In 2021, we won paid sick leave for all workers in Allegheny County! This protection requires that workers accrue up to 5 paid sick days a year. This keeps workers from having to choose between coming to work while sick and losing a day’s pay, or even their job.

In 2022, we banned (new) fracking in County parks! We deserve clean air, clean water, and protected green spaces. Banning future fracking projects in County parks is an important first step.

In 2021, we created a police review board. There needs to be thorough oversight of anyone who is walking around with a gun and a badge. This board provides a central source of oversight to review allegations of police misconduct.

This ordinance requires the use of environmentally responsible equipment for County construction projects. This is just one of many important steps in protecting the health and safety of Allegheny County residents by reducing diesel emissions.

As the Democratic At-Large member of County Council, I sit on the Board of Elections. In this role I made creative campaigns for voter education (like our no naked ballots campaign) and won grant money for increased access to elections. I helped voters track their mail in ballots and ensure their vote was counted by launching an “Election 2020” information hub and holding weekly Zoom sessions to be as accessible as possible and provide voters with as much accurate and up to date information as possible.

As one of the first formerly incarcerated elected officials in the country, I’ve worked hard on the Jail Oversight Board to bring attention to horrific conditions in the jail, which has one of the highest death rates per capita in the nation and is both a moral and financial liability that impacts us all.

We stopped dangerous contractors from bringing deadly weapons into the jail, and instituted a first of its kind $125 monthly stipend for incarcerated individuals. This stipend, which is at no cost to the taxpayers and instead funded by the profits the county is disgustingly making off of incarcerated peoples’ commissary purchases, helps alleviate burdens on family members who have to choose between putting food on the table at home or making sure loved ones in the ACJ don’t go to bed hungry at night.

I will continue bringing attention to the issues in the Allegheny County Jail, conducting unannounced inspections of the jail, and talking with incarcerated individuals about their concerns and needs.

I am proud that banning conversion therapy for minors in Allegheny County was one of my first accomplishments after being sworn in. This is an important measure to protect our young LGBTQ+ neighbors.

When the County Police proposed a dangerous program to mark “easy target[s] for theft,” we quickly organized a response that stopped the dangerous and likely unconstitutional proposal.

Our team routinely requests documents using Pennsylvania’s Right-To-Know-Law so that operations are public and transparent.

Court Debt is an injustice that makes it even harder for our neighbors to stay out of the criminal punishment system. I won a $50,000 grant for fines and fees reform from the Fines & Fees Justice Center, which allowed us to hold workshops where folks could resolve their court debt and pay off overdue restitution charges so impacted children can succeed in adulthood by closing out their cases and leaving the criminal legal system behind them.

You shouldn’t have to drive all the way downtown to drop off your ballot in time for Election Day. In 2024, we passed a requirement for ballot drop boxes all over the county, and even added an additional location in McKeesport.

In the 2023 Budget, I fought to increase County funding for the Public Defender’s office and CCAC, funding for the food policy council, Housing Court Help Desk, and lead remediation. We should expect more from our government and I will continue to push our County budget to fund services that will help our residents.

Workers should have their schedules well in advance of their shifts, and nobody should be forced to work on their scheduled day off. Companies, and even our County Government, have routinely short-staffed operations relying on forced overtime and mandatory last-minute shifts. That is unacceptable, especially for folks with children or who schedule doctors appointments for days off. Corporations must provide schedules early and compensate workers for late shift changes. Learn more about Philadelphia’s Fair Workweek Law, here.

UPMC, Highmark, and other wealthy “nonprofits” don’t pay taxes while raking in billions of dollars each year. County Council must make sure that the parcel review program is staffed and operating to put non-qualifying parcels back on the tax rolls. Not only will it pay for itself, it will demonstrate that Allegheny County is unafraid to call out these organizations and threaten their tax-exempt status in order to make sure our residents aren’t forced to pay for their profits.

We need to support more housing to make our region as affordable as possible for everyone. The County should build affordable housing near transit centers, along major routes, and near critical services and employment centers. But affordable housing alone isn’t enough: people need to be able to maintain their tenancy in that housing, which often requires additional support, both general (like mental and physical healthcare) as well as housing-specific supports (like legal representation, rental assistance, and resource navigation).

County workers who can do their jobs remotely should not be forced to come into the office. That saves money, gas, electricity, and more for County taxpayers. It also reduce unnecessary emissions and rush hour traffic. As long as the work is done, who cares where it gets done?

By increasing the budget and staffing for our elections office, we can make sure you receive your ballot on time, answer your questions as election day nears, and reliably train enough poll workers.

Pennsylvania law requires counties to provide 33% of their community colleges’ funding, yet Allegheny County for years has been violating the law and consistently allocating ~22%, leading to students shouldering this cost. Allegheny County should follow the law and reduce the burden for students.

We must increase the availability of affordable, accessible, and reliable public transit. The main purpose of Pittsburgh Regional Transit is to help people get to where they need to go. It’s not about maximizing profits. I also will work to make transportation options like biking and walking safer and more accessible, through repairs to sidewalks, denser and more pedestrian friendly communities, and stronger and safer bike lanes and car-free trails that go where people both want and need to be.

Instead of reimbursements for hired employees, Allegheny County should fund lifeguard certification directly and pay a living wage for all workers, including seasonal employees at our county pools, ice rinks, and ski slopes. We need to recognize that recreation is not just a nice to have, it is a critical component of livable communities and gives young people a safe place to hang out.

With tremendous need for infrastructure at every level, the County should connect job-seekers with trained counselors who can help them find the job for them, especially individuals impacted by economic decline in various industries.

Any pregnant person who has determined with their doctor that they need an abortion should be able to receive an abortion, regardless of wealth. I will continue to work to protect abortion access in Allegheny County, regardless of what happens at the state level.

Everyone deserves the right to an attorney, especially individuals facing eviction, parental rights challenges, and immigration cases. We should work with local law clinics to guarantee access to free legal assistance, and work toward expanding the Office of the Public Defender to provide services to folks impacted by not only the criminal legal system, but the various other legal systems as well.

Green jobs are the future of Allegheny County. We need to invest in jobs and infrastructure that tackle climate change and its impacts on our region. We should invest in green infrastructure, flood control projects, and transit-oriented housing.

The county should explore steps it can take to follow the City of Pittsburgh’s lead in decriminalizing marijuana. Though the county does not have the authority to legalize and regulate marijuana, it should examine options to adapt and modify legislation passed by Pittsburgh’s City Council so that we’re not arresting people who pose no threat to the community.