Barb in the news
Winning the District 5 City Council seat
On Nov. 8, 2022, the people of District 5 chose Barb to be their voice on City Council in a landslide victory of nearly 11,000 votes. Since her swearing in on Dec. 12, 2022.
“As we embark on this new chapter – know that my door is always open. You have my ear. And while I can’t promise that we’ll always agree or get everything we want all at once, I can promise you will always know exactly where I stand. And I will be proactive and persistent – until every community has what it needs to thrive.”
Read about the swearing in from Pittsburgh Union Progressand get Barb’s full speech transcript from The Homepage.
Winner: Pittsburgh City Paper People of the Year
In 2024, Pittsburgh City Paper selected Barb as Pittsburgh’s Person of the Year in the Politics category.
“On City Council, we’re technically legislators. But at this local level, you really are there as a connection between your constituents and the City. One thing that’s been so eye-opening to me is how much [this job allows you to] really help people.”
Read the full article from Pittsburgh City Paper.
Protecting Pittsburgh’s parks and greenways from development
Having risen to leadership fighting a shuttle road through historic Schenley Park, one of the first bills Barb passed served to protect Pittsburgh’s parks from new development. .
Read more about the bill and all its park protections at Pittsburgh Union Progress and TribLive.
Protecting medical marijuana patients from employment discrimination
Barb passed new labor protections that prohibit employers in the City of Pittsburgh from testing medical marijuana prescription holders for marijuana as a requirement for hiring or on the job without cause.
Learn more from WESA.
Making Pittsburgh a Vision Zero City
A long-time advocate for better transit, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure and safety, Barb introduced legislation setting the goal of eliminating traffic deaths in the City of Pittsburgh. Since the start of the Vision Zero program, serious injuries from crashes have dropped by nearly 25%.
Read more about the Vision Zero program at WESA.
Protecting the LGBTQIA+ community and other vulnerable residents
Our LGBTQIA+ neighbors are under attack from the Federal government and our right-wing PA legislators. Barb has passed multiple bills to proactively protect the LGBTQIA+ community. She also passed a bill to reduce the minimum penalty for consensual sex work from mandatory jail time to a simple fine.
Read more at WESA.
Protecting our immigrant neighbors
Federal immigration and customs enforcement officers are terrorizing communities across the United States – making citizens and immigrants less safe. Barb introduced legislation to bar all cooperation with ICE by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police as well as any other Pittsburgh City department, so that our immigrant communities know that they are safe calling 911 and engaging with the City when they need help.
Read more at WESA.
Fighting environmental injustice in Hazelwood
When Hazelwood residents learned that a local recycler had plans for a solid waste transfer station in their community, Barb took action. Now, the the City of Pittsburgh has clear rules prohibiting such a facility within 500 feet of homes, businesses, parks, and greenways.
Read more at WESA.