Dell, Futules Bout for Only Contested Allegheny County Council Seat

Although nine Allegheny County Council positions will be up for election on Nov. 8, locals Mike Dell (R-Plum) and incumbent Nick Futules (D-Oakmont) are facing off for the only contested seat.

Dell challenges Futules in a four-year term for the District 7 seat, which covers Plum, Oakmont, Verona, Penn Hills, Harmar, Cheswick, Springdale and Wilkins.

Here's a look at each candidate:

Michael Dell, Republican

Dell recognizes he’s a newcomer into politics, but is confident his accounting and financial background paired with his mind for small business quips him for a seat on Allegheny County Council.

“With my accounting background, I want to see what I can do to get things under control,” said Dell, who is a certified public accountant, said referring to last year’s drink tax, car rental tax, garbling tax and budget deficit.

Dell, who has served the past two years on Plum Council and has been the finance chair during both, said his main focus as a county council member would be controlling costs and reducing spending.

“As the finance chair, I’ve been helping put together the budget and finance, and really help control costs. I really want to take the same ideas to council.”

Dell is the owner of Complete Business Service, a tax preparation and planning service on Saltsburg Road in Penn Hills. He founded the Plum Chamber of Commerce about two years ago, and he eyes small businesses as a key to job creation.

“I see exactly how small businesses are struggling to cover sales. It’s not easy running a business these days,” he said.

“If businesses are struggling now in Allegheny County, it’s going to be hard attracting new ones,” he said. “We have to do everything we can to ease that burden.”

While the court-mandated property tax assessment is at this point nonnegotiable, despite council’s attempts, Dell does not want to increase taxes.

“That’s the last thing we need is new taxes or increased taxes,” Dell said.

Too many people are relocating to Butler, Westmoreland and Washington counties because of taxes, Dell said, and Allegheny County must lower its taxes to compete with its neighbors.

Before the county can lower its taxes, however, it must lower its costs, he said.

“We need to go through the budget department by department. What can we control, and what can we consolidate? What can we do to make the department more efficient?”

Solutions may be in turning over some duties to the private sector, he said.

Nicholas Futules, Democrat

Incumbent Nick Futules says 12 years served in politics, recognition as a businessman and success as the county parks chair make him qualified for re-election.

Because his family is known for its successful business ventures, people should trust him to continue applying his business skills with his role on county council.

“That’s what Allegheny County is—it’s running a business as a council member,” he said

Futules is the business manager of Futules' Harmar House in Cheswick, a banquet hall, and is co-owner of A.K. Property Corp. and Futules Properties. His grandfather opened the former Futules’ Family Restaurant in 1906, which Futules previously co-owned for more than 25 years.

Prior to Futules’ last four years on county council, he served on Verona Council for eight years. During that time he was the Budget and Finance Committee chair.

He says throughout his political career he has never voted in favor of a property tax increase, having always found new money to cover costs.

As the county parks chair, Futules helped in the North Hills Park $2 million renovation. The project included dredging the lake and restoring its approximate 14-foot depth and replacing bathrooms and pavilions.

“It’s a beautiful park and something that needed to be done,” Futules said.

Futules enjoys being the County Parks chair, and would like to be re-elected to maintain his commitment.

“I like what I’m doing. I love my job, and I want to continue doing what I’m doing.”

The county has been forward-thinking, Futules said, keeping in mind how decisions today impact the next generation.

“Everything we do always contributes to our children.”

As for public transportation such as Port Authority, which angered commuters with its 15 percent service cut earlier this spring, county council can talk and offer suggestions, but that’s as far as its power goes, he said.

“We can’t negotiate these contracts, but we can talk to them,” he said.

Futules, however, did note the success of local commuter trains operated by private investors.

For District 7 specifically, Futules will promote development, such as the new Plum Center, he said.

“I think any type of redevelopment is good for a community,” he said. "And development is 'booming' in Plum."