Peduto sees city moving toward younger ‘Burghers

At Craig Street’s Kiva Han, Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto sits among the eclectic… At Craig Street’s Kiva Han, Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto sits among the eclectic afternoon crowd, sipping coffee and casually talking up his potential bid to be Pittsburgh’s next mayor.

It is hard to imagine any of Pittsburgh’s other eight councilmen at Kiva Han, but not Peduto. Pittsburgh’s center of gravity, in Peduto’s mind, has shifted toward his East End District. He has aggressively courted what he considers to be the new Pittsburgh, which includes younger and new residents.

“My base is a group of progressives and reformists,” Peduto said. “They are people who have been involved in making contributions to several programs but have made only limited contributions to candidates. They’re not the status quo.”

Peduto, 38, has represented the 8th City Council District for nearly a full term, chairing the general services, technology and arts committees. In Pittsburgh’s political spectrum, he could be labeled a “reformer.” But that term encompasses a broad range of views, with the common denominator being opposition to the machine-dominated politics that have historically played a large role in local elections.

For Peduto, reform means a fundamental shift in philosophy for the city.

“There’s the opportunity for Pittsburgh to change its economic development model,” he said, outlining his views on the contentious debate about regionalism. “Since 1946, we have been the quarterback for economic development. I think that needs to be done by the county.”

The key to Peduto’s development plans lies in neighborhoods, including Oakland, where Peduto believes “the culture of the region could be played out.” He suggested that while Oakland has lost some of the luster of its earlier days, when clubs like The Decade provided Pittsburgh’s nightlife, it still could reclaim its status as a weekend destination.

A supporter of the plan to convert the Schenley Plaza parking lot into a green space, Peduto also discussed the problem of parking in Oakland.

“Creating additional parking does not solve the problem. One of the things that is missing is a good system of signage to show exactly where parking is,” Peduto said, adding that an enhanced public transportation system could also alleviate some parking problems.

Peduto will decide by mid-February whether to seek the Democratic nomination for mayor, and if history has taught us well, in all likelihood, it is the only nomination that matters. Pittsburgh last elected a Republican mayor, Charles Kline, in 1929. In 2001, current Mayor Tom Murphy defeated Republican James Carmine by a 51-point margin.

So far, only one person, Allegheny County Prothonotary Michael Lamb, has officially declared his candidacy for mayor. Former City Councilman Bob O’Connor is widely expected to run, also. Peduto anticipates a crowded field, which would allow his nontraditional base to emerge from the pack.

“There’s a strategy for a four-candidate race that would allow me to win that we’ve already mapped out,” Peduto said.

In Oakland, one untapped group of residents clearly interests Peduto: undergraduate students. Peduto observed the crowded, chaotic Litchfield Towers precinct in November’s general election, and he believes that he could generate support at Pitt, given the right circumstances.

“If the students could organize and vote, they could control the election from here,” Peduto said. “What needs to happen is an organization that teaches students how to vote absentee.”

With a May 17 primary, many students will not be able to vote in person on Pitt’s campus. The spring term officially ends on April 30.

Peduto’s decision to run will depend upon whether he has gathered enough money and support by his mid-February deadline. He placed his financial goal at $200,000, and he hopes to recruit 200 activists and supporters. While Peduto relishes the chance to compete for Pittsburgh’s highest office — “My heart has already decided,” he said — he believes that he cannot realistically make a run without meeting his target numbers.

Should Peduto run, he faces a well-funded, well-recognized foe in O’Connor. Peduto casts his campaign as a grassroots foil to O’Connor’s, which he said is funded by highway contractors and real estate developers. But Peduto maintains that his game plan remains constant, and he believes he can win with it.

“I have had very strong positions for five years,” Peduto said. “I won’t cut deals. I’m not going to change my positions just to get support.”