College Dems bring city councilman

City councilman Bob O’Connor thinks Pittsburgh should be “the most successful city in… City councilman Bob O’Connor thinks Pittsburgh should be “the most successful city in America,” and he depends on the student population here to make it so.

Speaking to a crowd of 30 students at Pitt’s College Democrats’ meeting Wednesday night, O’Connor targeted an inefficient transportation system, students’ apathy and missed opportunities by city leaders as major roots of Pittsburgh’s problems.

“We attract people from all over the world,” O’Connor said, referring to Pittsburgh’s universities and medical research facilities. “What can we do to keep them here?”

O’Connor believes Pitt, like the city, has potential but needs to be revitalized.

“Pitt could be like Georgetown,” O’Connor said, comparing Pitt to the Washington, D.C., school known for its thriving metropolitan student community. “Oakland needs fixed, though. Nobody wants to live here.”

Improving transportation would make Pittsburgh more appealing and accessible to young people and companies, according to O’Connor. He said Pittsburgh missed the opportunity to open a monorail system 30 years ago, but the city council now has a chance to introduce a new, high-speed public transportation system.

After a brief speech, O’Connor encouraged the supportive audience to ask questions, saying he was present as much to learn as to lecture.

In response to a question about Pittsburgh’s ongoing plan for Downtown revitalization, O’Connor said the council envisions building up what already exists instead of tearing down city blocks.

“I’m insisting that it includes residential developing,” O’Connor said. “It could be another Squirrel Hill. We’ve got to have people living [Downtown].”

O’Connor also fielded questions about plans for the proposed Mon-Fayette expressway, which would potentially ease congestion on Interstates 376, 79 and 70, but could run through several Pittsburgh boroughs.

“I’m for it on one condition – that it’s done right,” O’Connor said. “It’s got to help neighborhoods, not hurt them.”

Though he offered his support for Ed Rendell in Pennsylvania’s upcoming gubernatorial election, O’Connor urged all students to vote, regardless of their political views.

“Politicians write you off and the experts write you off,” O’Connor said, suggesting student issues such as recent tuition hikes don’t get attention because of poor student voter turnouts. “The numbers don’t lie – you guys don’t vote.”

“Young people get shortchanged because they don’t vote,” he said. “You’d be surprised what open-minded people can do.”