Pittsburgh City 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.

City Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Type
Type	Full-time mayor-council
Houses	Unicameral
History
Preceded by	Borough of Pittsburgh House of Burgesses City of Pittsburgh Select Council and City of Pittsburgh Common Council[1]
Leadership
Council President	R. Daniel Lavelle, Democratic since January 8, 2024
City Clerk	Kimberly Clark-Baskin
Structure
Seats	9
Political groups	Democratic
Committees	Finance and Law; Public Safety; Public Works; Human Resources; Land Use and Economic Development; Urban Recreation; Innovation, Performance, and Asset Management; Intergovernmental Affairs, Hearings
Length of term	4 Years
Elections
Voting system	Plurality by District
Redistricting	Decennial
Motto
Benigno Numine (by the favor of the heavens)
Meeting place
Council Chamber
City-County Building
Website
pittsburghpa.gov/council/index.html
Constitution
Home Rule Charter Code of Ordinances Rules of Council

Title page of the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances

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	Democratic	Jan. 3, 2028
2	Theresa Kail-Smith	2009	Recreation, Youth and Senior Services	Democratic	Jan. 5, 2026
3	Robert Charland III	2024	Human Resources	Democratic	Jan. 3, 2028
4	Anthony Coghill	2018	Public Safety and Wellness	Democratic	Jan. 5, 2026
5	Barbara Warwick	2022	Public Works and Infrastructure	Democratic	Jan. 3, 2028
6	R. Daniel Lavelle†	2010	Hearings	Democratic	Jan. 5, 2026
7	Deborah Gross	2014	Innovation, Performance Asset Management and Technology	Democratic	Jan. 3, 2028
8	Erika Strassburger	2018	Finance and Law	Democratic	Jan. 5, 2026
9	Khari Mosley	2024	Intergovernmental and Educational Affairs	Democratic	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 c. 1934
• James F. Malone c. 1928
• James Ross 1817

Past members

Source:^[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 "Jeep" 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