Jonathan B. Robison

This Nov. 8, we have the opportunity to elect a truly outstanding judge to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas: Kathryn Hens-Greco.
In the spring, Kathryn ran a great campaign and, even without the endorsement of the Democratic Party committeepeople, won one of the seven Democratic nominations. She had cross-filed, but she didn’t get one of the seven Republican nominations. Consequently, our work is not finished. Kathryn needs our vote and support in the general election. To volunteer to help, call her at 412-422-7400 (her law office) or at 412-362-1786.
We would like to share Kathryn’s remarks at her rally Aug. 28. She began “Almost all of my professional life has been spent working with children and families in conflict. As a caseworker and as an attorney for the past 20 years, I search for ways to better understand the conflict and to encourage change and inspire hope.” To read this unusually thoughtful speech, please click here. (Word file will download)
Kathryn received the highest possible rating, “Highly Recommended” from the Allegheny County Bar Association (the ACBA). She has dedicated her professional career to the thorny problems of Family Division: custody, child support, shared custody, and dependant and neglected children. All new judges are assigned to the Family Division until they have seniority and can move on to another division – but Kathryn plans to stay in the Family Division to continue her work trying to mediate these unglamorous, painful disputes. With her, a child’s case will stay with one judge, not start afresh every time a judge is able to get assigned to the Civil Division, Criminal Division, or Orphans’ Court
Former City Council member Alan Hertzberg was rated “Recommended” by the ACBA. He is an incumbent judge, appointed Governor Rendell to a vacancy.
Four candidates won both a Democratic and a Republican nomination, and are therefore certain to win. The top vote-getter was Dwayne D. Woodruff; yes, that’s the former Steeler, and he was rated “Highly Recommended” by the ACBA. The other candidates with both nominations are Beth Lazzara, Anthony Mariani, and Ed Borkowski, who was also appointed by the Governor to a vacancy. All four were rated “Highly Recommended” by the ACBA. The final Democratic candidate is City Controller and former Democratic Party chair Tom Flaherty. Some people are supporting him because he is on the Democratic Party slate and voices liberal positions on issues. Others are not supporting him for various reasons. He was rated “Not Recommended at this time” by the Allegheny County Bar Association and he is a new lawyer with limited trial experience.
You can vote for up to seven candidates for Judge of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. You can vote for fewer than seven if you choose.

We support Bob O’Connor, who won the Democratic mayoral nomination and will win in November. He is decent, honest, and experienced, as were his two main opponents in the primary, Bill Peduto and Michael Lamb. Bob is good on civil rights and on lesbian and gay rights, and is now taking an acceptable position on reproductive rights.
O’Connor has also made the important point that our existing communities and neighborhoods are perhaps the most important competitive asset of Pittsburgh. But why, then, does O’Connor support the Turnpike Commission’s Mon-Fayette Toll Highway, a $4 billion subsidy for land speculators? The Mon-Fayette would trash neighborhoods, especially Oakland. It would force homes and jobs to relocate to undeveloped areas. Bob rightly says that the city needs better code enforcement, although we are not sure that sending Bureau of Building Inspection cases to the district magistrates is the best policy. We strongly agree that some improvement in public transportation to and through Oakland should be an immediate priority for the region.
Good luck to Bob O’Connor. With the financial situation, along with the Oversight Board and Act 47 Board, he’ll need it.

There is no serious contest for Pittsburgh City Council this fall. We are glad to support the primary winners in the two districts which share most of Oakland.
In our own 8th City Council district, Bill Peduto defeated Harlan Stone, who had received the Democratic endorsement, in part because of resentment against Peduto’s simultaneous mayoral candidacy. I, Jon, ran several times for that seat, and like the work Peduto has done. Peduto is flatly against the Mon-Fayette Turnpike as a misuse of taxpayer dollars and a menace to the environment. With his young ideas and young supporters, he will be a force in the future.
The 6th Council District is centered in the Hill and includes parts of Oakland and much of the lower North Side. We supported Tonya Payne, who surprised many by winning the party endorsement over the two-term incumbent, Sala Udin. Sala has done important work, and his rhetoric is good. But we preferred Tonya Payne. Tonya was a Howard Dean delegate candidate and then was office manager of the Kerry office in the Hill. She has a good background in the community, running Uptown Action. Certainly we need more leaders who are independent, progressive, African-American, and women.

Democrats hope to gain three seats on Allegheny County Council this fall, with Jim Burn in the 3rd District, Michael Finnerty in the 4th, and Mark Purcell in the 1st.
Atty. Jim Burn is an active progressive, mayor of Millvale and emergency management coordinator there, and is on the board of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. His opponent, Edward Kress, was appointed to the County Council. Mike Finnerty is a retired teacher and active with the Scott Township Conservancy and the Montour Run Watershed Association. The Republican incumbent is Doug Price. Finnerty is aided by the latest redistricting, which added McKees Rocks and Stowe Township. Former Ross Township Commissioner Mark Purcell is running in an open seat. All three are backed by Democracy for Pittsburgh and are considered likely to work with County Executive Dan Onorato. The majority of the voters are registered Democratic in all three districts.
Democratic incumbent Charles Martoni in the 8th District is a strong favorite, after being put off the ballot on a technicality and having to win a write-in campaign for the nomination. He is also on the board of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. Democrats C.L. Jabbour in the 9th and Rich Nerone in the 12th are unopposed. There are special elections in the 3rd and 12th, but they are only for six weeks, until the end of the year.

