Police reform and equitable economic development were top issues addressed by the four Democratic candidates for mayor of Pittsburgh in a virtual forum Thursday evening.
Hosted by Pittsburgh United and moderated by Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, the forum was an opportunity for Mayor Bill Peduto, state Rep. Ed Gainey, retired police officer Tony Moreno and math tutor/ride-share driver Michael Thompson to answer questions and debate issues ranging from policing to city infrastructure.
The candidates’ forum is the second to be held ahead of the mayoral primary on May 18. The first was held in person at Pittsburgh Westinghouse Academy in Homewood in late March.
Mr. Ali ran a tight ship during Thursday’s 90-minute event, which was co-sponsored by over a dozen civic organizations, with candidates being encouraged to refrain from personal attacks against one another and each receiving just one minute to respond to questions before being muted.
At the start of the forum, Mr. Ali asked each candidate for his administration’s main priority if he were to be elected. All four candidates responded at least in part that policing must be reimagined within the city to rebuild trust between officers and the communities they serve.
“My top priority is police reform … a vote for me is a vote to disband the police union,” said Mr. Thompson, who did not attend the previous mayoral forum. “We will get rid of the police union, as it is an impediment to real reform. The contract is up during the next mayoral term and there is no reason to renew it.”
Mr. Moreno agreed that policing in Pittsburgh needs to change, saying that as a retired officer, he knows intimately how the policing system works and what it takes to keep communities safe.
Questions regarding economic development were also a focal point during the forum, with Mr. Ali asking how the candidates would ensure that continued development would remain equitable for minority populations.
Mr. Peduto replied by saying that his administration has been focusing on issues regarding equitable development for a number of years, offering workforce development programs and his commitment to funding for pre-K and after-school programs as proof.
Mr. Gainey retorted, however, that equitable economic development has never been a priority of past administrations, saying that people in some developing communities are being left in the dust.
Mr. Moreno said that bringing jobs back to communities, such as the manufacturing of medical equipment, will be key to securing a healthy economic environment for everyone in Pittsburgh.
When the question was passed to Mr. Thompson, he noted that city officials may not even be cognizant of some issues regarding economic development. To that end, Mr. Thompson said, his administration would look to other cities that have successful and equitable programs, such as Atlanta, for guidance.
Mr. Ali also focused a number of questions on environmental protections and city infrastructure, asking how the candidates would utilize funds from the new federal infrastructure bill detailed by President Joe Biden last week.
Investing in the city’s Public Works Department must be a priority, as having only 9 percent of the city’s budget allocated for the department each year is unacceptable, Mr. Moreno said.
He added that Pittsburgh’s bridges, water tables, parks and rivers all must be revitalized, maintained and cleaned in order to keep the city healthy for future generations.
Mr. Thompson, Mr. Gainey and Mr. Peduto all echoed the sentiment, with Mr. Gainey saying that his administration would focus partly on green infrastructure for the rivers, while Mr. Gainey and Mr. Peduto agreed that the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority must remain a public entity.
Mr. Peduto also added that he will work toward the electrification of the city-owned vehicle fleet, such as police cruisers and ambulances.
Before ending the Zoom forum, which was attended by nearly 270 members of the community, Mr. Ali gave each candidate one minute to offer a closing statement.
Mr. Moreno focused on ensuring economic opportunities for all of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods and making sure that there is accountability for elected officials, while Mr. Gainey said city officials must honor their promises.
“What we have to move away from is broken promises. We were promised more affordable housing, broken promise. We were promised better police-community relations, broken promise … broken promise after broken promise does not build a city,” Mr. Gainey said. “We need a mayor who every day wants to see every ship rise in this city.”
Mr. Thompson said that common decency must be brought back. As the city of Mister Rogers, he said, everyone in Pittsburgh must do a better job of being nicer to each other, listening to each other, and checking up on the community, friends and neighbors.
Mr. Peduto, meanwhile, thanked the Pittsburgh community for trusting him over his past two terms and said that while much has been accomplished in the past seven years, there’s still much more that needs to be achieved.
“Our work is not finished, there’s still much more work that needs to be done,” Mr. Peduto said. “I’m asking for your vote on May 18 in order to be able to finish that work for Pittsburgh.”
Correction, April 9, 2021: A comment regarding medical manufacturing jobs was originally attributed to Mr. Gainey. The comment was made by Mr. Moreno.
First Published: April 9, 2021, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: April 9, 2021, 7:48 p.m.
