Wednesday, November 9, 2011
After defeating Republican D. Raja in Tuesday's election, the former county council president looks ahead to priorities once in office.
Mass transit, Marcellus Shale, property taxes, the airport, and the county budget will all be on Democrat Rich Fitzgerald’s radar when he takes over as Allegheny County executive in January. Fitzgerald, 52, of Squirrel Hill, defeated Republican D. Raja, 46, of Mt. Lebanon by a nearly 2-1 margin in Tuesday’s general election. Fitzgerald celebrated the win with hundreds of supporters at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hall on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Many wore green T-shirts with the words, “Welcome to Fitzburgh” on the front. Afterwards, he talked to Patch about his first priorities when taking office. “We’ve got a lot of challenges, transit, stopping the reassessment of our county only, being able to utilize Marcellus …
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
The former Democratic county council president defeats Republican D. Raja.
Democrat Rich Fitzgerald will be Allegheny County’s next county executive. With nearly three quarters of the vote counted, Fitzgerald was leading Republican D. Raja by a nearly 2-1 margin. Raja, like any Republican in Allegheny County faced an uphill battle where Democrats outnumber the GOP by a roughly 3-1 margin. In an apparent attempt to counter the disparity, Raja outspent Fitzgerald by a 2-to-1 margin from June through late October, according the last major campaign finance reports before Tuesday’s election. Fitzgerald’s victory means there will likely be no attempt to repeal the county’s 7-percent poured alcohol drink tax. If elected, Raja had promised to eliminate the drink tax in his first budget. During the campaign, …
Monday, November 7, 2011
Before you go to the polls Tuesday, you can check out who is running for local, county and state offices right here.
It's decision time—and there are many to make at the state, county and local levels in the general election on Tuesday. As long as you are registered, you can vote tomorrow. If you don’t know where to vote, click here. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. DORMONT COUNCIL The hottest local election is for Dormont Council, where seven candidates are vying for three open four-year terms. Running as Republicans are current Dormont Council President Kimberly Lusardi and newcomers James Hodson and Robert Hutchinson. Democratic candidates are incumbent Councilman John Maggio and newcomers Yvonne Costanzo and Valerie Martino. Incumbent Democrat Drew Lehman, a current councilman, is running as a write-in candidate. KEYSTONE OAKS SCHOOL BOARD Seven …
Saturday, October 29, 2011
D. Raja and Rich Fitzgerald each try to impress voters before Nov. 8 general elections.
With general elections looming, Allegheny County Executive candidates D. Raja and Rich Fitzgerald sparred over the future of the county's drink tax, job creation and other issues Thursday night in a debate at Robert Morris University. Raja, a Republican from Mt. Lebanon, and Fitzgerald, a Democrat from Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood, also discussed their views on property taxes, Port Authority transit and Marcellus Shale drilling, hoping to make an impact on voters by the Nov. 8 election. Although the event was billed as a debate and began at 8 p.m., Raja answered questions alone for 30 minutes because Fitzgerald was tied up at another event and had not arrived. Before Fitzgerald walked into the university's Academic Media Center…
Friday, October 21, 2011
County executive candidates address business leaders on economic development.
Allegheny County Executive candidates D. Raja and Rich Fitzgerald today spoke before Moon-area business leaders, fielding questions on future development of the Pittsburgh International Airport region. Both candidates touted the benefits of Marcellus shale drilling on land surrounding the airport during the breakfast forum at the Pittsburgh Airport Holiday Inn. With little more than two weeks remaining before November's general election, they also took advantage of the forum to criticize each another's platforms and performance. “I was hoping when I entered the race that it would be about policy,” said Raja, a Republican business owner from Mt. Lebanon. “Unfortunately, [the election] turned out to be a non-discussion of policy.” …
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Group is looking to revitalize the popular Mt. Lebanon cinema.
When Valerie Golik stands inside the old Denis Theatre, she doesn’t see a dilapidated cinema that has fallen into disrepair over the past few years. Instead, she envisions a thriving cultural and arts center that could become an entertainment hub for uptown Mt. Lebanon and the surrounding communities. “People remember the Denis Theatre, but it’s a whole new game in town,” Golik said. “We want it to be a place where the moment you walk in the door, you know the arts are important; a place where the arts thrive.” Golik, the executive director of The Denis Theatre Foundation, and countless volunteers from around the area are relishing this promising, albeit challenging, task. The once popular cinema has rotted over the years after closing in …
Monday, September 12, 2011
The public is invited to the event, featuring Republican D. Raja and Democrat Rich Fitzgerald, at Pittsburgh CAPA.
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Monday, September 12, 2011
The League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh and The Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) are sponsoring a County Executive Candidates Forum from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at Pittsburgh CAPA School, 111 Ninth St., Pittsburgh. Both Democratic candidate Rich Fitzgerald and Republican candidate D. Raja will be attending to answer questions and hear concerns. The event will be moderated by WPXI-TV anchor/reporter Vince Sims and broadcast live on PCNC-TV. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and those attending are asked to be seated by 7:15 p.m. Participants are asked to enter on the Fort Duquesne Boulevard side of the building. Questions can be sent by email to info@pgh.lwv.org. For information, call 412-261-4284 or 412-758-7898. …
Friday, August 19, 2011
During a press conference at the Allegheny County Courthouse on Thursday morning, D. Raja, the Republican candidate for county chief executive, highlighted key components of his six-point plan.
D. Raja, Repubican candidate for Allegheny County chief executive, held a press conference at the Allegheny County Courthouse on Thursday to announce the second initiative in his political campaign. The initiative is a six-point plan for modernizing county government, which, in large part, addresses budget shortfalls and inflated revenues. Raja, who had introduced his job-creation initiative earlier this summer, greeted the press before beginning his address with a solemn remark: “Allegheny County is essentially living on borrowed time, with regard to both budget and financial situation.” Citing that Allegheny County has spent $185 million of one-time revenues to plug budget shortfalls, has had a debt increase of $127 million and has …
Cassie from CASSANDRA'S FLORALS
4:13 pm on Monday, November 7, 2011
really when will the madness stop? why can't the police & fbi catch this person? vote whats in your heart... do the right thing... make dormont proud... look at the whole picture, not just the snap shot somepeople r showing you. :D more ›