Proposal would allow candidates for Pittsburgh office to use campaign money for some childcare costs

Candidates running for elected office in the City of Pittsburgh would be allowed to use campaign money for certain childcare expenses, under legislation introduced Tuesday by City Council.

The legislation would allow candidate committees to use campaign money funds to pay for childcare expenses incurred during an election cycle to pay for “reasonable and necessary childcare for the time the candidate is engaging in campaign activity.”

Several members of council have “experienced this tug” between wanting to run for office, but also needing to care for families, said Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, a co-sponsor on the bill. She said there have been times when she felt like she couldn’t juggle both running for office and raising a family. The legislation, she said, would help other parents more easily do both.

“It’s a dual-purpose,” she said. “It signals that you’re welcome here. But it also truly does make it easier if you’re someone who doesn’t have family nearby and you’re already paying out the nose for childcare, and you just can’t pay that much more to be able to have someone watch your child when you have to be out there campaigning or attending events.”

Strassburger said having parents running for elected office is important for representation. Parents can bring their own personal experiences dealing with local schools and the childcare system, she said.

“It’s really important, fundamentally, to have representation at every level of government,” she said, explaining that should include having elected officials who represent people of color, all genders, all backgrounds and parents.

The legislation would apply to costs for “professional or casual baby-sitting services” and organizations that offer childcare, but not pre-primary, primary or secondary education.

Payments could not be made to a member of the candidate’s household or family, including parents, step-parents, children, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles or cousins, according the legislation.

Expenses related to childcare would be disclosed in the same manner as other expenditures that candidate committees are required to disclose.

If approved, the legislation, introduced by Councilmember Corey O’Connor, would go into effect during the election cycle immediately following its adoption.