Welcome to the latest edition of Voices of Reason where we’ll recap exclusive news and data featured in our most recent podcast.
This special segment dives in with the winner of the Democratic primary for Pittsburgh mayor with an exclusive interview with Allegheny County Controller Corey O'Connor, who share views and insights you want to know.
Big Names Make News
Democratic Nominee for Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor highlights that while the current bond ratings may be high for Pittsburgh, they do not “plow a street, fix a water fountain, build a playground, or invest in communities,” rather, they force mayors to “cut major initiatives” and ultimately need to “raise fees or add a tax to pay your bond back.” [Watch ([link removed]) ]
Corey O’Connor argues that change is necessary because the current “5-year budget shows fewer people going to be employed in the city of Pittsburgh, as well as real estate taxes declining over those five years and taking on additional debt.” [Watch ([link removed]) ]
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Numbers You Need to Know
Elections
* In the Democratic primary for Pittsburgh mayor, Corey O’Connor won with 52.8% of the vote, defeating incumbent Ed Gainey, who received only 47.2%. [NYTimes ([link removed]) ]
* In the Republican primary for Pittsburgh mayor, Tony Moreno won with 69.9% of the vote, defeating Thomas West, who received only 30.1%. [NYTimes ([link removed]) ]
* In the Democratic primary, nearly 19,000 mail-in ballots were counted, with write-ins making up less than 0.5% of the vote, while in the Republican race, write-in candidates drew about 12% of the vote. [TribLive ([link removed]) ]
Voter Interests
* Before becoming Allegheny County controller, Mr. O’Connor served 11 years on Pittsburgh City Council, where he championed legislation on paid sick leave and gun control after the 2018 synagogue shooting. [PittsburghPost-Gazette ([link removed]) ]
* For the second consecutive election, Democrats unseated a sitting mayor in Pittsburgh—an event that hadn’t occurred in nearly 100 years until Ed Gainey did so four years ago by defeating then-Mayor Bill Peduto. [PittsburghPost-Gazette ([link removed]) ]
* This November, voters will fill one vacant seat each on the Commonwealth and Superior Courts and decide whether to grant five appellate judges new 10-year terms. [SpotlightPA ([link removed]) ]
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Corey O'Connor Wins Pittsburgh Mayoral Democratic Primary
[link removed]
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In Case You Missed It...
The Voices of Reason podcast has covered the most important issues in Pennsylvania politics – from education funding ([link removed]) to trust in elections ([link removed]) . Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt ([link removed]) , PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity ([link removed]) , and House Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris ([link removed]) are just a few of many influential guests who have joined us for exclusive interviews and roundtable discussions.
Visit the Voice of Reason YouTube page ([link removed]) to experience all the great moments you missed.
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