Dan Onorato, currently Allegheny County Chief Executive Officer, is the Democrat contender for Pennsylvania governor, defeating three challengers by decisive margins in May’s primary. At age 49, Onorato has just shy of 20 years political experience In his primary win acceptance speech, Onorato promised to balance the state budget, currently at a deficit, and change “the toxic Harrisburg culture.” He also stated “I am the Harrisburg outsider in this race,” which is a true statement. Of the six official candidates, Democrat and Republican, running in the primary, he’s the only one who hasn’t held an office based in the state capital.

Born February 5, 1961 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Onorato is married and has three children. He graduated from North Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Penn State University in 1983, and began his professional career as a certified public accountant at Grant Thornton from 1984 to 1986, at which point he began pursuing his law degree. He began clerking at the law firm Rich, Fluke, Tishman & Rich in 1987 and received his jurisprudence JD degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1989.

Onorato entered politics in 1991, running against a Pittsburgh council incumbent and defeating him. He was reelected to the city council in 1995, and in 2000 ran for and won the Allegheny County controller position. In 2004 he ran for and won the position of Allegheny County Executive (head official) on a platform of fiscal responsibility for the state’s second largest county. In the 2007 reelection campaign, he didn’t even have a Republican opponent.

Onorato’s onus has always been financial accountability. According to his website, and in many speeches, he’s against property tax hikes, doesn’t like political cronyism and unqualified appointees, and wants to bring jobs to the state by making business taxes more competitive. He also wants to reform Pennsylvania’s government, noting “citizens need to know that their government is operating with one goal in mind: to advance the public interest, not the power of special interests.

According to his biography, Onorato immediately began reducing expenditures and streamlining County government after taking office. He reduced Allegheny County’s payroll by 626 positions, saving taxpayers more than $31 million annually. Onorato was also the primary advocate of Row Office reform, which reduced the size and cost of County government by abolishing six elected offices. In keeping with his commitment to fiscal responsibility and smaller government, Onorato has embraced opportunities to consolidate services and eliminate duplicate functions between Allegheny County, the city of Pittsburgh and other municipalities.

Some notes on these triumphs are in order. While Onorato did consolidate 5 county and city 911 systems into one countywide system, other efforts at consolidating duplicate services haven’t fared as well. His hard line on not raising property taxes has resulted in no property reassessments since 2002, and the county now faces court-ordered countywide reassessment, which it plans to do by 2012, even though Onorato wants a statewide reassessment moratorium to prevent that. Ironically, this anti-property tax hardline caused the county to raise taxes on car rentals to solve a severe transit fiscal problem. The remedy also included a new tax of 10 percent on alcoholic beverages, which you’ve probably seen prominently stated in his primary opponents’ attack ads against him, and no doubt will see again from his Republican governor challenger. The tax was later reduced to 7 percent, which the ads don’t bother to mention.

On his Facebook page, Onorato lists his activities such: “I spend most of my free time with my family. I love going to my kids' hockey games, lacrosse games, or soccer games. When I do have a couple of free hours, I enjoy a round of golf, watching a good ballgame on TV, or relaxing with a good book (usually a biography or history book).” He prefers biographies and history books. He’s also a big fan of college football and basketball, and he and his wife enjoy taking their kids waterskiing and tubing. Favorite Movies: Happy Gilmore and Rocky (“Both are classics in my mind,” he says.) Favorite Music: Bruce Springsteen and Motown. Various photos, videos, discussions and other info are provided.

Onorato is Roman Catholic, and while he opposed to abortion, he stated “As a governor, I would be in favor of continuing full funding for family planning. I don’t see that the current state law would ever change, and that issue is a non-issue.” A campaign spokesman reiterated, “His position on choice is clear. He would veto any attempt to change (the state’s abortion laws).” Onorato is also pro-gun rights, but has stated he backs commonsense proposals to keep communities safe, including child safety laws and reporting stolen guns, currently no required in Pennsylvania.

For more information on Dan Onorato, visit alleghenycounty.us/welcome/onorato.aspx, voteonorato.com, and facebook.com/pages/Dan-Onorato/95368733976. You can email him at dan@voteonorato.com.