Pittsburgh City Council Explained

City Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Coa Pic:	Seal of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.svg
House Type:	Full-time mayor-council
Houses:	Unicameral
Preceded By:	Borough of Pittsburgh House of BurgessesCity of Pittsburgh Select Council and City of Pittsburgh Common Council^[1]
Leader1 Type:	Council President
Leader1:	R. Daniel Lavelle
Party1:	Democratic
Election1:	January 8, 2024
Leader2 Type:	City Clerk
Leader2:	Kimberly Clark-Baskin
Seats:	9
Structure1:	2020_Pittsburgh_City_Council_composition.svg
Structure1 Res:	250px
Political Groups1:	Democratic
Committees1:	Finance and Law; Public Safety; Public Works; Human Resources; Land Use and Economic Development; Urban Recreation; Innovation, Performance, and Asset Management; Intergovernmental Affairs, Hearings
Term Length:	4 Years
Voting System1:	Plurality by District
Redistricting:	Decennial
Motto:	Benigno Numine (by the favor of the heavens)
Session Room:	Council Chamber
Meeting Place:	City-County Building
Constitution:	Home Rule CharterCode of OrdinancesRules of Council

The Pittsburgh City Council serves as the legislative body in the City of Pittsburgh. It consists of nine members.^[2] City council members are chosen by plurality elections in each of nine districts. The city operates under a mayor-council system of local governance.

Current membership

The current members of the city council are:

District	Name	Took office	Committee chairship^[3]	Party	Current term expires^[4]
1	Bobby Wilson‡	2020	Land Use and Economic Development		Jan. 3, 2028
2	Theresa Kail-Smith	2009	Recreation, Youth and Senior Services		Jan. 5, 2026
3	Robert Charland III	2024	Human Resources		Jan. 3, 2028
4	Anthony Coghill	2018	Public Safety and Wellness		Jan. 5, 2026
5	Barbara Warwick	2022	Public Works and Infrastructure		Jan. 3, 2028
6	R. Daniel Lavelle†	2010	Hearings		Jan. 5, 2026
7	Deborah Gross	2014	Innovation, Performance Asset Management and Technology		Jan. 3, 2028
8	Erika Strassburger	2018	Finance and Law		Jan. 5, 2026
9	Khari Mosley	2024	Intergovernmental and Educational Affairs		Jan. 3, 2028

† Denotes Council President (since 2024)

‡ Denotes Council President pro tempore (since 2024)

Past presidents

• Bruce Kraus 2014–2020
• Darlene Harris 2010–2014
• Doug Shields 2006–2010
• Luke Ravenstahl 2005–2006
• Gene Ricciardi 2002–2005
• Bob O'Connor 1998–2002
• Jim Ferlo 1994–1998
• Jack Wagner 1990–1994
• Ben Woods 1988–1990
• Sophie Masloff 1988
• Ben Woods 1985–1988
• Robert Rade Stone 1985
• Eugene "Jeep" DePasquale 1978–1984
• Richard Caliguiri 1977–1978
• Louis Mason 1970–1977
• John F. Counahan 1968–1970
• Thomas Gallagher 1936–1959
• Robert Garland
  • James F. Malone James Ross 1817

Past members^[5]