Allegheny County Sheriff Pete DeFazio is up for re-election. He has done a good job, although some of his subordinates are in trouble for soliciting campaign contributions from employees. His opponent has not been campaigning actively, as of yet.
The principal contest for the Pittsburgh City School Board was in the primary, when Tom Sumpter won both nominations in the 3rd District. Also unopposed this fall are Randall Taylor in the 1st, Jean Fink in the 7th, and Floyd McCrea in the 9th. In the 5th District, Tom Baker is challenging incumbent Theresa Colaizzi. Local municipal officials are on the ballot this fall, as are magistrates in some districts.

The district Judge of Elections and the two Inspectors of Election will be elected this fall in each election district to four-year terms starting in 2006. Some Board members choose not to run officially; they are just asked to serve each election. But if no one is on the ballot for any of these three positions, someone who wants to serve can write in his or her own name. (Ten votes are required for a nomination in the primary, but in the general election you need only one vote.)

The Last Day to Register to Vote is Oct. 11 — Warn People about Registering “Independent”.
Does anyone you know need to register to vote this November? The deadline is 5 pm Oct. 11.
Many young people register “independent” or simply didn’t put down a political party. They do not realize that under the law in this state, they are DISENFRANCHISED in the primaries. Some people think that registering independent “sends a message” to the political parties. Party bosses don’t care about this “message.” They are happy to pick candidates in the primaries without input from people who are independent-minded.

Special Election next year for Ricciardi’s seat on City Council
There will be a special election for Pittsburgh City Council in the 3rd District, which includes South Side, Beltzhoover, Knoxville, some of Carrick and some of Oakland. The incumbent is Gene Ricciardi, who will have to resign when he takes office as district magistrate for South Side and Oakland.
In a special election, there is no primary. The party nominees are chosen under their party rules, which means the Democratic nominee will be picked by secret ballot of the Democratic Committeemen and Committeewoman and ward officers who live in the Council district. Others can get on the ballot by petition, as “independents” or as candidates of minor parties,
The special election may be in March. It will apparently NOT be the day of next May’s primary. The Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter requires that vacancies be filled within 90 days. This will cost extra money and will greatly lower the voter turnout. It might mean that someone who got on the ballot by petition could be a serious contender.
The Democratic Committeepeople from that district will probably meet, perhaps in February, to nominate (not just endorse) the Democratic candidate.

Judicial Appointment Expected in 2006
In the last primary election we recommended a vote for Wrenna Watson for judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Unfortunately, she did not finish in the top seven. There is expected to be a vacancy when Judge Walter Little, who is also African-American, retires at the beginning of next year. We agree with Democratic Party leaders who are saying that it’s “her turn,” and will urge her appointment by Gov. Rendell. She is rated “Recommended” by the ACBA, and has extensive experience actually adjudicating cases as a hearing officer in mental health commitments and for the state Liquor Control Board.

U.S. Senate – the Primary will pick the Candidate Against Santorum
The contest for U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania is one of the most important in the country. The incumbent, Rick Santorum, claims to be a compassionate, a conservative, and a Christian. He is none of those three –his positions are fascist. If the Democrats are to gain a majority in the Senate, they must win this one. Although Bob Casey Jr. is considered the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, there will be a primary contest. One of the contenders is Chuck Pennacchio, a college professor of history and community activist.
Bob Casey is currently state Auditor General and is a mainstream moderate Democrat. He is supported by Gov. Ed Rendell and the party establishment. He is not good on a woman’s right to choose abortion, although he is not a fanatic on the issue like his late father.
Chuck Pennacchio is a progressive activist on issues such as Iraq. the rights of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities, separation of church and state, a living wage, and workers’ rights. Anyone who wishes details can go to his website, http://www.chuck2006.com/
Some friends think that Casey would be the strongest candidate against Santorum. Other friends think that Pennacchio is saying things that need said, things that we have been saying.

Georgia Berner for Congress
The Democrats are also seriously challenging two Republican incumbents from Southwestern Pennsylvania, and it seems that there will be a significant primary contest for the nomination against Bush loyalist Melissa Hart.
Georgia Berner is owner and C.E.O. of a small manufacturing company in New Castle. She is a long-time volunteer and a co-founder of the Volunteers Against Abuse Center (VAAC) in Butler County. She is a solid supporter of reproductive rights. For more information, click on Georgia Berner or go http://www.georgiaberner.com/. Her primary opponent is an establishment male positioning himself as a moderate. For example, he tries to straddle the fence on abortion.

