User:ChefRoyArdee/Ed Gainey

Early life and education
After high school, Gainey attended Norfolk State University for a semester before returning home to Pittsburgh, where he would transfer to the Community College of Allegheny County. After completing community college, Gainey attended Morgan State University. In 1994, Gainey graduated from Morgan State University with a Bachelor’s degree in business management.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In 2004 and 2006, Gainey unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Mayoralty
Pittsburgh’s municipal government has a mayor-council system in which the mayor is the chief executive of the city. The legislative body of Pittsburgh is its city council, which is made up of nine members. Pittsburgh is split up into nine electoral districts for municipal elections, with each district electing one member to the city council. The mayor of Pittsburgh has the power to appoint directors of municipal departments, sign bills into law, and propose the city’s budget. Pittsburgh’s City Council is in charge of adopting the mayor’s proposed budget, approving the mayor’s appointments, putting forth bills, and levying taxes. The mayor is elected to a four-year term, starting on the first Monday of January following their election. There are no term limits for the mayor of Pittsburgh.

Public Safety Enforcement
Gainey has pledged to make Pittsburgh the safest city in the U.S. Pittsburgh has seen a decline in homicides thanks to major crime units. Gainey has worked closely with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police to hire more officers and reform training; standardized two new courses in Police Academy education. Mayor Gainey appointed a new Police Chief, Larry Scirotto, and was formally sworn in as Police Chief in June 2023, passing unanimously through the city council. Incumbent District Attorney (DA) of Allegheny County, Stephen Zappala, argues that the Office of Mayor Gainey has failed to properly enforce police practice. Incumbent DA Zappala threatened to take the matter to federal court.

Personal life
Gainey lives in the Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood of Pittsburgh with his wife, Michelle, and their three children.

On January 22, 2016, Gainey's younger sister, Janese Talton-Jackson, was shot dead in Pittsburgh's Homewood neighborhood by a man who followed her out of a bar.

Affordable Housing Policies
Pittsburgh is planning to raise millions of dollars to invest in affordable housing. The city will issue a bond to raise the money, which will be used to fund new affordable housing units and preserve existing ones. The goal is to make enough investments to address the city's shortage of affordable housing. The new funding will be used to address a variety of needs, including the preservation of existing affordable housing units, the construction of new affordable housing units, and the provision of assistance to people who are struggling to afford rent.

Additional Policies
One of Ed Gainey's key policies is on climate change and environmental issues. Gainey has pledged to pass a lead ordinance, not privatize PWSA, and work with environmentalists to develop a plan to address climate change. Another policy he plans on enacting is on transit and land use. Gainey has said that he will advocate for better public transportation options, including high-speed rail. He has also said that he supports inclusionary zoning, which would require developers to set aside a percentage of units in new developments for affordable housing.