Q&A with Sara Innamorato, Candidate for Allegheny County Chief Executive

I speak to people all across the county and the state in my current job as a State Representative and now as a candidate for Allegheny County Executive and the high price of housing and rents is something I hear about more than nearly any other issue. It is on the minds of everyone, whether they’re wealthy, middle-class, or economically struggling. Even for people who are fortunate enough to be comfortable and secure in their housing, it’s still a major concern because housing instability affects everything – school performance for kids, the ability of workers to show up for their jobs, and the health of our neighborhoods and business district.

The next post in our 2023 primary election season series ‘Political Q&A’ with progressive candidates throughout Pennsylvania. Candidates can be anywhere in Pennsylvania running for any level of office. Please note that these are not necessarily endorsements, more of an opportunity for candidates to connect with the LGBTQ community, progressives neighbors, and others with an interest in Western Pennsylvania. If your candidate would like to participate, please contact us pghlesbian at gmail dot com. We welcome candidates at all levels of government across the entire Commonwealth.

By participating, candidates are saying that they

must be an LGBTQIA+ ally, specifically supporting equality and dignity for transgender persons
identify as pro-choice
must affirm that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election and that they accept the certified Pennsylvania’s election results

My first contact with Sara came in 2018 when she successfully ran for Pennsylvania State House, defeating a five term incumbent from a prominent political dynasty. To me, she represented a new generation of progressive candidates who were willing to upend the applecart rather than wait for “their turn” to sit at the leadership table. She spoke openly about the struggles within her family, the pieces of our lives that too often silently keep us from fully participating in democracy. I remember being very impressed by how smart she was – I like smart people in political leadership.

A few years ago, I began talking with my friends about Sara as a candidate for County Executive when the current ACE’s term expired. Something about her fusion of working class sensibilities with an unrelenting commitment to accountability resonated with me. I am pleased she decided to run.

Your Name: Sara Innamorato

Your Pronouns: She/Her

The Office You Seek: Allegheny County Chief Executive

How do you describe your identity?

I am a cis, heterosexual white woman from a working-class background.

Tell us about your district. What is a hidden gem most people might not know about?

My district is a fantastic place. It includes everything from hip bars, record stores, and plant shops to tiny neighborhood parklets and quiet suburban cul-de-sacs. And the best part is the people – families who have lived here for generations, newly arrived immigrants, transplants from the East Coast, and people from all over Western PA who have found a home in Allegheny County. My district includes neighborhoods in Pittsburgh from Spring Hill to Lawrenceville to Morningside and the townships of Reserve and Shaler. Even though the demographics and geography of these places may vary, people are united in their desire for safe and healthy communities, good union jobs, and affordable homes. The needs of people in my district have driven my priorities as a State Representative and are part of what inspired me to run for County Executive.

A hidden gem in my district is the Maxo Vanka Murals, located in the St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Millvale. These beautiful murals tell a powerful story about the history of immigration, work, labor, and inequality in our community. The photos don’t do them justice! I’d encourage everyone to visit and hear the incredible stories tour guides tell.

In my time in Harrisburg, I’ve built relationships and coalitions across race, place, and party to get things done. I will bring this model of governance to how I build deep relationships with municipal leaders across the entire County.

How has redistricting impacted your district?

The most recent round of redistricting created a more level playing field for State House candidates across the state and contributed to a historic increase in the number of candidates of color, LBBTQ+ candidates, and young candidates winning a seat in the State Legislature. As part of this, my district was shifted to include more suburban parts of the County and I no longer represent Aspinwall, O’Hara, Ross, and Sharpsburg. While I’m disappointed I no longer get to represent the amazing communities, I’m grateful that shifts in my district were able to help create fairer maps for everyone in PA, and I’ve been working hard every day to learn the people and places in the Northside neighborhoods and Shaler Township.

In your 2018 and 2022 Q&A’s with us, you told us about the first LGBTQ person you had met. This time, tell us about a LGBTQ person or persons you’ve met or learned about since taking office and how they’ve impacted your work. Initials or pseudonyms are fine.

