Saturday, November 5, 2011

North Hills muncipality elections

Council Member; Borough of Bradford Woods (3 Elected)
• Gary F. Price, Republican
• Robert S. Stryker, Republican
• Linda J. Philpott, Democratic
• Paul E. Pongrace, III, Republican

Council Member; Borough of Etna; Ward 1 (2 Elected)
• Karen Tomaszewski, Democratic
• Terry A. Huston, Democratic

Council Member; Borough of Etna; Ward 2; 2 Year Term (1 Elected)
• Edward V. Burke, III, Republican

Council Member; Borough of Etna; Ward 2; 4 Year Term (1 Elected)
• Carol Kristoff, Democratic

Council Member; Borough of Etna; Ward 3 (1 Elected)
• David Vinski, Democratic

Council Member; Borough of Fox Chapel (3 Elected)
• James M. Royston, Republican
• Jay S. Troutman, Republican
• Ann R. Meyer, Republican

Council Member; Borough of Franklin Park; Ward 1 (1 Elected)
• Laura A. Coombs, Republican, Democratic

Council Member; Borough of Franklin Park; Ward 2 (1 Elected)
• Richard H. Hartman, Republican, Democratic

Council Member; Borough of Franklin Park; Ward 3 (1 Elected)
• James W. Lawrence, Republican
• Ash Marwah, Democratic

Council Member; Borough of West View (3 Elected)
• Donald E. Mikec, Democratic
• Barry G. Schell, Democratic
• M. Kimberly Steele, Democratic
• Alison Kilmartin, Republican

Controller; Township of Hampton (1 Elected)
• Jerry Speakman, Republican

Council Member; Township of Hampton (2 Elected)
• Joanne C.F. Hart, Democratic
• Sherry Neugebauer, Republican
• Gloria Newman, Democratic
• M. Richard Dunlap, Republican

Auditor; Township of Indiana (1 Elected)
• David M. Laux, Republican

Supervisor; Township of Indiana; District 1 (1 Elected)
• Paul Jorgensen, Republican

Supervisor; Township of Indiana; District 2 (1 Elected)
• Jeffrey D. Peck, Republican

Supervisor; Township of Indiana; District 3 (1 Elected)
• Darrin J. Krally, Republican

Supervisor; Township of Indiana; District 4 (1 Elected)
• Daniel Taylor, Republican

Auditor; Township of Marshall (1 Elected)
• Patricia L. Bolster, Democratic

Supervisor; Township of Marshall (1 Elected)
• Jason Bragunier, Republican, Democratic

Council Member; Township of McCandless; Ward 1 (1 Elected)
• Cynthia Potter, Republican

Council Member; Township of McCandless; Ward 3 (1 Elected)
• Roger Krey, Republican

Council Member; Township of McCandless; Ward 5 (1 Elected)
• D. Lamar Oliver, III, Republican, Democratic

Council Member; Township of McCandless; Ward 7 (1 Elected)
• William J. McKim, Republican, Democratic

Supervisor; Township of Pine (3 Elected)
• Ted Owen, Republican
• Frank J. Spagnolo, Republican
• Philip D. Henry, Republican

Supervisor At-Large; Township of Richland (1 Elected)
• Herbert C. Dankmyer, Republican
• Jeffrey Thomas Sarabok, Democratic

Supervisor; Township of Richland; District 1 (1 Elected)
• Raymond P. Kendrick, Republican

Supervisor; Township of Richland; District 3 (1 Elected)
• George Allen, Republican

Commissioner; Township of Ross; Ward 1 (1 Elected)
• Daniel L. DeMarco, Democratic
• Ann C. Harrold, Republican

Commissioner; Township of Ross; Ward 3 (1 Elected)
• John Sponcer, Republican
• Daniel P. Kinross, Democratic

Commissioner; Township of Ross; Ward 5 (1 Elected)
• William A. McKellar, Democratic
• Grace Stanko, Republican

Commissioner; Township of Ross; Ward 7 (1 Elected)
• Gerald R. O'Brien, Democratic

