Raja Seeks Support in Plum

During a campaign stop Wednesday evening at Pugliano’s Italian Grill in Plum, Allegheny County executive candidate D. Raja promoted his business-inspired agenda and listened to residents’ concerns. 

Raja, a 45-year-old Republican who lives in Mt. Lebanon and is the CEO of an IT business, spent much of the evening analyzing Allegheny County’s shortcomings via Powerpoint presentation and promising the roughly 25 attendees that he’d bring financial savvy to government. 

“There is no clear vision or plan,” Raja said of the current leadership. 

Pointing to deteriorating infrastructure, a decrease in per capita income and an increase in debt during the past decade, Raja said he would push for a friendlier business environment with fewer taxes, spurring job creation.

“I am running because Allegheny County gave me the opportunity to be successful,” Raja said. “I don’t see that for our kids.”

Born in Bangalore, India, Raja moved to Pittsburgh in 1986 to study engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1991, he co-founded the IT business CEI, which now employs more than 300 people and is headquartered in Pittsburgh. Raja later earned an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University in 2001.

Politically, Raja has less experience. He became a commissioner in Mt. Lebanon in 2008, serving as president in 2010. After winning the Republican nomination for county executive in the May primary, he resigned from the commission.

Raja repeatedly touted his business experience and pointed to his Democratic opponent, county council President Rich Fitzgerald, as an insider in a failing political machine.

“I will do what is right for the taxpayer,” Raja said.

Among topics Raja touched on were unemployment, Marcellus Shale drilling and the Port Authority’s budget woes. 

Pledging to cut the ailing Port Authority’s costs, Raja said he’d first look at the payroll.

“It’s not that I’m against unions; I’m against excess,” Raja said. “Every new person coming in has to have a different benefits plan.”

Raja said he favors leasing 3,000 acres of county-owned land at Pittsburgh International Airport to natural gas drillers. Doing so, he said, would create desperately needed manufacturing jobs.

“We have to address (environmental concerns) first,” Raja said in an interview after the meeting. “The main issue is that we don’t regulate it, so that needs to be done.”

Wednesday’s stop was the tenth of 42 town-hall style meetings Raja plans to hold as the November election nears.

“I’m just looking for, across the board, what are the common issues and what are the common solutions,” he said. “As I’m writing my detailed policy documents, it’s great to get that feedback.”

Attendees largely gave a warm reception to Raja.

Pete Mlynar, 25, said he thinks the county needs a business-minded executive and cited Raja’s private success as an indicator of his future performance.

“If you can create great opportunities for yourself, then I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t create opportunities for other people,” Mlynar said.

Dale and Joan Luxon, who have lived in the county for 48 years, said they think Raja’s message is the right one.

“I thought he was very reasonable,” Dale Luxon said. “(But) I think he has an uphill battle trying to change the political system.”

Earlier in the evening, Raja asked the audience: “What is it about Allegheny County that you don’t like?”

“Liberals!” one man shouted.

Raja shrugged off the comment and said he would need to gain the support of Democrats and moderates in order to win in the largely Democratic county.

In the May primary, about 128,000 Democrats turned out to the polls, compared to roughly 49,000 Republicans, according to data from the county’s elections division. All told, the number of registered Democrats nearly doubled Republicans.

But Raja doesn’t think that will be a problem, so long as he can get voters to focus on the issues.

“My message is not Republican by any means,” the businessman said. “It’s nonpartisan.”

Related Topics: Elections, allegheny county executive, and d. raja