About
Corey
O’Connor

A lifelong Pittsburgher, Corey grew up in his mother’s childhood home in Squirrel Hill, attended East Hills elementary school, and played little league baseball in the 14th ward. He received his bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Duquesne University before going on to handle community development for former Congressman Mike Doyle.

In 2011, Corey was elected to Pittsburgh City Council to represent District 5. While on City Council, Corey focused on community development and revitalization and passed legislation aimed at making Pittsburgh a healthier, greener, safer, and more equitable city for all its residents. Some of his proudest achievements include:

• Authoring the City’s Paid Sick Days Act, the first legislation of its kind upheld by the PA Supreme Court

• Passing common-sense gun control measures

• Ensuring that developers were held accountable for building affordable units in new construction

• Working with local, state, and federal agencies to reconstruct the Greenfield and Fern Hollow Bridges and crafting legislation that would increase transparency and reporting requirements for infrastructure across the city

• Fighting against privatization of PWSA 

• Winning historic and unprecedented funding for early childhood education

• Securing millions in funding for affordable housing, eviction prevention, and small business support during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic

In 2022 Corey became Allegheny County Controller. As Controller, he has focused on improving government services for marginalized communities and ensuring residents’ quality of life. He has used his office to daylight hard truths about the County’s financial position and fight for efficient and transparent government as residents’ taxpayer advocate and fiscal watchdog. His work has included:

• Uncovering glaring deficiencies in homelessness support systems

• Revealing millions of dollars in unused funding for communities plagued by industrial air pollution

• Investigating inadequate resources and support for children of the incarcerated

• Introducing ethics reforms to ensure transparency among members of the County’s Retirement Board

• Fighting for the County’s pension system to protect seniors’ and retirees benefits by standing up against excessive, corporate-style bonuses

• Initiating a joint City-County 911 emergency response audit with the City Controller

Corey is running for Mayor to continue his commitment to public service. As his father, former Mayor Bob O’Connor liked to say “An hour spent in the service of others is an hour well spent.” Corey O’Connor is a leader who understands Pittsburgh’s challenges and will work tirelessly to deliver real results. He knows how to create partnerships, strengthen revenue, support regional growth, and lead on community investment and development.

Corey and his wife, Katie, live in Point Breeze with their two young children, Molly and Emmett, and their two dogs, Tippy and Nova.