Page 4 - Tom Duerr News Today

Allegheny County Councilor Tom Duerr says he will not stand for re-election next year so he can instead focus on seeking election to a "higher office" or progress in his previous field as a campaign staffer.

A slim majority shut down a bill seeking to give council greater oversight into executive county salaries. The bill followed a series of complaints about steep pay hikes awarded to several department heads.

A contested bill to ban fracking on public parks has safely cleared county council but could still be snuffed out by the executive’s veto stamp.

Allegheny County Council will consider legislation that aims to protect abortion access in the county, even if it would be restricted at a state level. County Councilman Tom Duerr will introduce legislation this week, in response to the recent Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. Duerr is sponsoring

A motion passed on Tuesday urges the General Assembly to amend state law and allow home rule jurisdictions, including Allegheny County, to regulate gun ownership and transportation.

Allegheny County Council is resuming discussion of a bill that would ban new fracking leases inside or underneath county parks.

Allegheny County Council will not censure member Tom Duerr. The motion was dropped at a council meeting on Tuesday.

In a rare move by Allegheny County Council on Tuesday, three appointments to two county boards were rejected, leaving some council members in shock. The nominations were made by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority board and to the Jail Oversight Board. They were expected

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court released its map of the state’s congressional districts on Wednesday, and it spells changes for Pittsburgh-area voters and candidates. Pennsylvania lost a congressional district and will now have 17. Allegheny County’s two remaining districts include ones now known as the 17th Congressional District, which includes Beaver

Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena has announced committee leaders for the council's next two-year session. All eight chairs supported Catena’s bid to become council president, and Catena said they want the council to exercise more independence from County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.