Primary 2013 - Franklin Park Borough

Nothing exciting going on in Franklin Park this spring.
 

Mayor
Republican -- Dennis O'Keefe

Council, Ward 1 (1)
Republican -- Jim Hogg

Council, Ward 2 (1)
Republican -- Jane Ann Hopey

Council, Ward 3 (1)
Republican -- Amy Sable

State House Elections - 28th District

Could be big changes in the 28th State house District. Now that State Rep. Mike Turzai is planning on running for Congress in the newly designed (designed by Turzai himself) 12th District there could be a new State Representative from the 28th District. The district is extremely Republican so the battle will be in the Primary.

A question I have posed was if Turzai will run for both Congress and State House at the same time. I don't know how confident he is that he will win the Congressional Primary against Keith Rothfus.

I also think it will be more difficult than Turzai thinks to win the 12th District in the General if he is facing Altmire. I think Turzai could easily beat Critz mostly because Critz lives in Johnstown and 3/4 of the population of the 12th don't know much about Johnstown outside of the movie Slap Shot. Other than that, with Critz taking the hard line Democrat stance to win the Primary he is creating headlines for the Republicans in the General Election. The type of people that read this blog should know that the debt limit increase vote was a political stunt. However, that political stunt works for the Republicans because a majority of the voters don't understand how the government does business.

There was mention that one Republican was planning on running against Mike Turzai regardless of his intentions for the Congressional race. Karen Shaheen, who is the treasurer of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, mentioned that she was going to circulate a petition against Mike Turzai. She said that Turzai has become a career politician that used to be a Democrat. She also said the attempt to pass liquor privatization and school vouchers were false marketing. Karen ran for school board in 2007 and 2009 and lost. She appears to be very conservative.

Can a good moderate Democrat make a run at this seat if she is the front runner?

Incumbent: Mike Turzai (Republican, Majority Leader of the State House, candidate for Congress)

Possible challengers: Karen Shaheen (Republican)
Sharon Brown (Democrat ran in 2010)

Here is the new map of the 28th State House Distinct. The green parts are the
old district and the aqua blue line is the outline of the new district.

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

Franklin Park Councilman doesn't care about the future

I have often heard Republicans say that liberal professors live in a fantasy world. I think right wing nuts live a fantasy world where roads never crumble, water pipes never break, and the cost of living never increases for the government. Why would you force a tax increase if something big happens to the local government by cutting the surplus/safety fund.

Franklin Park councilman proposes hefty tax cut
By Adam Brandolph
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, September 22, 2011

A Franklin Park councilman on Wednesday night proposed cutting 2012
property taxes by 15 percent to drain overfunded surplus accounts and
give residents relief in the down economy.

Ash Marwah said trimming taxes from 1.283 mills to 1.1 mills next year
would save taxpayers $225,000.

Marwah said the borough has about $2.6 million in cash reserves and
unrestricted capital funds, and about $2 million in expected income and
$2.6 million in expenses for the rest of the year.

That would leave $2 million in the bank on Jan. 1. The borough's annual
budget is about $7 million.

Borough Manager Ambrose Rocca said the surplus likely won't last.

"This is the time of year when we have a large amount of cash," Rocca
said.

Mike Turzai Mailer

Let's be honest, I don't think it is possible for Mike Turzai to lose. I might be okay with him being my State Rep, if he didn't take the time to go after the only local elected Democrat in his legislative district just because of party politics during the 2009 elections. Mr. O'Malley was a young fresh voice on the entirely senior citizen Richland Township Board of Supervisors. Mr. O'Malley voted 99% with the Republicans on the Board of Supervisors.

So why did Mr. Turzai waste his important time to send out a mailer against someone who never raised taxes, consolidated the police force, saved taxpayers a million dollars in building costs, and eliminated a 1/3 of the Richland Township employees? Sounds to me like Mr. O'Malley was doing everything that Mr. Turzai says he is fighting for in Harrisburg. I guess policy will always be trumped by party politics in Mike Turzai's world.

FYI, Mr. Turzai's opponent is Dr. Sharon Brown. I don't know much about her other then some bad literature I saw during the Primary Election and that Mr. Turzai challenged her petitions in the spring. The Post Gazette has endorsed Mr. Turzai.

What are you scared of Mr. Turzai?

Mike Turzai challenges petitions


I just don't understand why politicians feel the need to attack the Democratic process. I don't have much more to say other than it just isn't very Democratic.