OPN

05/05/2025

Pittsburgh’s Mayoral Race & The Path Forward

"Gainey’s election and subsequent first term saw a shift to a more equitable city. Long-suffering communities saw improvements in infrastructure, traffic safety, refurbished playgrounds and community centers, and more—as well as a serious and effective plan to tackle deteriorating bridges long neglected (especially by the Peduto administration). Over years, numerous safety inspection warnings went ignored and the City of Bridges embarrassingly made the top story around the country— with the mangled consequences at the bottom of the Fern Hollow ravine."

An OPN Special Report The upcoming Mayoral primary election on May 20 signifies another crossroads for the city of Pittsburgh—and a choice of which path to take. The status quo in Pittsburgh has always been robber barons controlling policy through politicians catering to their wishes, which force...

03/26/2025

"While the $1 million O’Connor has reported raising since launching his campaign in December comes from various sources, a PublicSource analysis found that at least one in every four dollars he received came from professionals, executives and political action committees involved in building and selling housing and commercial real estate."

Mayor Ed Gainey, who has championed policies that would require that some new housing be affordable, says relying on the market is a "failed model."

10/26/2024

Fiat justitia ruat caelum

10/15/2024

View of Occupied People’s Park—Sixth Ave. and Grant St.
On October 15, 2011, 4000+ people–made up of social justice organizations, unions, churches, activists and everyday citizens marched through Downtown Pittsburgh chanting “Banks Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out” and “We Are the 99%.” Demanding social and economic justice, the march led to a 117-day Occupation of the public park at Sixth Ave. and Grant St. Arguably the longest Occupation in the world, Pittsburgh’s was the only Occupation to have successfully seized land from a bank—which BNY Mellon had previously seized from the public. During the Occupation, passersby honked their horns in support and shouted encouragement while citizens across the region donated money, food, clothing and more in support of Occupiers. After 10 years, Pittsburghers continue working to obtain social and economic justice for the 99%.

09/30/2024

We read Project 2025’s entire 900+ page “Mandate for Leadership”
What we discovered was a systemic, ruthless plan to undermine the quality of life of millions of Americans, remove critical protections and dismantle programs for communities across the nation, and prioritize special interests and ideological extremism over people.

From attacking overtime pay, student loans, and reproductive rights, to allowing more discrimination, pollution, and price gouging, those behind Project 2025 are preparing to go to incredible lengths to create a country only for some, not for all of us

We read Project 2025’s Mandate for Leadership so that you don’t have to.

09/28/2024

Plan disregards environmental issues, lacks transparency and needs more public input

"At the Aug. 22 public meeting about this project, representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the City of Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, also known as DOMI, fielded questions about management of stormwater and springs in the project area, landslide prevention, the dangerous intersection at Sylvan and Greenfield avenues, steep inclines on Waldeck Street and along the proposed trail, light pollution from proposed streetlights, landscaping maintenance and invasive plants, and the effects on nearby residents."

https://www.junctioncoalition.org/2024/09/28/whats-missing-from-domis-sylvan-avenue-trail-plan/