Dan Onorato

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Daniel "Dan" Onorato (born 1961)^[1] is the current Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It is widely speculated that he will be a candidate for Governor in 2010. ^[2]

1 Personal history
2 Political career
- 2.1 Allegheny County drink tax controversy
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Personal history

A life-long resident of Allegheny County, he attended Penn State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1983. He worked several years as a Certified Public Accountant before continuing his education at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, earning a Juris Doctor in 1989.

[edit] Political career

Onorato marches with Senator Hillary Clinton in Pittsburgh's 2008 St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Onorato practiced as a private attorney until he was elected to the Pittsburgh City Council in 1992, serving two terms. In 2000, he was elected Allegheny County Controller. In 2003, he defeated Jim Roddey for the position of Allegheny County executive. He announced his endorsement of Senator Hillary Clinton in her presidential bid on March 14, 2008, saying, "Hillary Clinton has the experience and the determination to clean up the mess in Washington and deliver results."^[3]

Onorato and his wife Shelly reside in the Brighton Heights neighborhood of Pittsburgh, with their children Kate, Emily, and Danny.^[4]

[edit] Allegheny County drink tax controversy

Protest of the 2007 Allegheny County drink tax targeting Dan Onorato and Allegheny County Council members who approved the tax

In late 2007 Allegheny County received permission from the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pursue increased taxation of poured alcohol and rental cars to subsidize the Port Authority of Allegheny County.^[5] Members of the Allegheny County Council and Onorato believed that such a tax was preferable to increasing county property taxes. After the 10% tax on poured alcohol passed, Allegheny County bar and restaurant owners protested the new tax, claiming that it would hurt this business.^[6][1] A lawsuit by the bar and restaurant owners challenging the legality of the drink tax was thrown out by the courts, but they will seek a referendum overturning the tax in the November 2008 general election.^[7] Onorato has subsequently withheld the funds raised by the drink tax from Port Authority, demanding that the agency first restructure its labor costs.^[8] The Port Authority union has refused, and a June strike is imminent.^[9]