Allegheny Co. Executive Don Onorato Leading Candidate for Gov.

[JPZenger]

So far, based upon early polls, fundraisers and endorsements, it looks like the 2010 Governor's Race will be Dem Don Onorato vs. Attorney General Tom Corbett.

Particularly for us folks from Eastern PA who don't know him yet, he's some info on Don Onorato from his website:

http://www.voteonorato.com/meet_dan/biography

[PADEMJES12]

1. Onorato a good candidate who is battle tested

I think it will be Onorato vs Corbett, which would be one heck of a battle. So we have
Onorato, Knox, Wagner (did tell some people he was running despite 300,000 COH, but formidable
name recogn). Is there anyone else I am missing?

On the GOP side, there is Corbett and Gerlach, and maybe Meehan right? Corbett and Gerlach will
be a good one too. Who will the Lt. gov's be... any predictions?

[Number9Dream]

2. Thanks for the info, JPZ

Was unfamiliar with him until now. Looks like a good choice.

From that same website: "...drive down the cost of health care and higher education, and bring real reform to government."

"Dan has also received national attention for his continued focus on “green” initiatives to promote energy efficiency, environmental stewardship and sustainable practices. He strengthened clean air programs, established the Green Action Team, promoted green building practices and redeveloped old industrial sites in an environmentally-friendly way."

Would like to read his thoughts on property tax reform.

BTW, it's Dan, not Don.

[Pat Riot]

3. mixed feelings

I would hate to see him go, we need him here in the Burgh. But he is a GOOD man. One of my fav things about him is his sensible plan to save millions by consolidating school districts and municipalities.

[Yellow Horse]

4. No way, no how, NO ONORATO!

DanO the DINO. DINO. DINO.

Anti-choice. Anti-gay. Wanted DIEBOLD for the Allegheny County voting machine. (Thanks to local activists he didn't get Diebold but he did get ES&S and NO paper ballots.) He's arrogant, refuses to learn and won't admit mistakes, and surrounds himself with clueless yes-men.

I'm a lifelong PA Dem but if Dan Onorato is the nominee I guess I'll be voting for Corbett. If we are going to get a Republican governor, I may as well vote for the REAL Republican.

Otherwise I'll go for the Green nominee, write myself in, or stay home.

I am serious. Remember DanO the DINO and beware.

No way, no how, NO ONORATO.

[Pat Riot]

5. Could you explain more?

I want to say I'm not being combative, just seeking info. (because one can't hear tone of voice over the internet and I've been perceived in ways I didn't mean to be in the past.) I never heard anything about anti gay or anti choice, except that he's Catholic, but lots of "cafeteria Catholics" are pro choice. My understanding of the voting machine business is that states were to lose funding for elections if we did not accept the Diebold machines. I seem to vaguely remember some speech he gave explaining why he was reluctantly accepting them.

My support of Onorato is based on fiscal stuff, like property tax issues and wanting to consolidate services withinsomething like 134 school districts and 43 municipalities in the county.

I tried a bit of Googling but didn't find much. Any links you could show me would be appreciated.

[Yellow Horse]

6. Well for one thing he did NOT "reluctantly" accept paperless voting machines.

His FIRST CHOICE was paperless DIEBOLD touchscreens. That should tell you everything.

To the citizens he said that he "doesn't like" optical scanners and paper ballots, claiming the printing was too expensive even though citizens brought in hundreds of pages of data that paper ballots and optical scanners are cheaper to operate. Later, when the paperless machines were proven to be so horrible but Allegheny County is now stuck with them, DanO said -- publicly -- the LIE that he wanted paper ballots but there were no legal paper ballot systems available. He is a damn liar because optical scan with voter-marked paper ballots IS LEGAL in PA and was chosen and is used by 17 other counties in Pennsylvania.

A lot of this was never published because the Post-Gazette and other papers (except maybe the City Paper) sucked up to DanO and printed his side not the citizens.

Then there is Onorato's Drink Tax. Ask the small-business bar and restaurant owners (even the regular people who like to afford a drink once in a while) in Allegheny County how they like that.

You mention DanO's plan to consolidate the city and the county. It would only roll the City of Pittsburgh into Allegheny County, leaving all those other hundred-plus municipalities intact. That's right, ALL the other municipalities and school districts stay INTACT except the City of Pittsburgh. So city residents would have to give up their local council and the control of their community to the county, while every other teeny-tiny boro etc. would keep their sovereignty. NOT something I would support if if were a City resident. But DanO's that clueless.

