A. Executive Branch
- County Executive
- Chief elected official (4-year term).
- Oversees administration of all county departments.
- Proposes annual budget to County Council.
- Appoints department directors and authority board members (subject to council approval in some cases).
- Veto power over legislation passed by County Council.
- County Manager
- Appointed by County Executive, confirmed by Council.
- Coordinates daily operations across departments.
- Ensures policies set by Executive and Council are implemented.
B. Legislative Branch
- Allegheny County Council
- 15 members:
• 13 district-based.
• 2 at-large. - Passes ordinances, approves budget, levies county taxes.
- Confirms key appointments (Manager, some Board/Authority members).
- Elects Council President to preside over meetings.
- 15 members:
C. Judicial Branch (County Level Functions)
- Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County (part of state’s unified judiciary).
- Criminal, civil, family, and orphans’ court divisions.
- Judges elected countywide, 10-year terms.
- District Attorney
- Elected county prosecutor.
- Represents Commonwealth in criminal cases within county courts.
D. Independently Elected Row Offices
- Sheriff — Court security, evictions, transport of prisoners, civil process service.
- Treasurer — Collects certain county taxes, issues licenses (dog, hunting, fishing).
- Controller — Independent financial auditor of county government.
- District Attorney — Prosecutor (also central in Judicial branch).
- Medical Examiner — Investigates causes of death, maintains morgue.
(Note: Row offices vary by county in PA; Allegheny maintains several with elected accountability.)
E. Departments & Agencies (Executive-Controlled)
- Health Department — Restaurant inspections, air quality enforcement, public health programming.
- Department of Human Services — Child welfare, behavioral health, homelessness, aging services.
- Department of Public Works — County roads, bridges, buildings, fleet management.
- Department of Economic Development — Community redevelopment, business incentives, housing.
- Department of Parks — Management of nine regional parks (~12,000 acres).
- Elections Division — Voter registration, polling place operations, ballot administration.
- Administrative Services — Information technology, procurement, facilities.
F. Authorities, Boards, & Commissions
Semi-independent, but heavily tied to county governance through appointments and funding:
- Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) — county transit system.
- Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) — wastewater treatment.
- Allegheny County Airport Authority — manages Pittsburgh International and Allegheny County airports.
- Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County (RAAC) — housing and economic development funding.
- Sports & Exhibition Authority (joint with City of Pittsburgh).
G. Finance & Budget
- Annual Operating Budget: ~$1 billion+.
- Revenue Sources: property tax, sales tax add-on (shared with PRT and RAD), fees, state/federal grants.
- Expenditure Areas: human services (largest share), public safety, health, infrastructure, parks, debt service.
- Controller ensures financial accountability; external audits possible.
Summary for Stratification
Allegheny County government rests on three formal pillars (Executive, Legislative, Judicial), row offices for checks and balances, departments delivering services, and authorities handling infrastructure and transit. This layered framework provides the regional glue for 130 municipalities and 43 school districts inside county borders.