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
Delaware
Occupation
State Representative
Education
B.A. University of Michigan, History; M.A. James Madison University, Art History; A.B.D. University of Delaware, History of American Civilization
Qualifications
Upper Darby School Board Director, Chief of Staff for PA State Rep Leanne Krueger, District Director and Senior Advisor for U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon
Cost of living issues are the most pressing concerns facing Pennsylvanians. We must invest in tax credits for working families, increase our minimum wage to a living wage, address the burden of housing costs by increasing the quality of our housing stock, increasing access to homeownership and addressing our high property taxes. We must invest in our workforce to ensure that the people of the 163rd district have the skills they need to access the expanding job markets in our region. I am proud to have worked on legislation to increase our child tax credit, increase our minimum wage and protect workers rights, fix and expand the quality of housing stock and voted on historic investments in public education to ease our property tax burden.
Voting is a fundamental right of being an American, and our legislature should do everything possible to remove barriers to voting. We can expand access by extending the time frame for casting votes. Limiting voting to just one day restricts access for many Pennsylvanians.
Our local election officials do an amazing job on Election Day to ensure the security of our ballots. However, we can support them by allowing ballots to be "pre-canvassed." This would enable election officials to open mail-in ballot envelopes and prepare the ballots for counting before Election Day.
We must also increase safety for our election officials most of whom are our neighbors. We ask these election officials to protect our rights, we must protect them.
It is our children's constitutional right to receive a quality public education. I have fought for expanding equitable public education funding for Upper Darby for the past decade, and now, as a State Representative, I also represent the William Penn and Southeast Delco School Districts. Our districts have historically been underfunded, with property taxes having to cover the shortfall. This year, I voted for a historic budget that increased funding for these three school districts by $26.6 million. I am committed to the Basic Education Funding Committee's 7-year investment plan, which will continue funding our schools and help relieve property taxpayers from bearing the increasing cost of education in our communities.
I am committed to keeping abortion legal in Pennsylvania, but barriers like restrictive regulations, mandatory waiting periods, and insurance limitations still hinder access. These challenges disproportionately affect marginalized communities, including low-income women and women of color, who face additional obstacles. Comprehensive reproductive health care includes not just abortion but also contraception, prenatal care, and treatment for reproductive conditions. Ensuring these services are accessible and affordable is crucial for women's health and well-being. Access to safe and legal abortion is essential for women to exercise control over their reproductive choices and overall health.
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