What’s at stake: District 11 contains one of the region’s Democratic bastions: East End neighborhoods of Pittsburgh that include Squirrel Hill, Shadyside and Point Breeze. But it also includes a number of working class communities next door — among them Carrick, Hazelwood, and the boroughs of Mt. Oliver and Homestead. Squirrel Hill incumbent Paul Klein, a liberal Democrat, faces not one but two challengers this fall: Republican Eileen Lo Cunningham and political outsider Robert McCune.
Annual stipend: $10,939
Eileen Lo Cunningham
Cunningham, a retired engineer, won the Republican nomination in the spring primary with slightly more than 250 votes. She cites public safety and “economic fears” as the issues most important to residents of her district.
Party: Republican
Place of Residence: Pittsburgh (Lincoln Place)
Education: B.S., University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering
Current occupation: Retired
Relevant experience: Designed and developed software systems; ran a computer consulting business; substitute math and science teacher; coach; Pittsburgh Council District 5 chair, founder of a non-profit that “increases voter engagement and information.”
Links: Facebook
Fundraising (as of 10/23/23):
Total raised (2023): None reported
Total spent (2023): $713.05
WESA Candidate Survey
What is the most important issue for residents of your district, and what will you do to tackle that issue?
Public safety and economic fears are the issues that are most concerning to the people I meet. I hope to increase the county police force to aid downtown and smaller municipalities. I would hope to work on economic policies that increase job growth bringing back the 50,000 in lost population to help sustain and grow the county.
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?
Tax assessments could cause many seniors or poor working class families to be taxed out of their houses. I would not vote on a sweeping tax reassessment for that reason. Other solutions to this issue need to be found.
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.)
The county executive should have greater participation with the workings of the jail. The needs of the jail system should be addressed by the county council and jail working together to solve issues and not point fingers. Shuman Center should also reopen. Young people need to be removed from bad environments to get the help they need.
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 need to court business to the county in order to bring back the lost population and keep residents here.
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?
County Council should be a check on the executive. Both chambers should be bringing ideas that will make the county and the lives of all of its citizens better. There should not be policy promoted that is ideological in nature that does not account for the consequences of all residents.
Paul Klein
Klein has served on council since 2016 and has been one of the more progressive voices on council. He points to co-sponsoring the legislation that created the county Independent Police Review Board and helping to create the new county Department of Sustainability as key accomplishments. He fended off a challenge from the left in this year’s Democratic primary. Klein is a member of council’s executive committee, sustainability and green initiatives committee and government reform committee.
Party: Democratic
Place of Residence: Pittsburgh (Squirrel Hill)
Education: B.A., Pennsylvania State University; J.D., Duquesne University School of Law
Current occupation: Professor of law, ethics and corporate social responsibility, University of Pittsburgh
Relevant experience: Allegheny County Council (2016 – present); University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business (2016 – present); Duquesne University School of Law (1989 – 2016)
Links: Website | Facebook
Supporters/endorsements: Allegheny County Democratic Committee, Young Democrats of Allegheny County, Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council
Fundraising (as of 10/23/23):
Total raised (2023): $4,310.00
Total spent (2023): $3,059.67
WESA Candidate Survey
What is the most important issue for residents of your district? What will you do to tackle that issue?
We have to work more closely with the health department and to launch a coordinated effort that links future economic development efforts with a clear-eyed focus on environmental impact. We have to step up our efforts to address the social justice/equity issues that so hinder our ability to create a society that seeks to promote the common good. Specifically, decisions have to be made about the county jail, the future of the Shuman Detention Center and our criminal justice system. Affordable housing, homelessness and the poverty that afflicts so many families in this county must all be addressed.
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 system is long overdue for a major overhaul. It challenges our confidence in the integrity and competence of county government. We have created a special committee in council to bring many voices to the table to ensure that in building a new and better model, that we do so in a more transparent and equitable manner. Residents of this county are confused and frustrated. They don’t understand how the system works. We can do better, and council can take some leadership on this matter.
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.)
These are fundamentally health and human services issues. Council agreed at our meeting on March 21, 2023 to create a study group with judges, social workers, psychologists and members of the community to consider what the possibilities might be for Shuman. Certainly, it must remain a public entity. We must not privatize. How we respond to conditions at the jail is a real test of our humanity. Unfortunately, the jail has fallen victim to the political wars, and positions have hardened. Council must take leadership. Again, our oversight responsibilities are such that we need to own up to our obligation to pay attention to operations at the jail.
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 should embrace an economic development mindset that balances moral and practical considerations. To ensure the economic health of the region, we would do well to ask ourselves how we will measure progress. This is where our attentiveness to sustainable development, in its broadest incarnation, is essential. Our approach to development requires that we depart from the economic models of the past and take the long view, with all of the sacrifices that might require. We have to shed the transactional mindset that has contributed to mindless and unbridled development. The community voice matters but leadership requires thoughtful navigation through the maze of public input.
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?
When the current form of government was created, it was clearly the vision of the creators that a strong executive model was in order. We are a “part-time” council. The issues that we face, however, and are expected to address are significant and complex and are deserving of a more deliberative focus. Our institutional responsibilities are real, and central to that is our oversight role. We are increasingly owning up to that responsibility. However, our resources are limited. We have 15 members and a staff of four. We do need help. It is difficult to meet the expectations of constituents and the demands of the serious challenges we face.
Robert McCune
Robert McCune is running as an independent candidate with the United We Stand party. He ran for Pittsburgh City Council last year. He does not have a campaign website, and did not respond to our interview requests or to fill out the WESA Candidate Survey.
Party: United We Stand
Place of Residence: Did not answer
Education: Did not answer
Current occupation: Did not answer
Relevant experience: Did not answer
Links: Did not answer
Fundraising (as of 10/23/23):
Total raised (2023): None reported
Total spent (2023): None reported
WESA Candidate Survey
Did not answer
