Fitzgerald giving up county council post to run for executive
Allegheny County Council's president will step down next month in advance of his primary bid to replace county Executive Dan Onorato.
Councilman Rich Fitzgerald, D-Squirrel Hill, announced last week that he would seek the post. On Monday, his campaign spokesman Ethan Smith said the District 11 councilor's campaign has $730,944.75 on hand.
“As per precedent and the (Allegheny County) Home Rule Charter, Rich will resign the second week of March when he files his nominating petitions with the Allegheny County Elections (Division),” Smith said on Tuesday.
That precedent has come into play often in the Mon-Yough area where Fitzgerald has some of his constituents. District 11 includes Munhall, Homestead and West Homestead as well as Mt. Oliver and
Pittsburgh Wards 7, 14, 15, 16 and 31.
Next door in District 9, the late Richard D. Olasz Sr. served from 1999 until his resignation in 2001 to run for West Mifflin borough council.
Olasz's successor C.L. “Jay” Jabbour resigned in 2006 to try to unseat then-state Rep. Ken Ruffing, D-West Mifflin. That bid ended in defeat for both Jabbour and Ruffing to newcomer Bill Kortz.
In February 2006, county council solicitor Jack Cambest said Jabbour and others considering a legislative run did not have to resign before March 22, the last day to withdraw from that year's spring primary ballot.
This year, the last day to file petitions for the primary is March 9.
The last day for withdrawal from the ballot is March 23.
As was the case in 2006, more than one county councilor is mulling over a run for another office. Munhall native Matt Drozd, R-Ross Township, said Jan. 22 he is forming an exploratory committee to determine whether he should seek the Republican nod for county executive.
“He welcomes the support of those who truly want a chief executive that brings the highest integrity to the office,” Drozd's office said.
Other reports indicate that Councilman Charles McCullough, R-At Large, and Patricia Weaver, coordinator of Pittsburgh's Tea Party movement, are considering a run.
Fitzgerald and Allegheny County controller Mark Flaherty are the only announced Democrats so far.
The Home Rule Charter has no requirement for other county officials to resign, but Flaherty's current term as controller also expires at the end of this year.
Whoever replaces Fitzgerald also will serve only until year's end, because Fitzgerald's District 11 term also would have ended then.
Allegheny County officials announced Tuesday that Feb. 8 will be the first day for picking up nominating petitions at the County Office Building. The county said petitions from past years cannot be used because of changes in the state election code.
