Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA House of Representatives consists of 203 members representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The House develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the Senate). The House also has the exclusive authority to impeach public officials. Representatives also serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation. Term: 2 years Salary: $106,422 Vote for ONE.
County
Allegheny
Occupation
Unemployed
Education
B.A. - Economics & Communications
Qualifications
Leadership - Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Founding Member - QV Strong, Former Chair - Friends of the Hearing Center at Children's Hospital Pittsburgh
1. Gun Violence - Investing in community violence intervention programs and common sense legislation are proven to curb firearm deaths and casualties, including suicide and school shootings.
2. Equity in Public Education - I support implementing the adequacy formula as recommended by the Basic Education Funding Commission and investing appropriately at the state level. I believe in the need to update the funding model for charter/cyber schools and to invest in facilities and teachers.
3. Retaining and attracting a younger population - In order to thrive, Pennsylvania must retain and attract young people. Safe, healthy communities, quality schools, and job opportunities will make Pennsylvania desirable in the years to come.
I believe we need to make voting as accessible and inclusive as possible and that it is crucial to engage young people in the Democratic process. Some initiatives I would support include:
1. Open primaries in Pennsylvania.
2. Allowing eligible citizens to both register or change their registration status and cast a ballot on the day of a primary or election.
3. Allowing 16 and 17 year olds to pre-register to vote.
4. Allowing 17-year-olds, who will be 18 years old on or before the date of a General Election, to register and vote for candidates in the corresponding Primary.
5. Simplified procedures for mail-in/absentee ballots.
I support implementing the adequacy formula as recommended by the Basic Education Funding Commission and investing appropriately at the state level. I believe in the need to update the funding model for charter and cyber schools and to invest in modern facilities and incentives for teachers.
I am concerned about the Dobbs decision and the impact it is having on women’s health around our country. As a result, I would support a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to an abortion.
County
Allegheny
Occupation
Legislator, Business Owner, Investor, Entrepreneur
Education
Dickinson College, BA Russian Language, Economics
Qualifications
A strong history of delivering results for our communities. Returned ~$90 million dollars of your taxes back for community projects.
High Property taxes, overall high cost of living and rising cost of doing business in the state. Too many young people continue to leave PA for greater opportunity elsewhere. Seniors are being taxed out of their homes. And, small businesses getting crushed by government overreach. We must reverse these trends with good family sustaining jobs, additional support for education in the trades, more economic opportunity for youth, affordable health care for all (HB555 Gaydos prime sponsor), and a lower cost of living to attract and retain more citizens.
Recently, the Governor signed my legislation to help reduce cost of prescriptions
https://www.pa.gov/en/governor/newsroom/2024-press-release
Stronger economies result in safer communities.
Pennsylvania has a clear set of laws governing elections that allow for voter access and the ability for citizens to take part in voting. And, I am pleased that each year as additional security measures have been put in place the safety and security of elections has improved. We simply must ensure that voting laws are followed as written to restore voter confidence and engagement.
Pennsylvania has amongst the highest per student spending in the nation. As funding has gone up, test scores have gone down. Pennsylvania is one of the few states that relies on property taxes for school funding with a disproportionate burdon placed on the local level. And, that must change.
The Council of State Taxation Study on property tax administration rates Pennsylvania as an "F" (https://www.ipti.org/press-release-ipti-cost-scorecard) which identifies a number of low cost and no cost solutions to improve Pennsylvania's rating. I will continue working on finding ways to equalize funding without significant impact on local property taxpayers and homeowners.
Pennsylvania already has settled law. And, as such, I see no need to change current laws governing abortion in Pennsylvania. Exceptions for cases of rape, incest and the broad health and welfare of the mother including mental health should remain essential components of the law. With a sister as a family physician, I believe that medical decisions should be made between a doctor and patient including for masks and vaccines. And, that it is essential to address this topic with respect for finding common ground in all dialogue in this deeply personal and complex debate. Abortions should be rare, safe and legal and support should be equally provided to all aspects of life - prenatal care, adoption and foster care.
