I’m glad I didn’t jump into Pittsburgh’s mayoral race too early. Watching this campaign unfold gave me time to evaluate each candidate — not just their record, but their values and how they campaign.
I respect Mayor Ed Gainey, and I’ve worked with him to deliver for my district. But I have to look out for the future of Pittsburgh. We need leadership that’s focused, prepared and ready to meet the moment. When asked about real problems, the mayor deflects — accusing Corey O’Connor of being backed by MAGA Republicans. That’s not serious leadership.
This administration couldn’t even get the city’s water fountains turned on last summer — and that revealed a deeper issue: We’re not delivering on the basics. The city fleet is so neglected we don’t track ambulance breakdowns. We still don’t have a permanent police chief. The Land Bank isn’t funded past 2026. A kids’ book program was canceled, and the mayor had no idea.
I trusted the mayor’s 2025 numbers on overtime pay — now we’re over budget, bleeding cash and trust. Downtown’s tax base is collapsing, covid-19 relief funds are running out, UPMC and the other major nonprofits still aren’t paying their fair share, and there’s no plan to drive job growth or support office space conversion.
Gainey calls himself the progressive litmus test — but he took fracking money, voted for the petrochemical tax credit, and accepted thousands of dollars from Trump and Mastriano donors. Then he attacks O’Connor for taking support from some of the same donors. That’s spin.
O’Connor has a record of real results — he passed paid sick leave, stood up to the NRA after the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue and shows up for every neighborhood. He’s not chasing headlines. He’s trying to fix Pittsburgh. That’s why I’m supporting Corey O’Connor.
It’s time for us to lead again.
Bobby Wilson
Pittsburgh
The writer represents District 1 on Pittsburgh City Council.