JIM: Saw the first Uncle Dan for guvner commercial in our local area yesterday.

So, you voting for him?

DAVE: I suppose.

JIM: Geez. Remind me never to seek the Quiet Observer's endorsement if I ever run for public office.

DAVE: I've followed Uncle Dan's political career back to when he was just a city councilman. He has risen very nicely into positions of greater importance. But when I think about Dan, my overall impression of him is that he doesn't make mistakes while in office. And one of the reasons his record appears so good is because he doesn't make mistakes. And one of the ways he doesn't make mistakes is by NOT DOING ANYTHING. He has never really DONE anything in a position of power here in Western PA that could get him in trouble with the voters. But I would hardly describe him with terms such as "proactive, progressive, or innovative." Slots machine casinos soon to be followed by full-blown casinos is not exactly what I call "proactive, progressive, or innovative."

His replacement as Allegheny County Executive here will have to face the issue of property taxes and how best to assess property values for taxing purposes. This was the issue that got Dan elected because the last guy had an assessment and taxes went up. Uncle Dan did everything is his power while in office to keep property assessments from happening under his watch, so that way he could always claim that property taxes (hot button issue in PA) never went up while he was in office. But a new assessment is coming. I think one has been ordered by the court. And when it comes, property values and taxes will, undoubtedly, go up. Uncle Dan is hoping he will be governor by then.