Since taking office the LGBTQ community has impacted my work in innumerable ways. When I first entered the State Legislature, my freshman class was one of the most diverse Harrisburg has seen. It included Malcolm Kenyatta, a gay black man and an incredibly powerful voice for equality. Working with him and the LGBTQ+ members of our legislature, as well as the LGBTQ+ neighbors in my district, has taught me about the importance of intersectionality in our work and recognizing the diversity within an identity. It is past time we enact anti-discrimination measures statewide, but Queer Liberation and LGBTQ+ Justice are about intersectional work on issues like housing, the environment, and wage discrimination too. These issues disproportionately affect our LGBTQ+ community and we must address them now if we want to create a more equal, just, and fair society.

How has your familiarity with the LGBTQ community in your district and the region changed since you took office?

The LGBTQ+ community has blossomed in the 21st legislative district since I have taken office. Businesses that cater to the LGBTQ+ community are flourishing including True T, Glitter Sty, Maud Paperwing Gallery, Harold’s Haunt, and more. I’ve seen legacy businesses, including the Grant Bar and Cousin’s, hanging the intersectional pride flag to demonstrate their allyship. Since I have taken office Millvale has hosted their first Pride Parade and most of the river towns have taken action to protect their LGBTQ+ communities with the passage of non-discrimination ordinances. LGBTQ+ representation on local borough councils has also increased and I am excited to continue supporting more elected leaders that look like, sound like, and identify as the people of this County.

Based on this, what do you understand to be our top LGBTQ concerns and priorities for Allegheny County? How will you respond to those priorities?

Everyone wants others to treat them with dignity and respect, and we all know it’s wrong for a boss, a landlord, or any politician to tell someone ‘you don’t belong’ just because of who they are. That’s why we have laws and Constitutional protections against discrimination. As County Executive, I will enforce these laws and speak out against any effort to stoke fear against queer and trans folks. I will prioritize ensuring we have protections so our LGBTQIA+ community members cannot be harassed, fired, or evicted because of who they are.

The County Jail is a particularly terrible example of the ways our County is failing the LGBTQIA+ community. The basic human rights of trans and gender nonconforming people are routinely violated, and there is no accountability for these actions. One of my priorities as County Executive will be to work with the County Jail Oversight Board to hire a new warden.

Another priority I have heard from the LGBTQIA+ community is the way in which the Health Department’s Zoning laws are a singular impediment to creating gender-inclusive bathrooms. I will immediately order the Health Department to bring together a diverse set of leaders from the LGBTQIA+ community to rewrite these regulations and remove these unnecessary barriers to creating places where everyone has their needs met.

Anti-discrimination laws don’t serve the LGBTQ+ community if the Human Relations Commission is operating under an unfunded mandate run by volunteers. As County Executive, I will work towards funding the human relations commission with full-time staff to actualize our non-discrimination laws in Allegheny County.

Please give an example of how intersectionality has informed your work.

I grew up in a middle-class family in the North Hills. I also lost all the stability that came with that when we found out my father was struggling with opioid addiction. I put myself through college and worked several jobs to make ends meet during the recession. These experiences, and so many more, matter, and they inform who I am and how I view the world – no one in our community experiences just one issue. The many different parts of our lives and identities impact how we experience the world.

As a State Representative, I have embraced something called “co-governance”. I listen to my communities, what their concerns are, and what opportunities and tools they need to succeed. When people walk into my office, they bring the many complex identities they hold. They are queer people fighting for a union at Starbucks. They are immigrants searching for safe and affordable housing. I can only be successful in my job if I have strong community voices working with and alongside me to address all of these issues together. I get together with the real experts in my district – the people who’ve lived with the problems facing their communities – and we work out the tough issues together. That way, when I vote on a piece of legislation, it’s not just me voting, it’s the thousands of people in my district voting through me.

It is past time we enact anti-discrimination measures statewide, but Queer Liberation and LGBTQ+ Justice are about intersectional work on issues like housing, the environment, and wage discrimination too. These issues disproportionately affect our LGBTQ+ community and we must address them now if we want to create a more equal, just, and fair society.

Please give an example of when a colleague in the General Assembly has persuaded you to change or adjust your perspective on an issue.

My time in the legislature was spent with my sister-rep, Congresswoman Summer Lee. She challenged me to confront the realities of racism and how it plays out in everyday life. She was always there to push me to consider my work using a racial justice lens and question the status quo realities of racism embedded in our society. Her perspective and challenges made me a better legislator and organizer.

How will you as County Chief Executive start addressing the myriad of issues that are the Allegheny County Jail? Who will be part of your advisors on these matters?

