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Our Issues

Public Safety

The Public Safety Task Force exists to develop and build relationships that promote equity and justice while providing for the safety and protection of life and property. We’re committed to developing relationships both inside and outside of our task force that encourage mutual respect for each other.

We have been working with representatives of the police to address racism, reduce violence, and increase equity in how police resources are used for the protection of our communities.

We’ve won:

  • Expanded police officer training
  • Revised recruitment and hiring practices in the Pittsburgh Police Department
  • Better data tracking and a body camera policy

Task Force Chair: Carol Ballance

Meetings: 4th Thursday of every month, 7:00pm-8:30pm, Wesley AME Zion Church

Public Education

PIIN’s Education Task Force is actively engaged with community stakeholders, parents, and the faith community to establish community schools and guarantee the funding needed to provide a high-quality education to every child.

The spiritual leaders of PIIN believe that congregations are community institutions and that our communities are Holy Ground. As a faith-based organization, PIIN believes that the faith community is a sacred partner with the schools.

We’ve won:

  • A Community Schools policy for the Pittsburgh Public School District.
  • Stopped corporate education reformers from derailing the Pittsburgh Public School Board’s hiring of Dr. Anthony Hamlet.
  • A fairer funding formula for state tax dollars devoted to education.

Task Force Chair: Rev. Darlene Figgs

Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of every month, 5:30pm-7:00pm, Carrone Baptist Church

Ratepayer Justice

ALCOSAN is under a federal mandate to overhaul our region’s sewer system to reduce the discharge of sewage into our rivers. PIIN has worked with the Clean Rivers Campaign to urge a green-first approach to solving this problem.

We have also taken the lead to ensure that ratepayers—especially low-income residents—aren’t stuck with water bills they can’t afford to pay. As an Our Water Campaign coalition partner, we are also on the front lines of advocating for safe, affordable, publicly controlled water in Pittsburgh.

We’ve won:

  • A consumer assistance program to help low-income residents with the ALCOSAN bills.
  • A commitment from City and County leaders to a green-first infrastructure plan.
  • A winter moratorium on residential water shutoffs for anyone at or below 250% of the federal poverty line.

Task Force Chair: Rev. Vincent Kolb