Allegheny is unusually stratified. If you want to map the political/administrative system fully, you should account for five layers:
1. Federal Layer
- U.S. government presence: Congressional districts, federal courts, federal buildings.
- Shapes funding, highways, public housing, and healthcare systems.
2. State Layer (Pennsylvania)
- State legislature districts cut across Allegheny.
- State agencies oversee highways (PennDOT), state police (outside some municipalities), environment (DEP), liquor control, and statewide courts.
- Public education standards, healthcare regulations, and taxation frameworks originate here.
3. County Layer (Allegheny County Government)
- County Executive + County Council.
- Controls public health, elections, jails, courts, property assessments, transit, and countywide parks.
- Seat of regional identity beyond municipal borders.
4. Municipal Layer (Cities, Boroughs, Townships)
- 130 municipalities in the county.
- Handle local ordinances, zoning, police/fire, trash collection, local roads, and recreation.
- Each has independent councils/boards, creating extreme fragmentation.
5. Special Districts and Authorities
- School Districts: 42 separate school districts in Allegheny County, independent of municipal governments.
- Authorities: semi-independent bodies handling water/sewer (Aqua, PWSA), transit (Pittsburgh Regional Transit), housing, airports, port operations.
- Judicial Districts: Courts of Common Pleas are county-level but function with state oversight.