Until a year ago, Dean Petrone had no interest in politics, much less Allegheny County government and the politics of Grant Street. At 40, he was content, he said, with his electrical engineering career and raising his children, a daughter, 11, and a son, 8, in North Fayette, where he grew up. That sense of accomplishment, however, stirred something in him.

"I felt like I needed ... to give back to the community," said Mr. Petrone, a partner in Muninn Group Inc., an small industrial and commercial automation firm in Collier.

He decided his first foray into politics would be to seek County Council's District 4 seat in Tuesday's election, where incumbent Democrat Michael Finnerty is seeking re-election.

"I have never run for office. I have never helped anyone run for office, but I believe that my business background lends itself well to a position in politics," said Mr. Petrone, a Republican.

Mr. Finnerty, 64, a lifelong Democrat who is seeking his second term on County Council, can understand Mr. Petrone's upstart political ambition. He, too, hadn't sought public office before he was elected to council four years ago to represent Bridgeville, Carnegie, Collier, Crafton. Findlay, Glenfield, Heidelberg, Kennedy, McKees Rocks, Neville, North Fayette, Oakdale, Glen Osborne, Robinson, Rosslyn Farms, Scott and Stowe.

A retired reading specialist and union president at Chartiers Valley High School, where he also coached football, basketball and track for 30 years, Mr. Finnerty dismissed Mr. Petrone's charges that he is out of touch with his constituents. "I'm definitely in touch with my constituents. It's the biggest part of the job," Mr. Finnerty said.

If re-elected, he contends, his objective is to continue to make Allegheny County attractive to homeowners and businesses. One aspect of that would be to continue the plan of county Executive Dan Onorato's administration to keep real estate property taxes low.

Even though the county is faced with possible real estate property reassessment that could lead to higher taxes, Mr. Finnerty, much like Mr. Onorato, contends the problem of property assessments can be fixed only by the Legislature.

Mr. Finnerty's closeness with policies of the Onorato administration is one reason Mr. Petrone is running.

"I find that this County Council has become a rubber stamp for the county executive. They don't seem to have the rapport among themselves to seriously challenge Mr. Onorato," Mr. Petrone said.

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