Voters will elect five Pittsburgh City Council members

Five Pittsburgh City Council seats are up for grabs this year with competitive Democratic primary challenges in four races.

There are no Republican challengers, and aside from independent or write-in bids, the winners in the May 21 primary election should win another term in November.

Incumbents in Districts 1, 3, 7, and 9 face challengers. Councilman Corey O’Connor, 34, of Swisshelm Park, who represents District 5, is the only unopposed incumbent.

Council representatives serve four years and are paid $68,066.

Council District 1

Mark Brentley Sr.

Age: 62

Neighborhood: Central North Side

Occupation: Was a foreman in the Pittsburgh Public Works Department until January when the city terminated him for refusing to accept a night shift assignment. He contends the city wrongly fired him.

Education: Associate’s degree in general studies from the Community College of Allegheny County; graduate of Perry High School.

Experience: Served 16 years on the Pittsburgh Public School Board and has run unsuccessfully numerous times for state representative and City Council.

What is your top priority?

Establish a District 1 advisory committee consisting of three to five members who will evaluate needs for the district.

What is the one thing you would change?

Create training and employment opportunities for youth living in the district.

Why should voters choose you?

“I come with the experience of being a lifelong Northsider. I am in (the race) for the community. I want to see what we can do to make conditions better for all Northsiders.”

Darlene Harris

• Age: 66

• Neighborhood: Spring Hill

• Occupation: City Council member

• Education: Graduate of Perry High School; attended schooling for dental assistant.

• Experience: Seeking a fourth full term on council. Previously served on the Pittsburgh Public School Board for eight years, including one year as president. Previously served as president of the Spring Hill Civic League.

• What is your top priority?

Remediation of landslides in the North Side and prohibiting double-stacked train cars from traveling through dense city neighborhoods.

• What is the one thing you would change?

Stop illegal drug sales in the North Side.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I’m honest. I’m not afraid to ask questions, the hard questions. I’m a hard worker.”

Bobby Wilson

• Age: 36

• Neighborhood: Spring Hill

• Occupation: Medical researcher at the University of Pittsburgh Emphysema/COPD Research Center.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science from Pitt; master’s in exercise physiology from Pitt.

• Experience: Current president of Spring Hill Civic League; board member Northside Leadership Conference.

• What is your top priority?

Advocate for working families and jobs in the North Side.

• What is the one thing you would change?

Ensure that residents are aware of the city’s Housing Opportunity Fund, a $10 million fund available annually for affordable housing.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I’m going to give everyone access to the office. I want (residents) to know there’s not just going to be one or two people making decisions in their neighborhoods. We’re all going to work together.”

Council District 3

Bruce Kraus

• Age: 65

• Neighborhood: South Side Flats

• Occupation: Council president

• Education: Baldwin High School graduate; attended one year of college.

• Experience: Seeking fourth term on council; serves on various boards including the Brashear Association, Carnegie Library, Carnegie Mellon University, Children’s Sickle Cell Foundation, Institute for Research, Education & Training in Addictions, Oakland Business Improvement District, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Shepard Wellness advisory board.

• What is your top priority?

Neighborhood empowerment and constituent services; insist on equity in distribution of resources and creating opportunities for the council district.

• What is the one thing you would change?

Do a better job educating the public on council’s role in overseeing city finances.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I’m asking to be rehired based on a record that I believe I’ve been able to provide… whether that is in terms of rebuilding infrastructure, providing for diversity and inclusion, or being responsible stewards of the public purse, or the legislative package that we have provided over the years, or the rich history of constituent services that we have, all of those things I believe combined are why I’m asking people to rehire me for four more years.”

Chris Kumanchik

• Age: 25

• Neighborhood: Central Oakland

• Occupation: Self-employed contractor

• Education: Three associate’s degrees from the Community College of Allegheny County in mathematics and science, computer information systems and general studies.

• Experience: State constable for Pittsburgh’s Fourth Ward in Oakland.

• What is your top priority?

Provide more parking spaces for East Carson Street by building parking garages no larger than two stories.

• What is the one thing you would change?

Stop council from enacting legislation that is superseded by state and federal laws, including decriminalization of marijuana and regulating firearms within the city.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I bring a comprehensive skill set to the table that I don’t feel City Council has. I like to look at data. I’m able to read it and question consultants the right way. I think (council members) lack the skill set to remain objective and ask the right questions.”

Ken Wolfe

• Age: 44

• Neighborhood: Allentown

• Occupation: Delivery driver

• Education: Graduate of Carrick High School

• Experience: Current member of the 18th Ward Democratic Committee; previously served as chair of Pittsburgh Police Zone 3 Public Safety Council, Bruce Kraus’ council chief of staff and as a legislative aide for state Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Hill District.

• What is your top priority?

Conduct meetings across the district to learn concerns and needs of residents and work to address the issues.