Protecting the health and safety of our residents is one of the most sacred duties of a County Executive. But our existing public safety system has often failed to keep families feeling safe, while simultaneously harming marginalized community members.

I am committed to using the tools of county government to tackle the root causes of violent crime, and improve health outcomes, especially where there are disparities based on race or family income.

My first priority as County Executive will be to tackle the twin problems of the complete failure of our County Jail at both reducing crime and treating people fairly and compassionately. I will immediately expand mental health and behavioral services across the County, work with the County Jail Oversight Board to hire a new warden, and open a safe, restorative, trauma-informed space for at-risk youth. I will increase resources to the Office of the Public Defender, institute a human-services-first model of policing and incentivize local police departments to adopt it and invest in programs that reduce jail time for non-violent crimes.

Just like I have done in my time as State Representative, I will bring together the real experts, the people with direct experience with the County Jail, to advise me on how we address these problems. My action steps will be taken in direct relationship with and guidance from the people who will be impacted the most by these necessary changes.

Allegheny County has been tepid on LGBTQ issues. Council passed a nondiscrimination ordinance but did not fund implementation. Domestic partner benefits were extended briefly to some employees, then rescinded. The Health Department Zoning laws around bathrooms necessary to create all-gender toilets are outdated. ACJ is failing trans and gender nonconforming people. How will your administration lift up the concerns of the LGBTQ community? Do you have specific policies or programs in mind?

Together, we can celebrate the beautiful ways our various and diverse identities intersect, and do what is best for everyone in Allegheny County.

But now as before, certain politicians are trying to get and hold onto power by stoking fear and taking advantage of unfamiliarity with queer and transgender people to punish people for being their authentic selves. Whenever a powerful few have tried to pick and choose who counts, there have always been those of us who showed up for each other and built welcoming communities. I have always shown up, rejected division, and charted a better future for all of us, no matter our ages, races, or genders. And I always will.

The specific policies I support will be driven by my relationships with people in the LGBTQIA+ community. So far, the top of this list is changing zoning rules to support the creation of gender-inclusive bathrooms and hiring a new warden to fundamentally change the culture and policies at the County Jail.

Allegheny County includes approximately 110 municipalities. How will you work with all of them to serve their (and your) constituents and their 110+ governmental structures?

I’m proud to live in Allegheny County. This is my home and a great place to live, but it’s also a County divided between those with wealth and those without. Municipalities that used to be filled with middle-class families are seeing those families be squeezed out.

In Allegheny County, the old boys’ club has ruled for too long, making backroom deals that benefit a few people and companies at the top, while the rest of us struggle to afford to raise our families and our roads, schools, bridges, and communities go without. Too many municipalities feel left out, unheard, and left behind.

In my time in Harrisburg, I’ve built relationships and coalitions across race, place, and party to get things done. I will bring this model of governance to how I build deep relationships with municipal leaders across the entire County. I will be a leader who shows up to listen, who builds governing structures that include the voices of people from all parts of the County, and who ensures the largest corporations and non-profits in our region pay their fair share so municipalities have the resources they need to thrive.

Recently in regard to this race, Phil Ameris president of the Laborers District Council of Western Pennsylvania told PublicSource “I don’t think people in the South Hills are interested in affordable housing,” That quote is chilling in it’s disconnect from working families in the South Hills and its dismissal of affordable housing as some sort of trendy liberal elitist concern. What are your thoughts on affordable housing as a concern for the South Hills and throughout the county?

Every resident of Allegheny County deserves high-quality housing that fits their family’s budget. Some of the greatest things about Allegheny County are our many unique neighborhoods and affordable housing. Until recently, owning a home here was a dream that most people could make a reality. Unfortunately, rental and repair costs have skyrocketed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, far outpacing any growth in wages; and rising interest rates have put owning a home out of reach for many families – this dynamic is at play in every corner of our County. I speak to people all across the county and the state in my current job as a State Representative and now as a candidate for Allegheny County Executive and the high price of housing and rents is something I hear about more than nearly any other issue. It is on the minds of everyone, whether they’re wealthy, middle-class, or economically struggling. Even for people who are fortunate enough to be comfortable and secure in their housing, it’s still a major concern because housing instability affects everything – school performance for kids, the ability of workers to show up for their jobs, and the health of our neighborhoods and business districts. We live in a community together and when some people are struggling we all struggle and we all live less secure lives.

