Controller's race, should he win, would not occur until 2007

The City of Pittsburgh is going to elect a new controller in 2007, so it seems.

Tom Flaherty, Dem, Pgh's Controller, is running for judge on Nov 8 -- election day. If Tom wins the judge seat, (OMG) he'll resign from his elected, multi-term office as controller.

I assumed and expected that there would be a special election for that post -- along with the special election I'm to enter for the city council (District 3). However, I've talked with Bill Robinson, Dem, County Councilman. Robinson and I have talked at the gala/auction hosted by WPSD (Western PA School for the Deaf).

Bill Robinson is interested in the race of city controller for himself, by the way. So, he looked into this. Robinson thinks that there will NOT be a special election. Should Flaherty move to another office (judge), then the next in line to be the controller is the assistant contoller, Tony P. The assistant will serve as controller until the term expires. So, the next election for controller in the city will be as scheduled -- in this case in 2007.

I had given some bad advice and was starting to talk to a few possible candidates for the city controller race in 2006. Well, the timing is wrong. A run for city controller's job could make a good exercise for a political rookie so as to gear up for a race for PA House the next year. Perhaps it is good to start thinking about a run for controller in 2007 anyway. Flaherty has said he doesn't want the job he's in now, as he is running for another office.

Unless I hear otherwise with other news -- say from the election office directly -- there won't be a race in 2006 for a special election for controller.