Talking with your neighbors – that’s the biggest part of bring a committeeperson. You encourage new people to register to vote, you give people information about the election, and encourage them to VOTE twice a year. If you do half of that, you do more than many committeepeople.
Maybe your committeepeople are active, and you may want to work with them, not run against them. Just talk to them. Tell them you want to get involved. Good committeepeople always want more people to help with the job. We have a list of who is on the Democratic Committee in Pittsburgh, usually with phone numbers. And, if you have no idea who your committeepeople are, maybe someone should run for the position. People have been saying that state of the Democratic Party is pitiful. Next spring you can DO something about it.
In each election district – one polling place – the Democratic voters elect one committeeman and one committeewoman in the primary in even-numbered, non-presidential years – that’s 2006.. The committeepeople after the primary will vote by secret ballot to elect the chair, vice-chair, and secretary in each city ward and each municipality. We will also meet to elect the chair and vice-chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, currently Jean Milko and Ben Woods.
Before each primary, the committeepeople choose who shall be the “party endorsed” candidates. (Maybe you’ve been wondering who gets to pick the names on the “party slate card.”) This is one of the major responsibilities, and official powers, of committeepeople.
To run for Democratic committeeman or committeewoman, you need the signatures of at least ten voters registered Democrat in your election district. Petitions may be circulated starting Tuesday Feb 14 and turned in by 5 pm Mar.7. Petition forms are picked up and filed at the Allegheny County Elections Division. There is no filing fee for this unpaid position.
You or anyone interested in involvement with the Democratic Party structure is invited to call me, Jon, at 412-683-0237 or jon at jonrobison dot org.. I am vice-chairperson of the 4th Ward Democratic Committee in Oakland. (I also plan to run for 4th Ward Chairperson in 2006.)
Many new people were activated during 2004. Thankfully, most remain active despite the recent election. Groups such as Democracy for Pittsburgh and Progress Pittsburgh are working to build teams of people who want to do serious work in their neighborhood. This is important for our party, our communities, and our country.
You’re worked in elections. You want to make a difference for your candidates and your causes. You have worked for progressive changes such as peace, the environment, economic justice, lesbian and gay rights, reproductive rights, civil rights, and civil liberties.
To be effective over the long haul, you want to increase your own personal political power so that you can better help your candidates and your causes. Building your own personal political power can help accomplish personal goals for you and your community, and also can be fun.
Why not work for yourself, too? Why not build your own personal political power?

Come See! Come Hear! Come Honor!
Surgeon Dr. Gino Strada of EMERGENCY
OCTOBER 30, 6 PM NAPOLI RESTAURANT
Route 51 – 3 1/2 miles south of the Liberty Tubes 412-884-4899
Dinner Tickets $100
USA Chapter 10592 Perry Highway #112 Wexford, PA 15090
Tel. 724-316-0958, e-mail to info@emergencyusa.org
Checks can be made Payable to: EMERGENCY
Donations online can be made by PayPal at: http://www.emergencyusa.org
Dr. Gino Strada, Nobel Peace Prize nominee will talk about his experience as a war surgeon. TIME called him one of the top 10 most innovative humanitarians — and you’ll see why. Outstanding documentation will accompany his presentation.
Dr. Strada is co-founder of EMERGENCY, an independent, non-profit, neutral and non-political humanitarian organization based in Italy.
Most of the victims of war are civilians; more than a third are children. EMERGENCY is dedicated to saving them. Emergency operates Surgical Medical and Rehabilitation centers in Afghanistan, Iraq, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan. Emergency even treated patients in a hospital in Baghdad while it was under bombardment.
All proceeds from this event will help to purchase an ambulance for the Emergency Pediatric Outpatient Center serving the Refugee Camp of Mayo, Karthoum, Sudan.
Dr. Strada will address his concerns about health as a universal human right in war-torn countries and in the world. War Medicine, the rationing of care, is a reality for many people, not just the civilian victims of war. While billions have no access to quality medical care worldwide, millions have no health insurance in developed countries. Although explicitly addressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, quality health care is a largely unattained goal for the majority of the people worldwide.
Organizing Committee for this event is Alberto Colombi and Ed Ricci, Friends of Emergency, Pittsburgh; John DeFazio, Director –Pennsylvania United Steel Workers/Allegheny and County Council at large; Maria Pisano; Atty. Jonathan Robison, Oakland Community Council; Molly Rush, PUSH- Pennsylvanians United for Single Payer Health Care; and Kathleen Hower, Executive Director-Global Links, Pittsburgh.
Support EMERGENCY – in Afghanistan, Iraq, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Sudan …
Just Health: - Taking care of the victims – war zone by war zone

Mary and I, Jon, were in Washington on Sept. 24, calling on our government to get out of Iraq. We were among the 630 people on the buses from Pittsburgh organized by the Thomas Merton Center, and among the 200,000 or more protestors in D.C.
Now what? Well, I will support pro-peace politicians. I will continue to vigil and picket on Saturdays, sometimes at Forbes and Braddock and sometimes at the military recruiting station on Forbes and Oakland Ave. . Perhaps most important is counter-recruitment. Can we encourage our young people not to believe the blarney from the military recruiters. Can we talk with people who got signed up, and are now being sent to Iraq – some of them for a second or third time? Can we tell them that it’s not too late to apply for conscientious objector status?