If elected, you will be the first woman to hold this position. Why would that matter?

I will not only be the first woman, but the youngest person to ever hold this position. The County is at a turning point, and the choice of who to represent us for the next four years will say a lot about the direction our County is heading in. We can choose to either stay with the old guard leadership that has led the County for the last three decades or choose someone with a new vision, someone who will represent all of the people who feel left out or not listened to. In order for our County to grow, and grow equitably, we need to make our community a place where people of all kinds feel seen and feel welcome.

How do competitive primary elections benefit the residents of a community?

My first time running for office was in a competitive primary for State Representative in 2018. Because I decided to run and make it a competitive race we increased turnout in that race dramatically, bringing thousands of new people into the political process who would likely otherwise have stayed home. My competitive primary and all competitive primaries are important because they demonstrate that even with all of the challenges we face, democracy is still powerful and meaningful and can lead to real change.

What are three reasons people should vote for you/support your campaign?

Legislative experience is an asset to an executive role. Our current Governor Josh Shapiro, Lt. Governor Austin Davis, Congresswoman Summer Lee, and Mayor Ed Gainey were all state representatives before moving on to higher office. The state legislature is where you learn about every issue of importance — from healthcare to workforce development, environmental protection to pension reform — while learning how to advance complicated budgets and build coalitions from all sectors. I am the only candidate in this race that can convene our local municipal leaders, the state legislature, the Governor’s Office, and our federal elected officials on Day 1, because I have built those relationships in my time in the general assembly. Further, I know the importance of the state budget process and how to get Allegheny County its rightful portion of funding for our infrastructure, youth programs, and economic development programs.
Grassroots, people-centered campaigns keep politicians accountable. Since I first got into politics in 2018, I have focused on expanding access to democracy and building coalitions with communities left out and neglected for far too long. By organizing in this manner with dedicated, grassroots support we have created a coalition of our neighbors who keep us accountable to our promises. We must center impacted communities in our solutions to ensure transformative justice for our region and it doesn’t start when we get in office — it starts before we even declare our candidacies.
I have demonstrated my ability to co-govern with our community in my time as State Rep — I have deeply partnered with community organizations, activists, and people from all walks of life to shape my priorities as an elected official. I now have the opportunity to bring this model of co-governance to the whole county. This is how I was able to pass Whole Home Repairs in a Republican-controlled legislature. When I heard from the community and local activists that funding was needed to make homes more energy efficient, climate resilient, and healthy, I built a statewide coalition to organize, form, and eventually pass legislation that would get money to families who most needed it. I believe I can only be successful in my job if I have strong community voices working with and alongside me. Then I get together with the real experts in my district — the people with the lived experience of problems facing their communities — and we work out the tough issues together. That way our solutions don’t simply act as a stop-gap, but ensure transformative and impactful results for our neighbors.

Tell me about your other endorsements and supporters.

I am running as part of a progressive movement that has built power in Allegheny County for nearly a decade now. My endorsers and supporters represent this movement, ranging from elected officials at all levels of government (Congresswoman Summer Lee, Mayor Ed Gainey) to movement organizations (Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Stonewall Dems, Our Revolution, Emily’s List, One PA, PA United, Stonewall Democrats, Young Democrats of Allegheny County, Lead Locally, PA Working Families, 14th Ward Independent Democratic Committee, Straight Ahead, Food and Water Action, Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Climate Cabinet, Bend the Arc: Pittsburgh, and Vote Pro Choice) to labor unions (SEIU, UFCW, UE, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, and AFT Local 2067 ). As part of my commitment to co-governance, I believe in building a base of support that is representative of the people of this County.

For my updated endorsements, please visit saraforall.com/endorsements

Is there anything you’d like to add? Thank you for the challenging questions!

Where can readers find your campaign on social media?

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SaraForPA

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Innamo

Insta – https://www.instagram.com/innamo/

Thank you, Sara.

The specific policies I support will be driven by my relationships with people in the LGBTQIA+ community. So far, the top of this list is changing zoning rules to support the creation of gender-inclusive bathrooms and hiring a new warden to fundamentally change the culture and policies at the County Jail.

Other Q&A’s in this election cycle series. You can read previous cycle Q&A’s here.

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