Commissioner; Township of Ross; Ward 9 (1 Elected)
• Grant Montgomery, Republican

Commissioner; Township of Shaler; Ward 1 (1 Elected)
• Edward Duss, Republican, Democratic

Commissioner; Township of Shaler; Ward 3 (1 Elected)
• David W. Shutter, Republican, Democratic

Commissioner; Township of Shaler; Ward 5 (1 Elected)
• Susan H. Fisher, Republican, Democratic

Commissioner; Township of Shaler; Ward 7(1 Elected)
• Bill Cross, Republican, Democratic

Auditor; Township of West Deer (1 Elected)
• Mary J. Vaerewyck, Republican

Auditor; Township of West Deer; 2 Year Term (1 Elected)
• Sarah Violet Bossart, Republican

Supervisor; Township of West Deer (4 Elected)
• Michael A. Sutter, Democratic
• Gerry Vaerewyck, Republican
• Richard W. DiSanti, Jr., Democratic
• Larewnce K. McManus, Republican
• James Smullin, Democratic
• Tracy Alan Adamik, Democratic
• Bronco Brnardic, Republican
• Richard W. Bossart, Jr., Republican

Friday, November 4, 2011

More Negative mailers from Raja















I have to share this comment that Rich Fitzgerald said at the debate earlier this week about some of the campaign staffers for Raja. (h/t PoliticsPA):

“Mike DeVanney has been part of what’s wrong with politics. Mark Harris is what’s wrong with politics,” blasted Fitzgerald. “They’re bottom feeders. They like to play in the mud.”

“They found a cash cow with this guy [Raja], and conned him out of two million dollars. It’s the biggest con job since Bernie Madoff.”

First off, I have to wonder why the Raja team didn't spin this into a racist comment since Fitzgerald mentioned cows and they are sacred in India. The Raja team has taken every other comment that Fitzgerald has made and tried to spin it in to a racist comment.



Second off, I have to agree with Fitzgerald. Who pays that much money to have a campaign team send almost identical post cards out? His team also didn't have the mailers spread out over multiple days. For how little time people spend reading these post cards, I have to wonder how much Raja wasted on having 2 days this week where there were multiple mail pieces hitting on the same day.


Junior Olympic Softball Coach for County Controller!









I didn't expect Bob Howard to do much of anything for the Allegheny County Controller race. I'm pretty sure he is farther to the right than most of the tea party and was too conservative for the Republican Primary voters in North Allegheny when he lost he re-election for School Board. If I remember correctly he was involved in trying to ban some books at NA while School Board President.

The post card is a little too busy for me, but I did find some interesting/confusing points. While he is going after Wagner for not having 'experience' he also claims being a softball coach is his experience to be our next controller.

Some other things to debunk in this mailer. Claiming a State legislator that handles a $27.3 billion dollar budget has no budgeting experience is just plain confusing. I'm pretty sure legislators have to manage their staff so no management experience is also a stretch.

Also we see again a Republican that throws around the 'career politician' comment. Ms. Wagner is 34 years old and she started serving as a State Representative in 2007. Before she was a State Rep. she worked as a lawyer and also worked for a private company that analyzed budget numbers for governments. So she didn't start off her career working for a politician or in politics so we need a stronger definition of career from the Allegheny County Republican Party.

Since Howard's running mate, Raja, is claiming a part time county council position is a career what does he think about his 4 years on the North Allegheny School Board. According to Raja's definition of career politicians, Howard's claim that 4 years on the school board is extremely different to Wagner's 5 years in the State House doesn't add up.

I also have issues with people that attack politicians for having a family that is involved in politics. While too many people may vote on name alone and/or trust a family member of a politician, it isn't fair to just write someone off because they are related. Just as I would suggest that no one should vote just on a name or a party affiliation, I would suggest we shouldn't not vote for someone because of their name or party affiliation.

Allegheny County Democratic Post Card

Nothing special, just the usual post card with the list of Democratic candidates from the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.


