taxing bodies, an overwhelming workload for our county’s assessment appeals workers, and an unfair burden on newcomers and first-time homeowners. At the same time, a reassessment without the proper care could harm renters and long-time homeowners, especially those on fixed incomes. I support a return to regular, fair property tax assessments, but not without taking every precaution necessary to prevent displacement and disparate impacts on our already at-risk communities.
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? (Editor’s note: As we were assembling the WESA Voter Guide, the Allegheny County Court of Commons Pleas decided to contract with a nonprofit to reopen the Shuman Center.)
Immediately: Deaths at ACJ must stop, health care staffing at ACJ must rise, we cannot privatize Shuman, and we should not incarcerate our youth, especially not alongside adults at ACJ. In the long term, I support ending cash bail, which often incarcerates people charged with minor crimes, overwhelming our jail staff. I believe we can achieve more accountability and transparency by empowering our Jail Oversight Board to truly oversee the jail and its warden, and to strengthen relationships with jail staff and the new jail liaison. I will also work with the county to end over-policing, especially of our unhoused neighbors.
What strategies do you think the county should be using to encourage job growth and economic development, and what strategies do you think the county should avoid?
I will never support tax breaks or giveaways for corporations who undervalue our labor and poison our air. I will, however, advocate for a tuition-free CCAC and a busway extension to the Mon Valley. I will fight for more union jobs in our county, internships and job training for good-paying jobs that already exist, and an abundance of good-paying, green energy jobs in our county. With better transit, more education, and fulfilled basic necessities, we will create a workforce that is able to focus on attaining good jobs. Let’s invest in our residents’ futures.
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 should be to oversee the county's budget process. What part do you think council should play in shaping policy, and do you think council needs more staff and resources than it has now?
It has been thrilling to watch County Council grow into its rightful role as an independent legislative body in balance with the County Executive’s power. But I have also heard from my allies on the County Council that they barely have the staffing and resources necessary to fully investigate the annual, billion-dollar budget, let alone shape it. And I have heard many times from voters that they have never heard of the County Council, which I think is directed related to County Councilors lacking the paid time and staffing resources necessary to provide the constituent services that we expect of our legislators at all other levels of government.
