Council committee advances nondiscrimination referendum; public commenters press for broader protected classes

Pittsburgh — The City Council standing committees on Jan. 29 recommended approval of a proposed Home Rule Charter amendment that would prohibit the city from discriminating in its business dealings on the basis of race, religion, national origin or association or affiliation with any nation or foreign state.

The committee voted to amend Bill 14-25 to align the ballot language with the city’s existing nondiscrimination code and then gave the amended measure an affirmative recommendation in committee. The amendment’s sponsor said the change brings the charter language into line with existing protections already scattered through the code.

Why it matters: The referendum would place a nondiscrimination requirement in the Home Rule Charter, the city’s foundational governing document. The measure was introduced by council members after community groups circulated a separate citizens’ petition, and speakers at the meeting said both approaches reflect demand for more direct-democracy options and clearer city policy.

Public commenters who identified themselves as organizers with the citizen effort Not on Our Dime urged passage of measures that would allow voters to decide whether the city should refuse to use public funds for vendors that do business with governments accused of human-rights abuses. Not on Our Dime organizers also expressed concern about possible conflicts between their petition and the council’s measures; some urged council members to support the citizen petition or sign it.

Several commenters welcomed the council’s nondiscrimination proposal but urged broader language. Callie De Sabato, a former Pittsburgh-area teacher, said she was troubled that the initial draft omitted gender identity and told the committee she welcomed the revisions adding “gender identity or expression” and other categories. Kenneth Mostern, a member of the Not on Our Dime steering committee, told the committee: “I would like to laud Councilmember Strasburger and her cosponsors” for the nondiscrimination language while urging inclusion of more protected classes. Eric Oates, another Not on Our Dime organizer, said his “primary worries are in the section that reads ‘associations or affiliations with any nation or foreign state,’” and warned the language could create unintended consequences for procurement and labor-considerations in city contracting.

Council discussion focused on legal clarity and operational effects. Sponsor Councilwoman Strasburger said the committee amendment was intended to make the referendum’s text match existing nondiscrimination code language. Council members asked law department and administration staff questions about ballot wording and the charter sections the measure would modify.

Action in committee: The committee amended Bill 14-25 and gave the amended bill an affirmative recommendation in committee (voice vote). The committee also considered a companion measure (Bill 14-26) intended to prevent future Home Rule Charter amendments that would impose duties “beyond the lawful scope of the city’s authority”; that companion bill received an affirmative committee recommendation with recorded abstentions in committee.

What’s next: Both measures received committee recommendations and proceed to the legislative process for further consideration and, if scheduled, placement on the May 2025 ballot per the bills’ instructions to the Allegheny County Board of Elections.

Ending note: Public commenters at the Jan. 29 standing committees meeting offered both support for nondiscrimination and cautions about drafting and procurement consequences; council members said they would continue working with the law department to clarify language before final votes.