Allegheny County Controller Corey O'Connor continues to mull over possible mayoral campaign
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The presidential election is over, but a big local election is looming on the horizon, and a well-known political figure and son of a former mayor is lining up as a potential challenger to Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey in the Democratic primary.
Sources tell KDKA-TV that County Controller Corey O'Connor, the son of late Mayor Bob O'Connor, will formally announce his candidacy in the next three weeks.
O'Connor has been working behind the scenes for nearly a year, gaining support from the trade unions and major developers. He will challenge the record of the Gainey administration as one of no growth and stagnation.
Sheehan: So, it's no secret you're running for mayor. Can you confirm that right now?
O'Connor: I'm strongly considering it. I think this week is really important because family will be together and we'll have a full-blown conversation about it and we'll make a decision probably within the next two weeks.
Sheehan: Is there a feeling you'd like to continue the legacy of your father?
O'Connor: If he were here today, I'm sure he would say your No. 1 priority, whatever job you do, is the people of Pittsburgh. They are the heart and soul of what makes up this city and region. So, focus on the people and they will hopefully guide you to your right answer.
Sheehan: Do you believe people are dissatisfied with the performance of this administration, and it's time for a change?
O'Connor: They're looking for a change. They're seeing the decline in the city, and they deserve better.
O'Connor says he hears from people urging him to run, voicing concerns that under Gainey, the city has gone off track, stagnating from falling property values, blight, and a lack of development.
Frustrated with what they see as the administration's impediments to growth, trade unions and major developers have lined up behind O'Connor, promising major financial support.
"Right now, the city is managing decline instead of growth. It's growth, but everyone has a seat at the table. It's not just big projects Downtown. It's within our neighborhoods. Have a vision and put money back into people opposed to plans and studies," O'Connor said.
Sheehan: The mayor has trumpeted affordable housing. Has he achieved?
O'Connor: We had hundreds of millions of dollars of federal money to bail us out during COVID. Where did that money go? Why are there not shovel-ready sites for affordable housing? Why have we not rehabbed more houses for affordable housing? Why did we not have businesses ready to run and get started?
Married and a father of two young children, O'Connor says the city needs to market itself to young families and entrepreneurs while dealing more effectively with the homeless crisis and crime, citing the recent resignation of Chief Larry Scirotto as a police bureau suffering from a lack of leadership and support.
Sheehan: The mayor says crime is down in the city and he's been able to achieve that.
O'Connor: Yeah, obviously, anybody can phony numbers as much as they want. What I see is violent crime is up. When your top cop is out of town most of the year refereeing, are they actually reporting crimes?
In response to O'Connor's claims, the Gainey administration provided KDKA-TV with a statement from Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak.
"We in the Gainey Administration are proud of our record on improving public safety, fostering economic development that improves the lives of everyday Pittsburghers, and rebuilding basic city services. Controller O'Connor appears to be misinformed on the facts; Homicides and Non-fatal shootings are at the lowest they've been since 2018, employees and visitors continue to return to downtown, significant development projects are underway both downtown and across the City, and we have placed thousands of new housing units, both for-sale and for-rent, as well as affordable and market-rate, into production.
"Concerning declining property assessments, we're glad to learn that the County Controller acknowledges that failures in the County's real estate assessment process are undermining real estate tax revenue for all municipalities in the County. We hope that he will begin to use his authority as a County official to address those challenges.
"Mayor Gainey and his Administration look forward to continuing the vital work of making city government work for all Pittsburghers in 2025."
