Raja, Fitzgerald to Attend Moon Township Forum

D. Raja and Rich Fitzgerald, candidates vying to become the next Allegheny County Chief Executive, will speak today before members of the Moon-area business community.

The candidates will take part in an election forum that the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor at the

Chamber of Commerce president Sally Haas said much of the forum, which will feature moderator Joe Kuklis of Pittsburgh-based GSP consulting services, will focus on future commercial development in the Greater Moon area.

“We hope they can talk to us about issues throughout the airport corridor,” Haas said. “You’ll see the focus [of the forum] be on future development of the airport corridor, development to the I-376 corridor as well as the bigger picture for development in Allegheny County.”

Haas said the airport-area chamber has maintained a positive rapport with current county chief executive Dan Onorato, who has spoken twice this year at chamber functions.

“We’re going to be working closely with the future county executive,” Haas said. “We do want to see a positive working relationship going forward.”

Both candidates have unveiled plans to spur economic growth in communities surrounding the Pittsburgh International Airport.

Fitzgerald, a Democrat and member of the Allegheny County Council, has called for the opening of a world trade center business park on airport grounds and allowing Marcellus shale drilling to take place on the more than 900 acres of land surrounding the airport in Moon and Findlay townships. 

Raja, a Republican and businessman from Mt. Lebanon, said he supports the development of research and technology centers alongside the Marcellus shale drilling industry in the airport region. 

The event begins at 7:30 a.m. today and is not open to the public. Check back with Patch later today for complete coverage.

 will play host next week to the candidates for a debate.