Onorato - know anything about him? Should he be governor? Can he beat Corbett?

[old mark]

zHe seems to be running a sort of timid campaign, but he is the only one I see with the numbers to beat Corbett. Any info on him, his past performance, etc? I never heard of him before this spring.

Thanks.

m

[philly_bob]

1. I'm casting primary vote for Joe Hoeffel.

Not to say anything against Pittsburgh-based Onorato, but I know Hoeffel because he's local and I've observed him to be progressive on subjects like health care reform and charter school reform.

Watched a debate recently on Pennyslvania state network, and I thought Hoeffel was much clearer than Onorato, more definitive, more willing to take a position. Onorato seemed cautious.

Just my opinion. And right now any Democrat is better than any Republican, so I'll welcome Onorato if he gets the nomination.

[PRETZEL]

10. Not sure,

He's Commissioner of Montgomery County,

http://www.timesherald.com/

Read up on what's going on there.

[wisteria]

23. I am going with Onoroto. I am familar with his work and his career.

He is a link to an endorsement for Onorato. Just give it a read. I am not saying anything against Hoeffel, but maybe you would consider supporting Onorato in the fall if Hoeffel doesn't win.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10129/1056456-192.stm

[Pat Riot]

2. Pittsburgher, will probably go for Hoeffel too

I don't dislike Onorato, and would vote for him if he gets the primary as well.

Grew up on Pgh's North Side, Catholic, family man. http://www.alleghenycounty.us/welcome/onorato.aspx

Good points, property tax reform, cut waste. Bad points, supported paperless voting machines even after the folly was pointed out, some allegations that he is anti-gay and anti-choice have been charged here, but I haven't seen links to back that up, so I think it is the Catholic thing. My analysis is he's primarily a very good bean counter, not a bad evil guy, but the voting machine thing scared me. Very unpopular among alcoholics and business owners for instituting a drink tax in bars.

[MrMickeysMom]

3. Agree about the paperless voting machines and would add...

... that he's dragged his feet on legislation that would enable Allegheny county to be prepared for major storm water management adjustment, one of the larger problems I know I'll be facing in a municipality.

I don't think I'll be supporting him, though it would put SW PA in the limelight. I think we need to move on without his help.

[MH1]

28. Links on Onorato

I am struggling with my gov vote so when I saw your post I decided to try a little googling. It's not much but it makes me want to look deeper. If these are true it's very bad.

anti-gay:
http://2politicaljunkies.blogspot.com/2010/03/digging-deeper-into-onoratos-lgbt.html

http://www.pghlesbian.com/blog/_archives/2010/3/22/4487199.html


anti-choice:
http://www.thepennsylvaniaprogressive.com/diary/2440/onorato-tries-having-it-both-ways-on-abortion

[old mark]

4. Thanks - there isn't too much info on him, but he seems to have

poll numbers although not much money or support.

I didn't know Hoeffel was even running - have not seen ANY ads or any campaigning from him at all...

Only thing I have against Hoeffel is the pro gun control stuff - I hope he can get over that or he will lose.

m

[JPZenger]

5. I like a governor who has actually run a large government

I personally like a candidate for governor who has run a large complicated government. Onorato runs Allegheny County, the second most populated political jurisdiction in PA.

I also like Onorato because he is an urban person - he's from Pittsburgh, served on their city council, and can relate to problems of the cities.

Also, I believe Onorato would appeal to moderates in many of the swing areas of PA.

[old mark]

6. He says he will work on fixing the state house - Good luck with that, but

he really seems like a sincere guy without a lot of ties to the usual Harrisburg crooks, and I think he might do well.

An honest governor - now THERE's a concept for PA...

(I worked as a lowly State Civil Service employee under Rendell an have no respect for him at all.)

At least we must beat the GOP...
m

[Yellow Horse]

7. Onorato is a disgustingly arrogant DINO who surrounds himself with yes-men to do his bidding.

I think despite the million$ Dan is spending on ads, a lot of people can see through the BS to what he really is. If you are someone who can't see that Emperor Dan has no clothes, consider this (and know that it is coming from a taxpayer who has dealt first-hand with Onorato and his so-called experience as a leader!)

Dan Onorato is arrogant, arrogant, ARROGANT. Dan doesn't listen to the people, he's special and high above all that so he does what HE likes.

Dan rammed a drink tax down the throats of local restaurants. Along with his young buddy Kookie Lukey (Pittsburgh mayor) he rammed the G-20 down everyone's throat in Pittsburgh and the rest of Western PA (normal life was disrupted for several days and parts of the region were like an armed camp.) Then tried to claim how he brought this wonderful "opportunity" to the region. BAH.