[PADEMJES12]

7. Im going w Dannie O!!!!!

I support consolidation from a cost perspective and Dannie O deserves alot of credit there. He was dealt a tough hand and has
performed pretty darn well. Plus, i like when he was throwing eggs at the cardinal mascot at the Steelers super bowl rally.
Ill try to find that video for everyones humor.

[demodonkey]

8. I'm not. I think thowing away our votes is more imporant that thowing eggs at a sports mascot.

My organization was among the many that tried to educate Dan Onorato on the need for paper ballots and verifiable, accessible elections. I testified to him many times about this as did dozens of Allegheny County citizens that a paper-based optical scan system is legal, cheaper, more secure, and easier for people with disabilities.

Nonetheless Dan decided on paperless touchscreens for Allegheny County (and basically for the entire region because other nearby counties tend to do what Allegheny does) and forced his hand with the County Election Board to get what HE wanted.

It's true that Onorato later made the false statement that he had no choice. WRONG. Dan Onorato DID have a choice and he chose to throw our votes into insecure, costly, paperless electronic voting machines.

So unless he does something drastic to convince me otherwise, when I have a choice I will NOT choose Dan Onorato.

My vote is far more important to me than what someone does at a Steelers game.

[Pat Riot]

16. Amen to that

Despite the fact that Black and Gold blood flows through my veins, I would give back that 6th ring in exchange for a paper trail. Blasphemy I know.

I did a bit more searching and what I came up with was disturbing. He did originally want the Diebold, then his second choice of second hand, obsolete Sequoia machines was even worse, now it's the ES&S, which seem to be the least of all evils and at least have a portal where a printer could be hooked up in the future. Dan's accounting background seems to have trumped other concerns.

Some links

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~davide/voting-machines/

votetrustusa.org (Easier to click on Pennsylvania on the right than to sort through all the info)

I couldn't get Explorer to display your page. Maybe because it kept de-capitalizing PA every time I tried to type it into the address box. Same result when I tried to search and then click on the link. I'm not the most technically adept.

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. Actually, Onorato is tied with Wagner in a recent poll

On the Democratic side, "don't know," with a 54 percent majority, was winning in a landslide. Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato had the support of 16 percent of the Democratic voters, state Auditor General Jack Wagner had 16 percent and Tom Knox, a Philadelphia businessman, had 13 percent.

more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09203/985504-454.stm

[PADEMJES12]

10. Not familiar, to me not being from Allegheny that

seems like a menial single issue to be ticked about. I think Onorato is battle tested and most qualified and best candidate to lead our state in difficult financial times. Aside from name recogn... Wagner cannot raise any money. In fact his COH keeps decreasing. That being said, lighten up, i was giving everyone a chuckle about the Steelers superbowl rally. Better the cards mascot getting egged than you :) In the straw poll... Go for the O!

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Wagner has been elected to state-wide office twice, while Onorato's victories have been in

solidly Democratic Allegheny County. Whoever is the Democratic nominee will not have any trouble raising money.

[PADEMJES12]

12. Yes, that may be so, with the fact being as you point out

that being Jack Wagner has been elected to statewide office, I wholeheartedly agree
that he should have no trouble raising money. The problem is that to date either 1) he has had trouble as state
leaders are lining up behind Onorato and/ or; 2) he really has not made much of an effort
to do so, which if that is the case is very concerning. You need to raise money particularly every 8
years in PA. Take your pick.

Onorato on the other hand is receiving support all over the state.

[Yellow Horse]

13. Dan, zat you?

If you aren't Dan himself, are you bucking for a job or something with his campaign? You sure are awful lovey-dovey with DanO the DINO.

I don't know one Allegheny County person who supports him, though, especially those from the City of Pittsburgh where he wants to swallow their sovereignty into the County.

Personally I will vote ANYBODY BUT DanO the DINO. Even Corbett. Or write-in myself.

[PADEMJES12]

14. Hahahahaha!!!!!

This is hilarious. I am accused of working for Specter and now Onorato. Hmmmm, although both are my preferences, sorry duder
to disappoint... i do not work for Onorato either. These are just real objective observations i am bringing to your attention.
I am trying to pick the smart choices to help the Democrats, if the goal is to actually win the 2010 general. Sorry to disappoint.

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. Wagner's office conducts audits. It doesn't dole out money like a county executive

Onorato's position is more able to grant favors than Wagner's is. So more people want to influence him by donating to his campaign.