Montour Record
Mark Rauterkus
The third candidate in one of the most expensive races in Pennsylvania history is Mark Rauterkus, but he's not putting out the $1 million plus like his two opponents.
The representative of the Libertarian party is as a community activist who feels there are a number of issues not being presented to the state Senate.
'I think I would help Pennsylvanians in the area of quality of life,' Rauterkus said. One of his ideas is assessment buffering, which would avoid municipal-wide windfalls. Assessment would change over three years, similar to Maryland.
He proposes a tax on the land (land-value tax) as opposed to homes, based on a square footage factor.
'People are rewarded for letting their building go to pieces. There's no reason to be penalized for taking care of your home.'
Parks, volunteering, education and treatment of children are also major issues for the South Side resident. He wants to create a park district in the city as a governmental overlay after consolidating several county and city entities and form a new group that would oversee that kids don't get the short end of the stick.
'Our parks have been, for a long time, held together by a band-aid. The swimming pools have been grossly neglected.'
In the suburbs according to Rauterkus, voters need to know that the issues that effect the city also hit the taxpayers on the outside. The huge parking tax, having too many authorities and limiting corporate welfare deals are some things he would want to look at changing to benefit all residents.
Rauterkus works as a swim club coach in Carlynton and considers himself a community activist.
He also publishes a blog on his website. His political career includes a run for mayor four years ago, when he was defeated by Tom Murphy.
After graduating from Penn Hills in 1977, he earned a journalism degree from Ohio University. He is married and has two sons.
'I'd be a lightning rod for every other independent person,' said Rauterkus.
'I'm an advocate for citizens. I would offer a strong voice of alternative thinking in Harrisburg.'
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Three seek Wagner's seat
By Bill Hartlep, Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Three candidates will be on the ballot at the May 17 special election for the 42nd district State Senate seat being held to fill the vacancy left by Jack Wagner who took over as state auditor general last year.
Candidates include a current state Representative, a former county councilman and a community activist vying for a position as one of Pennsylvania's top legislators.
The 42nd district includes parts of the city of Pittsburgh, the townships of Baldwin, Kennedy, Neville, Robinson, Scott and Stowe and the boroughs of Bellevue, Brentwood, Carnegie, Castle Shannon, Coraopolis, Crafton, Dormont, Green Tree, Heidelberg, Ingram, McKees Rocks, Pennsbury Village, Rosslyn Farms and Thornburg.
Democrats hold a nearly 3-1 advantage in the district according to voter registrations data.
In the previous election, Wagner won with 72 percent of the vote as the incumbent.
He held the office from 1994-04. Eugene Scanlon (D) previously represented the 42nd district from 1974-94.
Michael Diven
The Republican candidate for the 42nd district has been part of state legislature since 2001 as a state representative for the 22nd District.
He's says he is running for state Senate so that he can make more of an impact for Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania.
"I think that we have a pretty good track record in the house," Diven said.
"I've been able to get legislation that I've offered signed into law...I've been able to secure a significant amount of state resources for programs and projects in my district.
"I think the opportunity to serve the majority caucus in the Senate provides us with the unique opportunity to really put our city's problems on the front burner in Harrisburg."
The main issue he hopes to tackle as a state senator is property tax relief and reform. For the past four years in the state house, he has worked on removing homesteads from local property taxes; something that he feels could go a long way with enough support.
Other concerns for Diven include economic development, senior service and improving education in schools. In the suburbs, he wants to improve the regional growth.
He is concerned over consolidating municipal services and also with keeping the smaller municipalities vibrant - places where people want to live, work and shop.
If elected, his goals include property tax reform, working with local elected officials outside the city to help empower them to get more things accomplished, supporting volunteer fire companies and to work with municipalities to get more help for their communities.
"I've brought a lot of good ideas to help solve problems and I believe as a state Senator, I'd be well-positioned to make a much bigger impact in western Pennsylvania."
Diven is a graduate of Brashear High School and Duquesne University where he earned a degree in history. His work in politics began as an assistant to Commissioner Tom Foerster.
He then won a seat on City Council, after losing an election for the 22nd district.
After running into problems with his democratic partners and supporters in the state house during his re-election campaign last year, he decided to switch parties and became a member of the majority GOP.
Wayne Fontana
After serving the past five years as an Allegheny County Councilman, Democratic candidate Wayne Fontana decided to run for state Senate to see some of his ideas come to life.
"I felt that I was an effective legislator there," he said.
"I felt that moving to the state level, I could follow through on some things that I started on the county council, like property taxes, mass transit issues, economic development issues that obviously have a trickle down effect from the state to the county."
At the top of his list is property tax relief and reform. He said that at the county level, he legislated the homestead exemption and senior citizen discount, plus a millage reduction for property taxes. Because the biggest portion of taxing is for school funding, Fontana wants to find another way to fund schools that's fair to taxpayers.
He suggests using the two plans before legislators now and coming up with a third option incorporating the two. The Brookline resident wants to eliminate property taxes all together, but is willing to work with the Senate to find a solution.
This is important to him because, in his opinion, property tax relief would stimulate businesses to come into area, as long as business taxes were also reduced. He urges voters to think regionally, as most items that effect the city of Pittsburgh also work into the quality of life for suburbanites. Fontana's other concerns include creating more jobs, economic development, port authority issues, sewer problems and medical costs.
"My main goal is to eliminate property taxes, promote and stimulate businesses to come to the area, to find dedicated funds for mass transit and to lower the costs of prescriptions and medical costs for fixed income people."
His campaign message is "I've been an effective, dedicated county councilperson. If you want an effective legislator, someone who gets along with people, who can get the job done and someone who works hard, then I'm the right person for the job."
In addition to his time spent on county council and as a Democratic committeeman, Fontana also worked as a realtor and sales manager with Howard Hanna. He was educated at CCAC and has a wife and three children.
Mark Rauterkus
The third candidate in one of the most expensive races in Pennsylvania history is Mark Rauterkus, but he's not putting out the $1 million plus like his two opponents.
The representative of the Libertarian party is as a community activist who feels there are a number of issues not being presented to the state Senate.
"I think I would help Pennsylvanians in the area of quality of life," Rauterkus said. One of his ideas is assessment buffering, which would avoid municipal-wide windfalls. Assessment would change over three years, similar to Maryland.
He proposes a tax on the land (land-value tax) as opposed to homes, based on a square footage factor.
"People are rewarded for letting their building go to pieces. There's no reason to be penalized for taking care of your home."
Parks, volunteering, education and treatment of children are also major issues for the South Side resident. He wants to create a park district in the city as a governmental overlay after consolidating several county and city entities and form a new group that would oversee that kids don't get the short end of the stick.
"Our parks have been, for a long time, held together by a band-aid. The swimming pools have been grossly neglected."
In the suburbs according to Rauterkus, voters need to know that the issues that effect the city also hit the taxpayers on the outside. The huge parking tax, having too many authorities and limiting corporate welfare deals are some things he would want to look at changing to benefit all residents.
Rauterkus works as a swim club coach in Carlynton and considers himself a community activist.
He also publishes a blog on his website. His political career includes a run for mayor four years ago, when he was defeated by Tom Murphy.
After graduating from Penn Hills in 1977, he earned a journalism degree from Ohio University. He is married and has two sons.
"I'd be a lightning rod for every other independent person," said Rauterkus.
"I'm an advocate for citizens. I would offer a strong voice of alternative thinking in Harrisburg."
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