• Ricky Burgess (2008–2024)
• Bruce Kraus (2014–2024)
• Corey O'Connor (2012–2022)
• Darlene Harris (2006–2020)
• Daniel Gilman (2014–2018)
• Natalia Rudiak (2009–2018)
• Patrick Dowd (2008–2013)
• Bill Peduto (2002–2014)
• Barbara Burns (2000–2004)
• Sala Udin (1997–2007)
• Dan Onorato (1992–2000)
• Bob O'Connor (1991–2003)
• Gene Ricciardi (1988–2006)
• Christopher Smith (1993–1994)
• Jake Milliones (1990–1993)
• Michael Coyne (1988–1992)
• Bernard Regan (1988–1992)
• Jack Wagner (1984–1994)
• Alan Hertzberg (1994–2005)
• Jim Ferlo (1988–2002)
• Otis Lyons Jr. (1988–1989)
• Mark Pollock (1986–1989)
• Stephen Grabowski (1984–1988)
• Ben Woods (1981–1989)
• Thomas E. Flaherty (1980–1983)
• Jim O'Malley (1980–1987)
• Michelle Madoff (1978–1994)
• William Robinson (1978–1985)
• Jim Bulls (1977–1980)
• Sophie Masloff (1976–1988)
• Richard E. Givens (1976–1987)
• James Lally (1976–1980)
• Frank Lucchino (1974–1978)
• John Lynch (1970–1976)
• William J. Coyne (1974–1981)
• Robert Rade Stone (1973–1985)
• Eugene DePasquale (1972–1984, 1988–1989)
• Richard Caligiuri (1970–1977)
• Charles Leslie (1970–1972)
• Amy Ballinger (1970–1976)
• James Cortese (1970)
• George Shields (1970–1974)
• John Lynch (1970–1976)
• Edgar Michaels (1969–1974)
• Thomas Fagan (1968–1973)
• Louis Mason Jr. (1967–1977)
• Peter Flaherty (1966–1970)
• Walter Kamyk (1963–1970)
• Charles Leslie (1961–1969)
• Phillip Baskin (1962–1970)
• James Jordan (1960–1967)
• Horner Green (1960–1961)
• George Shields (1970–1974)
• Edgar Michaels (1969–1974)
• J. Craig Kuhn (1959–1970)
• Charles McCarthy (1958–1963)
• David Olbum (1956–1961)
• Irma D'Ascenzo (1956–1970)
• Paul Jones (1954–1960)
• Emanuel Schifano (1952–1956)
• Bennett Rodgers (1952–1959)
• Charles Dinan (1952–1958)
• John Counahan (1952–1970)
• William Davis (1951–1953)
• Patrick Fagan (1950–1967)
• Frederick Weir (1947–1960)
• William Alvah Stewart (1946–1951)
• Joseph A. McArdle (1942–1949)
• Thomas Kilgallen (1940–1951)
• John Duff Jr. (1940–1952)
• Edward Leonard (1939–1951)
• A.L. Wolk (1938–1956)
• James A. O'Toole (1936–1941)
• Frederick Weir (1936–1947)
• Cornelius Scully (1935–1936)
• George Evans (1935–1945)
• William Magee (1934–1937)
• John Jane (1934–1935)
• John Houston (1934–1935)
• Thomas Gallagher (1934–1965)
• Walter Demmer (1934–1951)
• Frank Duggan (1933)
• George Oliver (1933)
• William Soost (1932–1935)
• John Phillips (1931–1932)
• Michael Muldowney (1930–1933)
• Clifford Connelley (1930–1933)
• George J. Kambach (1929–1931)
• Harry A. Little (1926–1933)
• Robert J. Alderdice (1924–1932)
• Joseph F. Malone (1922–1930)
• Wallace Borland (1922–1925)
• Charles Anderson (1920–1939)
• A.K. Oliver (1919–1921)
• John H. Henderson (1919–1921)
• Daniel Winters (1918–1929)
• William J. Burke (1918–1919)
• William H. Robertson (1916–1924)
• John H. Dailey (1916–1921)
• P.J. McArdle (1911–1913, 1916–1919, 1922–1930, 1932–1940)
• Charles H. Hetzel (1914–1915)
• W.Y. English (1914–1933)
• John S. Herron (1914–1933)
• G.A. Dillinger (1913–1917)
• Robert Garland (1911–1939)
• S.S. Wooburn (1911–1939)
• W.G. Wilkins (1911–1913)
• Enoch Rauh (1911–1919)
• James P. Kerr (1911–1918)
• John M. Goehring (1911–1915)
• W.A. Hoeveler (1911–1914)
• Edward V. Babcock (1911–1913)
• David P. Black (1911)
• A.J. Kelly (1911)
• Robert McKnight (1847–1849)

See also

• List of mayors of Pittsburgh
• Pittsburgh Mayoral Chief of Staff

External links

• https://pittsburghpa.gov/council/index.html official city website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Around Town: In the good ol' days, Pittsburgh Council had 108 guys . Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh Post Gazette . 27 June 2018.
2. Web site: City Council, District information, neighborhoods, your Council Person, Legislation, Budget Office . pittsburghpa.gov . City of Pittsburgh . 7 January 2020.
3. News: Koscinski . Kiley . Pittsburgh City Council begins new legislative session with Daniel Lavelle as president . 9 January 2024 . www.wesa.fm . WESA . 8 January 2024 . en.
4. Web site: City of Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter . 5 August 2024 . 12 . §304 . 18 May 2021 . Council members shall serve for a term of four years from the first Monday of January following their election. Terms of council members shall be staggered so that four are elected at the same time as the mayor..
5. Web site: Brookline and Pittsburgh Historical Facts and Remembrances . www.brooklineconnection.com . 7 January 2020.