Allegheny County Council - Pittsburgh City Paper

Five Allegheny County Council seats are being contested in two-way races. In District 1 (Airport/Ohio Valley), Democrat Kathleen Madonna-Emmerling, who won a contested primary, will face Republican Mary Jo Wise. In District 3 (North Hills/Allegheny Valley), longtime Democratic consultant Lissa Geiger Shulman will face longtime Republican municipal manager Chris Lochner. In District 4 (West Hills), incumbent council president and Democrat Patrick Catena faces a challenge from Republican Bob Doddato. In District 8 (Plum/Monroeville), incumbent Democrat Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis faces a challenge from Republican Michael Dell. Lastly, in a bid to unseat appointed incumbent Mike Embrescia in the Republican-held at-large seat, left-leaning candidate Alex Rose is running as an independent. Embrescia challenged Rose’s candidacy, but the challenge was rejected at the Pa. Supreme Court. After a contested primary, Democrat Aaron Adams is running without opposition in District 9 (Mon Valley), and Robert Palmosina is running unopposed in District 12 (West End/South Hills).

	District 1
Issues	Kathleen Madonna-Emmerling	Mary Jo Wise
Bio:	Born in Sewickley. Duquesne undergrad and Chatham grad degrees. Background in nonprofit fundraising. Founded PAC and has advocated for LGBTQ community and “library freedoms” locally.	Moon Twp. resident. Clarion U undergrad. Former communications professional and stay-at-home mom. Legal assistant. Serves on Moon Twp. Board of Supervisors (2023-present).
Priorities:	Wants to fix state school funding mechanism through tax reform. Supports small-business tax incentives. Supports crisis intervention and co-responder models. Wants to improve transit connectivity.	Wants to forestall 36% property tax increase. Pledges to “advocate for law enforcement.” Supports small-business tax incentives. Says she would seek “bipartisan solutions.”
Endorsements:	ACDC, United Steelworkers District 10, SEIU 668, electeds including Pa. Rep. Arvind Venkat, Allegheny County Treasurer Erica Rocchi Brusselars, Allegheny County Councilor-At-Large Bethany Hallam	RCAC, Pa. Reps. Valerie Gaydos and Jeremy Shaffer

	District 3
Issues	Lissa Geiger Shulman	Chris Lochner
Bio:	Hampton Twp. resident. Pitt undergrad and UM-St. Louis grad degrees. Former teacher and longtime policy consultant. Failed Pa. House candidate in 2020.	Hampton Twp. resident. Pitt undergrad and grad degrees. Former Edgewood Borough Manager and longtime Hampton Twp. Municipal Manager (1986-2024).
Priorities:	Supports greater access to childcare. Wants to “grow skilled workforce.” Seeks road safety improvements. Hopes to better enforce fines on polluters while addressing rising infrastructure costs.	Pledges “No Politics.” Wants to end “out of control” spending and freeze new spending and taxes. Seeks county plan of action to stem job loss. Wants to better enforce pollution fines. Seeks term limits for County Council.
Endorsements:	ACDC, YDAC, Steel City Stonewall Democrats, unions including AFL-CIO, IAFF, IUPAT, PSEA-PACE, Clean Water Action, electeds including U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, Pa. Reps. Mandy Steele and Arvind Venkat	RCAC

	District 4
Issues	Patrick Catena (i)	Bob Doddato
Bio:	Carnegie native. Pitt undergrad. Longtime Carnegie officeholder, Democratic operative, and former Borough President. South Fayette Twp. ass’t. manager. Incumbent since 2017 and County Council President since 2020.	Sharpsville native and North Fayette resident. Geneva College undergrad. Longtime accountant and financial advisor. Landlord. Foster parent. North Fayette Supervisor since 2012.
Priorities:	Touts experience with youth programs and tax reform. Has successfully lobbied for local parks and infrastructure funding. Advocated for county paid sick leave.	Wants to “bring fiscal responsibility,” grow economy and improve public safety. Touts experience working with bipartisan supervisors to save North Fayette residents money.
Endorsements:	ACDC, Steel City Stonewall Democrats, unions including AFL-CIO, IBEW, Iron Workers, Teamsters.	RCAC

	District 8
Issues	Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis (i)	Michael Dell
Bio:	Plum resident. Pitt undergrad. Longtime nonprofit worker and ED of Women for a Healthy Environment. Incumbent since 2022.	Plum resident. U Maryland undergrad and Pitt accounting certificate. CPA for 25+ years. Plum Borough Councilor since 2007.
Priorities:	Supports greater access to affordable housing. Touts work keeping Monroeville Convention Center open, reopening Shuman, and evaluating county property for sale.	Says growing tax base “central issue.” Says council needs “balance.” Wants to control spending. Correlated rising taxes with rising crime, fewer police, and crumbling infrastructure.
Endorsements:	ACDC, YDAC, Steel City Stonewall Democrats, unions including AFL-CIO, two FOP lodges, electeds including Pa. Sen. Nick Pisciottano and Pa. Rep. Brandon Markosec.	RCAC, Monroeville Republican Committee

	At Large
Issues	Mike Embrescia (i)	Alex Rose
Bio:	Mt. Lebanon resident. IUP undergrad and Duquesne grad degrees. Experience in real estate and tech. Co-owner of Carnegie Robotics. Failed County Council candidate in 2023. Appointed to replace Sam DeMarco Feb. 2025.	Erie native and Pittsburgh resident. Pitt undergrad. Democratic operative and volunteer. Red Cross supervisor.
Priorities:	Wants to “hold the line” on county taxes. Wants to improve air quality. Falsely claims violent crime is “creeping beyond City limits.” Says he is both pro-business and pro-union.	Hopes to combat “chaos” from federal govt. Says county should work more on local sustainability. Wants to bring down housing costs. Seeks broader definition of “first responder.”
Endorsements:	RCAC, unions including Boilermakers, LiUNA, Steamfitters, two FOP lodges	Pa. College Democrats, Sierra Club, electeds including U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, Pa. Reps. Jess Benham and Emily Kinkead, County Treasurer Erica Rocchi Brusselars