Thursday, November 3, 2011

North Hills School Board Elections

It is tough to get any info on these races and there are only a few that are actually contested after the Primary. Here is the listing of school board elections in the North Hills that will be on the ballot next week:

School Director; North Allegheny School District (5 Elected)
• Libby Blackburn, Republican, Democratic
• Beth A. Ludwig, Republican, Democratic
• Maureen M. Grosheider, Republican, Democratic (School Board President)
• Christopher M. Jacobs, Republican, Democratic
• Joseph Greenberg, Republican, Democratic

School Director; North Hills School District (5 Elected)
• James W. Barr, Constitution
• Lou Nudi, Republican, Democratic
• Arlene J. Bender, Republican, Democratic
• Tom Baker, Republican, Democratic
• Jeff Meyer, Republican, Democratic
• Ed Wielgus, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Pine-Richland School District; Region 1 (2 Elected)
• Therese M. Dawson, Republican, Democratic
• Kevin Nigh, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Pine-Richland School District; Region 2 (1 Elected)
• Christine A. Misback, Democratic
• Peter Lyons, Republican

School Director; Pine-Richland School District; Region 3 (2 Elected)
• Virginia Goebel, Republican, Democratic
• Laura Ohlund, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Deer Lakes School District (5 Elected)
• Michael F. Cavanaugh, Republican, Democratic
• Jodi Banyas-Galecki, Republican, Democratic
• William A. LuPone, Jr., Republican, Democratic
• Rebekah Stankowski, Republican, Democratic
• Leonard Douglas McCausland, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Shaler Area School District; Region 1 (1 Elected)
• John J. Fries, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Shaler Area School District; Region 2 (2 Elected)
• William J. Couts, Republican

School Director; Shaler Area School District; Region 3 (2 Elected)
• James L. Fisher, Republican, Democratic
• Jeanne Petrovich, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Hampton Township School District; 2 Year Term (1 Elected)
• Gregory A. Stein, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Hampton Township School District; 4 Year Term (5 Elected)
• Mary Alice Hennessey, Republican, Democratic
• Pamela Lamagna, Republican, Democratic
• Lawrence Vasko, Republican, Democratic
• Robert Shages, Republican, Democratic
• Bryant Wesley, II, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Fox Chapel Area School District; Region 1 (2 Elected)
• Eric C. Schmidt, Republican, Democratic
• Robin Baum, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Fox Chapel Area School District; Region 2 (2 Elected)
• Sandra Garbisch, Republican, Democratic
• Terrence L. Wirginis, Republican, Democratic

School Director; Fox Chapel Area School District; Region 3 (1 Elected)
• Nancy Bradshaw Foster, Republican, Democratic

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Does Raja have anything positive to say?

More Raja mailings were sent out yesterday. More abortion attacks on Fitzgerald sent to Republican/Non-Partisan households:

These 2 mailers were sent to Democrats:


As I have said before, for someone that says he isn't a 'politician' all we have seen from him are the usual political tricks. Half-truths and quotes that out of context look worse than they are.


Reading these mailing, anyone that understands what County Council does will see through these false claims. Allegheny County Executive does not have any authority over abortion issues. Allegheny County Council has very little to do with the unemployment rate when it is tied to a national unemployment spike. But I have to ask, where did they get their numbers that claim unemployment has doubled since Fitzgerald was elected as a part-time Allegheny County Council member? In January 2000 when Rich Fitzgerald started his first term on County Council, unemployment was at 4.6% for Allegheny County. The most recent data shows Allegheny County at 7.6% as of August 2011. That is not double. Even the highest Allegheny County unemployment has reached during Fitzgerald's tenure is not double (8.6%) of 4.6%. Also if this was sent to Democrats don't many of them believe our unemployment problems are because of Raja's supported candidate President George W. Bush.


Many of us hate that money is so involved in our political campaigns, but it is a necessary evil. Anyone that takes the time to read the actual email that Fitzgerald sent shows that it is a firmly worded request and the pull out quotes used in this mailer appear to be in jest and sarcastic in nature.


So again I ask, does Raja and his campaign have anything positive to say about issues that the Allegheny County Executive actually has authority over?