Ashleigh Deemer

Ashleigh Deemer

Democratic Party

Education

Bachelor's

Chatham University

Graduate

Carnegie Mellon University

Personal

Profession

Chief of staff, Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak

Contact

Personal Facebook

Ashleigh Deemer was a Democratic candidate for District 4 representative on the Pittsburgh City Council in Pennsylvania. Deemer was defeated in the primary election on May 16, 2017.

Deemer responded to Ballotpedia's survey of municipal candidates. Click here to read her survey responses.

Biography

Deemer earned her B.A. in environmental policy from Chatham University. She later received her master's degree in public management from Carnegie Mellon University. Deemer has worked as the constituent services manager and chief of staff for District 4 Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak since 2011.

Elections

2017

See also: Municipal elections in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2017)

Anthony Coghill defeated Ashleigh Deemer in the Democratic primary election for the District 4 seat on the Pittsburgh City Council.

Pittsburgh City Council, District 4 Democratic Primary Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Anthony Coghill	57.41%	2,755
Ashleigh Deemer	42.45%	2,037
Write-in votes	0.15%	7
Total Votes		4,799
Source: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, "Official Results," accessed June 28, 2017

Campaign themes

2017

See also: Ballotpedia's municipal government candidate survey

Deemer participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of municipal government candidates. The following sections display her responses to the survey questions. When asked what her top priority would be if elected, the candidate made the following statement:

“	Infrastructure investment is a critical first step. I also believe strongly in the power of early childhood education, and I will work to create and raise money for a Universal Pre-K program for all Pittsburgh kids.	”
—Ashleigh Deemer (May 1, 2017)

Ranking the issues

The candidate was asked to rank the following issues by importance in the city, with 1 being the most important and 12 being the least important: city services (trash, utilities, etc.), civil rights, crime reduction/prevention, environment, government transparency, homelessness, housing, K-12 education, public pensions/retirement funds, recreational opportunities, transportation, and unemployment. This table displays this candidate's rankings from most to least important.

Issue importance ranking
Candidate's ranking	Issue	Candidate's ranking	Issue
1	City services	7	Transportation
2	Crime reduction/prevention	8	Public pensions/retirement funds
3	K-12 education	9	Environment
4	Government transparency	10	Homelessness
5	Civil rights	11	Recreational opportunities
6	Housing	12	Unemployment

Nationwide municipal issues

The candidate was asked to answer questions from Ballotpedia regarding issues facing cities across America. The questions are in the left column and the candidate's responses are in the right column. Some questions provided multiple choices, which are noted after those questions.

Question	Response
Is it important for the city’s budget to be balanced?Answer options: Not important; Not important, but required by state law; A little important; A little important, but required by state law; Important; Very important	Very important
Which level of government do you feel should set a minimum wage?Answer options: None, Local, State, Federal	Local
What do you think is the best way to improve a city’s public safety? Candidates could write their own answer or choose from the following options: Increased economic opportunities, Increased police presence/activity, Harsher penalties for offenders, Public outreach/education programs	Increased economic opportunities; Police and block watches are a critical component of public safety, but ultimately, most crime is a symptom of addiction and poverty. If we can provide opportunities for recovery and better wages, we will see a reduction in most of the crime we see in our communities.
How do you think your city should emphasize economic development? Candidates could write their own answer or choose from the following options: Changing zoning restrictions, Create a more competitive business climate, Focusing on small business development, Instituting a citywide minimum wage, Recruiting new businesses to your city, Regulatory and licensing reforms, and tax reform	Instituting a citywide minimum wage; A higher minimum wage would increase consumer spending and expand our economy. Unfortunately, the state and court precedent limit the City's ability to increase the wage. I will advocate for more autonomy for Pittsburgh at the state level.
What is the one thing you’re most proud of about your city?	People make Pittsburgh special. We are hard-working, welcoming, and fiercely loyal. I love that my neighbors take care of each other, and I wish that for every community in our region.
What is the one thing you’d most like to change about your city?	As we exit Act 47 state financial oversight, we have a moral obligation to reinvest in our infrastructure, like roads, parks, community centers, and senior centers. We have deferred maintenance on these assets for far too long.

Additional themes

Deemer's campaign website included the following themes for 2017:

“	I’m asking for your vote, because there is so much more to do! As your Councilwoman, I will focus on what your neighbors have told me is important. Here is the short list of what I want to accomplish in my first term. I will reinvest in our parks, recreation centers, and senior centers in a way we haven’t seen in a generation. I want to make sure that our family-friendly civic assets make us proud. I will partner with the police and block watches to ensure that our police officers and tax dollars are being deployed to most effectively reduce crime and make our streets safer. I will work every day to get heroin out of our communities. I will partner with the Police, the Sheriff, the District Attorney, Allegheny County, universities, and State officials to make sure we are all working together to get opioids off the streets, find treatment for those who want it, and reduce drug-related crimes in our neighborhoods. I will fight for the kind of family-sustaining jobs our district has depended on for generations. My dad is a union man, so I know it’s about more than raising the minimum wage. I will support and push for more solid middle-class jobs in the trades, the public sector, and manufacturing. I will be an advocate for stronger, more beautiful business districts where residents can work, shop, and eat. I will make sure the City and the Urban Redevelopment Authority invest in grants and loans to South Pittsburgh business owners, and I will fill vacancies by marketing our neighborhoods to quality business owners.	”
—Ashleigh Deemer (2017)

See also

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania	Municipal government	Other local coverage

External links

Suggest a link

• Pittsburgh City Council
• 2017 campaign website
• 2017 campaign Facebook page