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Preview: Democrats for Allegheny County Executive

By Meghan Schiller, Contributing Writer

It’s two civil servants with Irish names and deep Allegheny County roots.

In the Democratic race for Allegheny County Executive, two strong-willed candidates are grappling for the attention of both their constituents and gas drilling companies. Former County Council President Rich Fitzgerald and Controller Mark Patrick Flaherty are bitter rivals and have turned most public debates into political fist-fights.

Flaherty (left) and Fitzgerald

Here’s some background on the two candidates:

Rich Fitzgerald, 52, was born and raised in Bloomfield. He attended Carnegie Mellon University and paid his tuition by driving a cab for Yellow Cab Company. In 1981 he earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a business minor. Today he lives in Squirrel Hill with his college sweetheart, Cathy Tomasovich and their eight children. He’s resigned his 4th term on the Allegheny County Council to run for this office, ans served as council’s president.

Mark Patrick Flaherty, 49, is a lawyer and the son of a former county commissioner and nephew of former Mayor Pete Flaherty. He is a graduate of Duke University, having receiving a degree in economics. Flaherty attended Duquesne University School of Law and earned his J.D.  He’s the Allegheny County Controller.

What are the main points of their campaigns?

Rich Fitzgerald’s campaign is based on increasing jobs in Allegheny County, becoming a leader in energy, and keeping taxes low. For job increases, Rich plans to use his experience in business to help convince other entrepreneurs and small business owners to keep their companies in the area.Also, Rich is a strong supporter of energy and safe drilling. He would prohibit all drilling in residential areas and continue to urge Harrisburg to enact a severance tax on Marcellus Shale. Lastly, if Fitzerald were to be elected, there would be no property tax increase in Allegheny County. He aims to make Allegheny County more competitive with the surrounding areas and feels that property taxes would hinder this goal.

Flaherty believes that drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale is one the most important tasks at hand.  His biggest plan is to tap into natural gas deposits under the Pittsburgh International Airport. Using the county’s $2.5 billion of borrowing power, he will push to convert the county’s vehicles and buildings to natural gas fuel. This concept is approved of by many but opposed by Fitzgerald, who is pushing to lease the land of 9,000 acres around the airport and issue a statewide tax.

Flaherty’s campaign also centers around an increase in jobs, opportunities for women, and heightened economic partnerships. Specifically within his campaign, “Allegheny County will advance the status of women by working hard to eliminate the wage gap, and providing equal access to job opportunities, including creative solutions like flex-time and telecommuting.” Fitzgerald’s campaign has no mention of equal pay wages or the advancement of women in the workplace.

How about fundraising?

The two have different fundraising capabilities. Mr. Fitzgerald has used $800,000 of his loans to fun his campaign, spending overall $1 million. Flaherty has raised upwards of $712,000 in the period of January-late April.

Will Fitzgerald’s Bare-Knuckles Campaigning Pay Off?

Fitzgerald recently released a campaign ad entitled “Could,” which highlights Mark Patrick Flaherty’s plan to subsidize natural gas drilling companies. Fitzgerald argues that Flaherty plans to become “too cozy” with the energy industry. His ad suggests that Flaherty favors gas companies over taxpayers.

But, Fitzgerald promotes drilling in the Marcellus Shale as a way to make Pittsburgh “the energy capital of the world” and it was recently revealed that Fitzgerald sent a strongly worded email to Katie Klaber, president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, begging for campaign cash. The email of Fitzgerald angrily asking for contributions was copied to dozens of drilling companies and leaked to a member of the Flaherty campaign.

Flaherty’s TV ads focus on his ability to control the city’s fiscal situation as county controller. “I’m Mark Patrick Flaherty, and I know these days every penny counts.”

The second of his ads is a series of voice-overs saying “Only One” candidate audited county agencies. He put weights-measures stickers on every gas pump in town. He says, “Only one audited scales and gas pumps to protect to protect working people from being ripped off.”

In response to the overwhelming signage and gas pump stickers Fitzgerald says, “County Controller Mark Patrick Flaherty used thousands of taxpayer dollars to print stickers to put his name on gas pumps, parking meters, and cash registers around Allegheny County.”

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