Council and controller: Kraus and Lamb have the skills to serve Pittsburgh

Council and controller: Kraus and Lamb have the skills to serve Pittsburgh
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Typically, there is no link between a City Council race and a campaign for city controller. One is a by-district legislative position; the other is an executive fiscal watchdog elected citywide.

Next week, however, Pittsburgh voters in council District 3 will see a connection: Libertarian Mark Rauterkus, 48, of South Side is running for both offices. He also had planned to run for other positions on the Nov. 6 ballot -- mayor, county chief executive, county councilman at-large and county councilman for District 13 -- but changed his mind.

That's about all that voters need to know about Mr. Rauterkus, a swim coach who has unsuccessfully sought other offices in previous years. Fortunately, more credible candidates have zeroed in on the City Council and city controller jobs.

In council District 3, the other contender is Bruce Kraus, 53, of South Side Flats. He wrested the Democratic nomination from incumbent Jeffrey Koch in the spring primary.

Mr. Kraus, the operator of an interior design firm, is a well-versed advocate for the district: Allentown, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Beltzhoover, Carrick, Knoxville, Mount Washington, South Oakland, South Side Flats, South Side Slopes and St. Clair Village.

He's experienced Pittsburgh both as a resident and a business owner and has been active in various neighborhood groups: the Pittsburgh Anti-Graffiti Task Force, South Side Community, South Side Chamber of Commerce and United Way Neighborhood Leadership Program.

Bruce Kraus is head and shoulders above the competition and deserves to be District 3's next councilman.

There's a similar mismatch in the controller's race, where Michael Lamb, 45, of Mount Washington is the Democratic nominee. An attorney who has served as Allegheny County prothonotary since 2000, Mr. Lamb was an early advocate of row-office reform and a force behind the county's adoption of a home rule charter.

In his own office, he's an experienced budget cutter, while at the same time raising its level of efficiency and professionalism. We can only hope he will take the same approach to examining city spending and programs as Pittsburgh's controller. Michael Lamb has earned the Post-Gazette's endorsement.

Posted on October 30, 2007 01:37 AM

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