• What is the one thing you would change?

Provide better service to the district.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I am a community-centric candidate. I want to make sure all communities are heard and not just a few.”

District 7

Deb Gross

• Age: 52

• Neighborhood: Highland Park

• Occupation: City Council member.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Florida; master’s in sociology from Duke University.

• Experience: Seeking second term on council; serves on boards for Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority Board and Landmarks Development Corp.; previously served as executive director of the former Greater Pittsburgh Arts Alliance.

• What is your top priority?

Advocate for residents who do not have ability to pay for such things as rising city housing costs and utilities.

• What is the one thing you would change?

Require more information on large contracts before council is asked to vote on them.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I have throughout my career been involved at leadership-level making hard choices, but also understanding how to help things actually get done.”

Deirdre Kane

• Age: 46

• Neighborhood: Lawrenceville

• Occupation: Marketing specialist at Highmark.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh; master’s in organizational leadership from Point Park University; graduate of Peabody High School.

• Experience: Previously served on board of directors for Lawrenceville United; founder and former co-owner of 52nd Street Market in Lawrenceville.

• What is your top priority?

Focus on constituent service; make sure needs of district residents are met.

• What is one thing you would change?

Provide a step-by-step guide on all requirements necessary to run for local office.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I am super passionate and hands-on when it comes to community involvement. I will be a presence in communities. Residents will know who I am, and I will listen to their needs and react to what they hope for in their communities.”

District 9

Stephen Braxton

• Age: 51

• Neighborhood: Stanton Heights

• Occupation: Maintenance technician for Presbyterian Senior Care at at the Fairmont Apartments in East Liberty.

• Education: Graduate of West Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia.

• Experience: Serves on the Bloomfield-Garfield Corp. board of directors.

• What is your top priority?

Improving public safety for senior citizens; improving relations between residents and the Pittsburgh police.

• What is the one thing you would change?

Require bicyclists to ride only in city bike lanes during rush hours.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I think I will make a better candidate because I’m there with the people on the street, talking to people, finding out what’s going on and finding out what they need.”

Ricky Burgess

• Age: 62

• Neighborhood: North Point Breeze

• Occupation: City Council member; pastor Nazarene Baptist Church in Homewood; professor of communications Community College of Allegheny County.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications and English education from LaSalle College; master’s in communications from the Eastern Michigan University; graduate Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

• Experience: Seeking a fourth term on council.

• What is your top priority?

Work to reduce homicides in Pittsburgh and increase development in the council district.

• What is the one thing you would change?

Provide more funding for social programming and affordable housing across the city.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I have a proven track record of success and accomplishments. It takes time to learn how to do council. I can probably do in the next four years effectively what it would take a newcomer 10 or 12 years to do. I already have those relationships and connections.”

Cherylie Fuller

• Age: 62

• Occupation: Retired bus driver, Port Authority of Allegheny County

• Neighborhood: Homewood

• Education: Associate’s degree in liberal arts from the Community College of Allegheny County. Graduate Westinghouse High School.

• Experience: Clerk of elections for Pittsburgh’s 13th Ward, 1st District.

• What is your top priority?

Engage with and advocate for residents.

• What is one thing you would change?

Working with every group in the district regardless of the group.

• Why should voters choose you?

“Voters have called for transparency and that I have been. I will have a clear, distinct procedural process for anything that happens within the district. I will give the community what they ask for.”

Judith K. Ginyard

• Age: 60

• Neighborhood: North Point Breeze

• Occupation: Real estate broker

• Education: Classes at Point Park University; prelicensing courses for real estate at the Community College of Allegheny County; real estate brokerage courses at the Real Estate Institute.

• Experience: Owner of JKG Real Estate Services LLC; real estate broker for 25 years; U.S. Army veteran.

• What is your top priority?

Require the council office to oversee distribution of federal Community Development Block Grant funding

• What is one thing you would change?

Eliminate pay to play politics with for-profit developers and protecting personal property rights in the district.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I’m the most qualified, and I’ve done the most volume of work over a 20-year career in community development. I will be the first minority woman veteran to serve on city council. I honorably served my country, and I humbly serve my community.”

Kierran Young

• Age: 26

• Occupation: Political consultant

• Neighborhood: Stanton Heights

• Education: Graduate of Peabody High School. Attended West Virginia University and plans to continue online education through the Pennsylvania State University.

• Experience: Has worked on political campaigns in eastern states and Washington, D.C.; ran unsuccessfully for Pennsylvania Democratic Committee.

• What is your top priority?

Create more affordable and market-rate housing and provide opportunities for residents to find union construction jobs.

• What is one thing you would change?

Require large nonprofits such as UPMC to pay impact fee for new development equal to 10 percent of total development cost.

• Why should voters choose you?

“I stand independently of the political structure. I will fight for the voters of the 9th Council District first and foremost.”