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Ballot question

Allegheny County Home Rule Charter Amendment: County Council Staff, Offices and Benefits

On the ballot in
Allegheny County
Vote
Yes or no
Election
Nov 3, 2026

The question, as printed on the ballot

Shall Article III, Subsection 7(c) of Allegheny County's Home Rule Charter be repealed in order to remove restrictions on County Council members' ability to receive County funding for personal staff, district offices, and fringe benefits?

A “Yes” vote means

Repeals Charter Article III, Subsection 7(c), so County Council members could eventually receive County-funded staff, district offices and fringe benefits. No funding is created immediately.

A “No” vote means

Article III, Subsection 7(c) stays in the Charter; Council members keep receiving a stipend but no County funds for personal staff, district offices or fringe benefits.

Official plain English statement

Currently, County Council members receive a stipend in compensation for their service, but no funds for personal staff, local district offices, or fringe benefits such as health and life insurance, pensions, or personal motor vehicles. Other elected officers of the County do receive such benefits. The proposal asserts that this lack of financial support limits the field of individuals willing to run for Council. A yes vote would allow County Council members to eventually receive such benefits but does not immediately create a budget or funding allocation to support expenditures necessary to provide such benefits.

On every Allegheny County ballot (all 1,326 sample ballot styles checked). Ballot heading: "COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY PROPOSED HOME RULE CHARTER AMENDMENT SPECIAL ELECTION QUESTION". Plain English text is the county's "Explanation of Ballot Question".

Sources

The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.