Ed Gainey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ed Gainey
61st Mayor of Pittsburgh
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2022 (2022-01-03)
Preceded by	Bill Peduto
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 24th district
In office January 1, 2013 (2013-01-01) – January 3, 2022 (2022-01-03)
Preceded by	Joseph Preston Jr.
Succeeded by	Martell Covington
Personal details
Born	(1970-02-19) February 19, 1970 (age 55) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Michelle Coburn
Children	3
Education	Morgan State University (BA)

Edward C. Gainey, born on February 19, 1970, is an American politician. He is currently the 61st mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before becoming mayor, he was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. In November 2021, Mr. Gainey made history. He became the first African-American mayor of Pittsburgh. He officially started his term on January 3, 2022.

Growing Up and Schooling

Ed Gainey was born and grew up in Pittsburgh. He was raised by his single teenage mom and his grandmother. When he was very young, his family moved to the South Oakland neighborhood. Later, they moved to the East Liberty neighborhood.

He went to Peabody High School. He played basketball there and graduated in 1988. After high school, he attended Norfolk State University for a short time. He then came back to Pittsburgh and went to the Community College of Allegheny County. In 1994, Ed Gainey earned a Bachelor's degree in business management from Morgan State University.

His Journey in Public Service

Early in his career, Ed Gainey worked for six years. He was an assistant to Pennsylvania State Representative Joseph Preston Jr.. He also worked for Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy. During this time, he helped improve the economy in East Liberty.

Later, Gainey worked for the City of Pittsburgh under Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. He helped with community development. In 2010, he became the chairman of the city's Democratic Party committee.

Serving in the Pennsylvania House

Ed Gainey ran for a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives twice before. He ran in 2004 and 2006, but he did not win. In 2012, on his third try, he won the election. He defeated his former boss, Joseph Preston Jr.

Gainey represented the 24th District from 2013 to 2022. This district included many neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. These were places like Homewood, East Liberty, and East Hills. He was also a member of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus.

In 2014, while serving in the state legislature, Gainey joined a board. This was for the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA). The URA is Pittsburgh's agency for economic development. He later became the vice chair of this board.

Becoming Mayor of Pittsburgh

In January 2021, Ed Gainey announced he would run for mayor. He wanted to become the Democratic candidate for the 2021 Pittsburgh mayoral election. One of his opponents was the current mayor, Bill Peduto.

Many important groups supported Mayor Peduto. However, Ed Gainey received support from other groups. He won the endorsement of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. He also got support from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper. Gainey said that the current mayor had not done enough. He wanted to improve police-community relations.

In May 2021, Gainey won the Democratic Primary election. He beat Bill Peduto with 46% of the votes. This made him the Democratic candidate for mayor. On November 2, 2021, Gainey won the general election. He defeated Tony Moreno with over 70% of the votes. He became the mayor-elect of Pittsburgh. Ed Gainey officially became the 61st mayor of Pittsburgh on January 3, 2022.

New Appointments as Mayor

As mayor, Ed Gainey has appointed new people to important roles. He appointed Kyle Chintalapalli to the Urban Redevelopment Authority. He also appointed State Representative Sara Innamorato to the same group. Olga George was appointed as his press secretary.

His Life Outside of Work

Ed Gainey lives in the Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood of Pittsburgh. He lives there with his wife, Michelle. They have three children together.

Key Plans and Goals

One of Mayor Gainey's main goals is to address climate change. He has promised to pass a law about lead in water. He also wants to work with environmental groups. They will create a plan to help with climate change.

He also wants to improve public transportation. He supports better options for getting around the city. This includes looking into high-speed rail. He also supports inclusionary zoning. This means new buildings would need to include some affordable homes.

Pittsburgh's 2024 Budget

Mayor Gainey shared his plan for the city's 2024 budget. This budget was for a total of $155.5 million. The plan focuses on finishing projects that are already started. It does not propose many new projects. The budget includes more money for managing bridges. It also increases funding for traffic improvements.

Election Results