Peduto makes it official, seeks 3rd term as Pittsburgh's mayor

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto made it official Thursday: He will seek a third term as mayor.

Peduto made the announcement in a video streamed on Facebook.

During the video, which debuted at 1 p.m., 14 supporters from several of the city’s neighborhoods gave testimonials about the work that Peduto has done as mayor.

“I have watched the mayor make a commitment to deal with equality and the disparities in the community, and I have seen him be true to his word,” said the Rev. Samuel Ware, executive director of Building United, a church-based home-building project. “I know the mayor has a checklist (of priorities), and I would like to see him check some of those things off over the next for years.”

Peduto then held a virtual question-and-answer session that was previously recorded. He outlined his commitments to improve the city as those supporters asked him questions.

Although he joked this wasn’t the best week to use a football analogy, given the Steelers’ embarrassing loss on Sunday, Peduto emphasized the city needs to “play offense” to tackle the multitude of issues the city faces.

He said he is doing this by creating the Gender Equity Commission, working with the Pittsburgh Community Task Force on Policing Reform and promoting the Marshall Plan for Middle America that he’s spearheaded.

He covered his continued commitment to gender, racial equity, support for equal rights for the LGBTQ community, police reform, and youth in the city. He also touted a pilot program to provide guaranteed basic income, improve housing opportunities and his commitment to green energy initiatives.

Peduto acknowledged the challenges the city is facing while also recounting others Pittsburgh has faced since he became mayor.

He pointed to leading the city out of financial crisis, overcoming pension and water issues and helping guide the city through the national spotlight after the 2018 Tree of Life attack in Squirrel Hill.

Now, the city needs to work to recover from the economic hits of the coronavirus pandemic while it also works to deal with “the realities of the Black Lives Matter movement, equity and justice,” Peduto said.

“No matter what the crisis was thrown at us, we came back stronger,” he said. “I have a very good feeling that what is going to come out of this will be a much better city.”

Before today, there was little doubt the 56-year-old Democrat from Point Breeze was seeking a third term.

On July 18, 2019, Peduto tweeted, “Running for re-election in 2021. Bring it.” in response to a critic of his time in office.

Running for re-election in 2021. Bring it.

— bill peduto (@billpeduto) July 18, 2019

But a lot has happened since that tweet.

The coronavirus pandemic has drained city coffers. Unless federal aid is eventually approved, the city has plans to lay off more than 600 employees in July to plug a $26 million hole in the budget.

There also were more than 100 protests in the city following the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd in Minneapolis that galvanized the Black Lives Matter movement and spurred calls for substantive police reform.

The protests were violent at times and they took place outside Peduto’s home several times.

As mayor, Peduto has decried the tactics police used in responding to the demonstrations and shook up the police department leadership. He’s also supported reforms of the department led by city council members and has committed to do more.

Peduto has also been a visible municipal leader on the national stage, calling for federal aid to cities ravaged by the pandemic and leading an effort for a Marshall Plan for Middle America to invest billions of dollars in cities like Pittsburgh to help them work toward an environmentally-friendly future.

Before starting his re-election campaign in 2017, Peduto said he’d need at least four and possible eight more years to accomplish his goals.

Peduto has maintained he doesn’t have any ambitions to seek an office higher than mayor. If reelected, Peduto has said he would seek to do his “life’s work,” including a job in academia and the nonprofit sector, after serving a third term.

2021. Then find my life’s work. No more politics after that, if I am re-elected, for me. All I wanted is to work for the city of Pittsburgh. Still have work to do.

— bill peduto (@billpeduto) July 18, 2019

Prior to serving as mayor, Peduto served three terms on city council and before that was former Councilman Dan Cohen’s chief of staff.

Opponents have yet to emerge to give Peduto a challenge.