Dan Onorato's first choice was paperless Diebold touchscreens for a voting machine and the County ended up with ES&S which is just as bad. He wouldn't listen to dozens of computer scientists and regular citizens who testified and told him not to buy these machines; HE liked paperless touchscreens and Dan is special so he gets what HE wants.

His "experience" in running a government in Allegheny County consists of surrounding himself with smarmy yes-men (and a few yes-women) who do whatever they think makes Dan look the best so he will keep them on and take them up the ladder with him. Despite this yes-team, whenever he has the opportunity Dan claims how "he" did everything. Like in speeches he says "I" cleaned up brownfields. Oh yeah, Dan was down there in a Hazmat suit cleaning up the poison singlehandedly. Right.

Finally Onorato's a party machine insider who has been crowned as Ed Rendell's chosen boy-king successor. And if you think Rendell was bad, wait until you get DanO.

There are a lot of good people running, especially Jack Wagner and Joe Hoffel. I personally am going with Wagner as HE is the one who carried the entire state big-time in his last election. Wagner has statewide name recognition and he CAN win big in The T part of Central PA because he's already done it before.

[wisteria]

24. Oh here we go. I am voting for Onorato-I like my politicians with experience in actually doing

things. I wouldn't mind though supporting Wagner in the general. The one thing that bothers me though is that the RW rabid Scaife paper in our area has endorsed him-Wagner, and that aways is an indicator for me to run the other way. Scaife always has unterior motives for endorcing certain Democrats. I'm not saying in this case that Wagner made some kind of a deal with Scaife like Sestak has, but there is a reason for Scaife pushing Wagner.

[femmocrat]

8. Here is a scathing article about him in the right-wing rag, Tribune-Review:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_678988.html

Warning: the article was written by Colin McNickle, but does contain a few kernels of truth.

Exerpt:
"Some "new economy." The county lost 6,100 jobs between January 2004 -- when Fast Danny, scion of Fast Eddie, took office -- and March of this year. That's according to statistics from the state Department of Labor & Industry."

>snip<

"Onorato has raised taxes, claimed the pension fund for county workers is healthier than it really is (the kicker here is that Onorato supposedly is an accountant), and, in the name of "fairness," used taxpayer dollars in an attempt to leverage the legal system to perpetuate gross inequities in the property-assessment system; those with rising values were rewarded, those with falling values were screwed."

"But one of Dan, Dan the Tax Man's most egregious machinations involved his claim that he could spend "excess revenue" generated by his oh-so-popular tax on poured alcoholic beverages and his car-rental tax on non-mass-transit projects."

I'm not voting for him, but I'm still undecided between Hoeffel (who I like, but don't think he can win) and Wagner.

[JPZenger]

9. That article tells us the type of GOP attack ads we will see in Oct.

That article is mainly valuable for showing us the type of GOP attack ads we can expect to see broadcast in Oct.

That piece is also horribly written, by someone who failed freshman creative writing class.

[femmocrat]

11. Good point!

Well, if he was a good writer, he wouldn't be working for the Trib. LOL

[RamboLiberal]

13. Already saw one of these attack ads on TV last night

I didn't look up in time to catch the sponsor.

[wisteria]

25. I don't trust this paper for any of my news. I stopped having it delievered

even though it is the only paper in the area. They are rabid RW.

[RamboLiberal]

12. I live in Allegheny County and I'm voting for Onorato

I know he has a rep for being arrogant but I also know he will fight and not be wishy-washy. He has a strong election warchest.

I thought he ran county goverment as well as any. The drink tax - legislators tied his hands and he didn't have much recourse if we were to keep the buses running. I wish transit had been better supported here but that is a downfall of lack of funds from state on down during recession and cutbacks.

He's fought to keep property taxes low and against the almost constant reassements we seem to get in this county opposed to outlying counties who havne't had to do property reassessments in decades.

I think he has as good a chance as any to beat Corbett. We do seem in this state to swing from Dem to Repub to Dem to Repub with our governor choices.

Be nice too to have a governor finally from the SW part of the state. Seems to be always Philly or some other part of the state for the governor while Pittsburgh and SW PA gets ignored.

[Yellow Horse]

14. Well, you are about the only Dem in Allegheny Co. that I know of who is.

Don't fall for the big-money Onorato ads and the "endorsement" of a few who claim to be Onorato supporters from Allegheny County. Dan is really HATED by a lot of his constituents. He's a divider. Do we really want four or eight years of that in Harrisburg, assuming he wins?

