Pat Gionta Runs for a Third Term on Swissvale Council

Swissvale Councilwoman Pat Gionta wants to continue making an impact on Swissvale.

Gionta is finishing her second term, and after eight years on council, wants to continue her work to better the community. Her desire to make that positive impact on her community is the reason that she originally ran for council.

“I just wanted to help make a difference in Swissvale,” Gionta said. “I was seeing more and more stores closing, more crime coming around, and people littering.”

Gionta has lived in Swissvale for 26 years. Two of her children live down the street from her.  

“I’ve always loved Swissvale,” Gionta said. “It’s a hometown community with local schools. My daughters played softball across the street and walked to school. I’m not worried about having to lock my door. I feel safe where I live.”

Gionta is the chairman of the police, so she keeps track of plans to fight crime and how the police force carries out those plans. Gionta wants to make Swissvale a nicer community, and wants people to feel safe walking on the streets. She is very proud of the work being done by council, the police chief, and the fire chief.

“We do everything we can to keep out crime,” Gionta said. “We let everyone know that we’re not just a little town where you can come to bring drugs and loaf on our streets.”

Gionta’s husband owns a photography studio in Swissvale.  Since he is a business owner, she understands the needs and challenges of small businesses. Bringing a thriving business district back to Swissvale is one of her top council priorities.

“In Swissvale, you’re a hop, skip and a jump from anywhere. It’s a great place for businesses to come because we’re so centrally located,” Gionta said.

Swissvale is a very walkable community, with CVS and Giant Eagle as part of the commercial area. Gionta wants to see changes that will make the central business district more appealing to shoppers, and potential businesses.

“When you see closed up store fronts, no one is going to want to do business here,” she said.

Since Gionta has been a Swissvale resident for many years, she has developed a passion to help the community in any way that she can.

“I am a very strong-minded person in the community. I feel the needs of the people and what they want,” she said.

While on council, one of her accomplishments was bringing back the community newsletter. Swissvale has had a newsletter for 3 years now because of her work.

“We had a newsletter years ago, before my time, and it was a strong way to put information out there. I wanted to bring it back,” Gionta said.

Gionta wrote articles in the newsletter to introduce the community members to the police and fire department members and to raise awareness about events in the community.            

She wants to continue her work of making Swissvale a safe, clean, great place to live.

“Everything our community wants is exactly what I want,” she said.