Fontana to resign after property-cap vote

County Councilman Wayne Fontana announced Tuesday that he will resign two days after a key March 15 council vote on Chief Executive Dan Onorato's property-tax reassessment plan.

Fontana, D-Brookline, filed election papers yesterday to seek the state Senate seat vacated when former Sen. Jack Wagner became state auditor general.

Under Allegheny County's home-rule charter, council members seeking election to higher office must resign.

Fontana long has indicated his interest in Wagner's seat. He had held off on resigning while Onorato's plan to cap increases in property values at 4 percent is pending in council.

"I think I owe it to my constituents, to my colleagues and to myself to stay on at least one more meeting to have that legislation passed," said Fontana, chairman of council's assessment committee.

Council President Rich Fitzgerald, D-Squirrel Hill, said no timetable has been set for council's Democratic caucus to select a successor to Fontana. A replacement must be named within 30 days of a vacancy.

County Democrats have endorsed Richard Nerone of Brookline to succeed Fontana. He could not be reached for comment.

Fitzgerald said many council members believe the resignation requirement is unconstitutional and that he had asked Fontana to keep his council seat.

Fontana is an original member of County Council after it was formed in 2000 under the home-rule charter.