Sala Udin - Political Career

Political Career

Sala Udin spent 11 years on the City Council of Pittsburgh beginning in 1997 when he was elected to finish out the term of late Councilman Christopher Smith who represented District 6. District 6 encompasses the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of: West Oakland, South Oakland, Bluff, Terrace Village, Crawford-Roberts, Downtown, Middle Hill, Upper Hill, Strip District, Bedford Dwellings, Chateau, Allegheny West, Allegheny Center, Manchester, Central Northside, North Shore, Perry Hilltop, and California-Kirkbride. While serving as a City Councilman, Udin was one of the officials involved with a referendum petition to the City Charter which would result in the development of a Citizen Police Review Board. The purpose of this review board would be to investigate complaints of misconduct and suggest appropriate recourse in order to improve the city's relationship with the police. The review board was established by an 8-1 vote after 2 years of public hearings, debates, and a court challenge. Udin was also appointed by Mayor Tom Murphy to the Competitive Pittsburgh Task Force. This organization was formed to lessen the budget deficit caused by the increasing cost of city services by introducing market competition. Udin served on both the Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh Board and the Board of the Urban Redevelopment Authority. He oversaw Pittsburgh's largest new housing construction which included the housing developments of Crawford-Square,Manchester Hope VI, Oak Hill, and Bedford Hills. During the 2000 Presidential Election and the 2004 Presidential Election, Udin served Pennsylvania as an elector in the United States Electoral College.

During his career as a Pittsburgh City Coucilman, Udin also sponsored a referedum to create a jobs program called "Pittsburgh Works." The referendum was initially rejected by City Council in May 1999, but was approved by 62 percent of city voters in November of the same year. When his plan was rejected by City Council, he led a petition drive to take his proposal straight to city residents (just as he did with the Citizen's Police Review Board) and successfully gained the support he needed. The program required 35 percent of all jobs at city construction projects costing over $200,000 (such as the stadium and convention center construction projects) to go to Pittsburgh residents. The originally proposed bill contained more specific hiring requirements, aiming to get city residents, minorities, and women jobs on the stadium and convention center construction projects; 25 percent of the jobs were designated to minorities and 10 percent of the jobs were designated to women. The version that passed, however, dropped the original requirements to nonbinding goals, simply guaranteeing Pittsbugh residents jobs at city construction sites.

Councilman Udin also sat on many committees, including the Plan B Oversight Committee, which helped provide jobs for women and minorities, and the Disparity Study and Implementation Commission. The results of the disparity study helped an unprecedented amount of minority groups obtain jobs or construction contracts for the demolition of 3 Rivers Stadium and the construction of Heinz Field and PNC Park. Much of Sala Udin's work had and still has a common theme: gaining representation for previously underrepresented groups in Pittsburgh. From Pittsburgh Works to the Plan B Oversight Committee to the Disparity Study and Implementation Commission, Udin has made great strides in giving a voice to the poor and oppressed.