Bethany Hallam
(click photo for candidate’s website)
Joanna Doven
(click photo for candidate’s website)
There is a contested primary election race for Allegheny County Council District 11 between incumbent Bethany Hallam and her Democratic challenger, Premo Consultants owner, Joanna Doven.
State and county election rules require that the council’s two at-large seats be filled in the primary election by one member each from the Republican and Democratic parties. (Third parties can then challenge these candidates in the general election.) There is only one Republican candidate for the other at-large seat.
At-large seats represent the entire county.
The candidates’ answers to our voter guide questions for the Primary Election on May 16 are below. You can also learn more about these candidates in the WESA 2023 Primary Election Voter Guide.
2023 Voter Guide Questions:
Roughly 1 in 7 Allegheny County residents are food insecure, and large sections of the county, especially many predominantly Black communities, do not have access to healthy affordable food.
1) What legislation or policy measures would you support as County Councilmember to address hunger and food apartheid in the county?
Doven:
Food is a basic human need. Everyone deserves access to an equitable food system, so they can live with dignity and achieve the best versions of themselves. It is critical we advocate and create pathways for access to healthy and culturally appropriate food, so people and entire communities can thrive.
This is always the truth and even more critical at this current juncture as Pennsylvanians including residents of Allegheny County have been impacted by the federal legislation ending the SNAP Emergency Allotments created during the COVID-19 pandemic. With February 2023 being the last month for the second monthly SNAP payments, more than 1.9 million people have been impacted.
As County Councilmember At-Large, I support Governor Shapiro’s budget, which increases the minimum monthly SNAP benefit for seniors and people with disabilities to $35 each month and supports universal free breakfast for all Pennsylvania students. A healthy breakfast for our children has direct implications on student well-being and mental health outcomes, while alleviating what can be a hurdle for some parents and providers.
I will continue to work in my capacity to support the Governor as he continues to build on this allocation for residents and ensure our local community organizations fighting for food justice receive the financial support necessary to continue the critical work they do. Often our local community institutions such as nonprofits and community gardens are the first line of response for communities confronting food insecurity. I promise to elevate community partners as County Councilmember and be a strong advocate to ensure we’re introducing legislation that empowers this necessary work.
Hallam:
Addressing hunger and food apartheid in Allegheny County takes a multifaceted approach. We must improve the availability and accessibility of public transit so people can get to existing grocery stores. We should raise the minimum wage so people can afford healthy options for themselves and their families. We can work with municipalities to promote urban agriculture as well as community supported agriculture initiatives to deliver fresh fruit and vegetables to people. Many blighted properties end up under County control, so the county could forgive or pay back-taxes within a community benefits agreement for a grocery development project. The most important part is to ensure the community is involved in every step of the planning and implementation so we can be sure it works for their needs.
2) What role do you see, if any, for a county-level Food Justice Fund?
Doven:
A Food Justice Fund created through the lens of supporting food insecure households and ensuring they can adequately provide enough food and nourishment for their families is critical to ensuring the health and well-being of Allegheny County residents. At the core of this goal is supporting projects such as community gardens, farmers markets, food cooperatives and sustainable initiatives. I believe in addition to providing financial support, food justice funds can offer technical assistance, training, and advocacy to help communities build capacity and promote policy changes that support food justice. The ultimate goal of food justice funds is to promote food access and the ability of people to have input over their food systems to ensure all residents have access to healthy, nutritious food.
This is an endeavor that will require various partners at the table. As a County Councilmember, I am committed to listening to our residents and community organizations to lead on legislation and advocacy that helps us best meet the needs of our food insecure residents.
Hallam:
I definitely see a role for a county-level Food Justice Fund. Funding to break down barriers to food through community based solutions and local control of food systems would be an asset to Allegheny County. In this year’s budget, we provided additional funding to support the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, and hope during the next few years we can increase that support and create a county-wide fund.
No comments yet.