What does the Allegheny County ballot question mean this year? Here's what a yes or no vote would do.

As voters begin filling out their mail-in ballots or deciding who or what to vote for, a consistent question is coming up: What does the ballot question about Allegheny County Council mean? 

A "Yes" vote would remove from the county home rule charter a one-sentence-long provision that ties the council's hands on several issues. 

In the first words of the question, you'll come across the words, "Article III, Subsection 7C," and your brain will want to run the other way, especially when the word funding comes in. 

"It doesn't cost anything, because just removing the provision doesn't change anything," said Allegheny County at-large Representative Bethany Hallam. 

Hallam explained that 7C prevents council from hiring staff, as virtually every other elected official has. 

"All 15 members share what is now a three-person staff," she said. 

Remember, Allegheny County Council Members are part-time; they have full-time private sector jobs. 

"We could do a lot better with staff to answer phone calls from conflicts during the day that arise from constituents, from staff that is able to be proactive instead of simply reacting to problems once they arise," Hallam said. 

Also, council members currently must pay into the county's pension plan, but according to Hallam, Subsection 7C in essence says they are currently prohibited from receiving a pension. 

So, they're paying into something they can never receive. They also are not allowed county health or life insurance. 

All that said, a yes vote won't suddenly make these things happen; it just unties their hands. 

"Whatever the issue is, it would then have to be separately legislated," Hallam explained. "Absolutely legislated and budgeted for, which is why a yes vote doesn't cost us anything." 

Council members who are part-time and make $11,000/year often put in 30-50 hours per week on county business, which is why they want staffing help, and that yes vote would make it possible down the road. 

Opponents, who urge a no vote, said their primary concerns are the costs. If council is allowed to add staffing or benefits, they want to see what the government review commission says when it releases a report later this year.