Every single friend and relative I have in Allegheny County thinks Dan Onorato is a complete jackass. NOT ONE is voting for him. And my family comes from Allegheny County so I have a LOT of friends and relatives there. If Onorato ends up being the nominee, a lot of my Dem friends adamantly say they will stay home (which will hurt our other nominees), write someone in or even vote for Corbett. That's scary. Do we want that?

Most Allegheny Countians that I know are voting Jack Wagner, who as I said has already won big statewide including the conservative parts of Central PA. And Jack Wagner is from SW Pennsylvania too.

[RamboLiberal]

16. Funny - I drive all over the county and I see tons of Onorato

signs on the lawns. He has good support here.

[PM Martin]

17. Troll anyone?

That is all.
RamboLiberal, don't let them get you down.

[Yellow Horse]

18. I'm no troll... just a regular person whose family & friends were treated like dirt by Dan Onorato.

I sincerely meant everything I wrote.

And if we get Dan as Governor you will see why.

[Yellow Horse]

19. He has lots of MONEY to buy tons of signs along with the tons of TV ads.

Well, duh....... Rendell and his big money party guys are backing Onorato.

[femmocrat]

20. I am related to a county employee who hates Onorato.

I don't know the specifics, but he is unloved by county workers. They know him. I trust her opinion.

[wisteria]

26. I live in Westmoreland County and I am voting for Onoroto. n/t

[old mark]

15. I see attacks on Onorato in gun-oriented forums elsewhere - they say he is

anti gun, do not trust him , etc, and they seem to love Corbett, and plan to vote for him soely because they think he is pro-gun.

So we have a democrat who seems to be disliked and mistrusted in his own county and is leading the pack vs a republican who is a crook...
Sounds like Pennsylvania!!!


mark

[femmocrat]

21. Republicans always say that about democrats.

If he really was anti-gun, that would be a good reason for me to support him! I doubt if it's true. It would be political suicide in gun-totin' PA.

[wisteria]

27. You have to love those voters who only vote one issue. Yes, guns are a big thing

up where I live, it is to the point of being ridiculous. They all have to protect their mobile homes.

[MH1]

30. hahaha good one :)

"they all have to protect their mobile homes" :toast:

seriously though, I think it is an important issue in PA, and I am afraid it could sink us. What do I want to hear? (and maybe Onorato is good on this, I haven't paid enough attention): someone placating the rural gun owners but saying at the same time, "look , cities need to be able to set some rules of their own ... let Philadelphia see if they can cut the murder rate by implementing some common-sense gun laws, but let the rural areas be more open".

I'm not a big fan of gun ownership but as I see it the real problem is in the cities, and the fact that in PA, the cities can't make their own rules, they have to live by the rules of rural PA, which doesn't have the same problems! What is wrong with Philly implementing more strict rules? You don't like it, don't live here! That's the beauty of local control.

[wisteria]

22. The Pittsburgh Gazette has endosed him. They say he is the one with the most experience

and has kept his work on issues like, controlling taxes, paring bloated government, and advancing reform. Onoroto was chief executive of the state 2nd largest county and the paper says he has delivered for them.
Oh, and our other paper here, a far RW paper has endorsed Wagner for Governor- along with Sestak, and that makes me want to run far away from both of these candidates. The Tribune Review-owned by Richard Mellon Scaife-of Ken Starr fame- never tips his hat to Democrats without an ulterior movtive behind the endorsement.

Here is the link to the endorsement for Onorato.



http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10129/1056456-192.stm

And, actually I think that God forbid, Specter doesn't win, I will by-pass Sestak and work hard on behalf of Onorato. He has experiece and a good record I can work with.

[MH1]

29. thanks for this

if they endorsed Sestak and Wagner, that helps me lean toward Wagner. Also considering the anti-gay and anti-choice stuff I found (links posted upthread) on Onorato.

got some googling to do on Wagner now ...

[Yellow Horse]

31. It's the Post-Gazette, and Onorato practically runs it. Of course they would endorse him.

The Post-Gazette wouldn't even run a fair story on the voting machines because they were afraid to cross Dan. Even when there were dire problems the Post-gazette ended every voting machine story quoting one of Dan's lackeys saying how paperless machines are wonderful.

The Post-Gazette would NEVER go against his highness the Emperor Onorato, but Dan will never win the T. So if you want Governor Corbett, listen to the Post-Gazette.

The only Democrat who can win Central PA is Jack Wagner.