Pennsylvania State Representative District 42
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 yearsSalary: $113,591Vote for ONE.Note: On Democratic and Republican primary ballots, voters will also choose members of the State and County Committees. We do not list these candidates on Vote411. For information on these candidates, we suggest you contact your local Democratic or Republican Party committee.
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Jen Mazzocco
(Dem)
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No candidate filed
(Rep)
What do you see as the most pressing issues facing residents of your district, and how would you address them?
What changes, if any, would you support to enable better access, ensure security, and support the processes of our elections?
What are your thoughts on the state budget process? What changes, if any, would you support so that the budget is enacted in a timely manner?
Should the state legislature enact laws concerning the impacts on water, energy, or land use from the development and operation of data centers? Would state regulation of data center development and operation interfere with the authority of municipalities to establish ordinances under the MPC (Municipal Planning Code)?
County
Allegheny
Occupation
Representative in the General Assembly, House District 42
Education
University of Pittsburgh, Bachelor of Arts in Nonfiction Writing; Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary English
Qualifications
15 years as a public school teacher; 8 years as a council member in the Borough of Dormont; 7 years as Political Action Committee Chair for the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, Executive Board Member; current incumbent State Representative in District 42
I think improving affordability is an issue that cuts across income brackets in our district - from healthcare, to childcare, to utilities - we can do more work to mitigate increased costs in these areas for working and middle class families. Transit is also a huge issue for HD42 - we are served by all three light rail lines and several bus lines. We need sustainable, predictable funding for public transportation in PA so we can build on the routes we have and make public transit a first choice for our residents. I also think protecting our democracy and the rights of our neighbors is of high concern in our district, whether it be voting rights, the LGBTQ+ community, women's reproductive rights, or our immigrant community.
I would support increased early voting -- more times and locations. I support continuing vote by mail, increasing drop-off sites for ballots, and reducing barriers to ballot acceptance (ability to cure defective ballots) and the ability for counties to canvass mail before election day. I support automatic voter registration or a permanent absentee/mail ballot list. I DO NOT support increased Voter ID requirements -- our elections are secure, and requiring specific ID every time one votes equates to a poll tax.
Though I think it would be very difficult for one freshman legislator to take actions to impact the timing of the budget, I think, as a caucus, find areas of compromise to hopefully make headway on bigger issues where the parties are more divided. I do think there are some issues - like electricity costs, healthcare, housing -- that concern folks on both sides of the aisle, and could represent big wins for Pennsylvanians and create relationships that might lead to progress on more divisive issues, like public education and transit funding.
At the state level, I think that AI data center development needs to come with guaranteed contributions to energy assistance programs, robust community benefit agreements and protections for the surrounding environment, including mitigation of water usage through water recirculation and moves toward clean energy for power generation. I would support legislation to require the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission to regulate data centers. At the municipal level, zoning laws can be adjusted to set specific parameters for local approval that developers must adhere to.
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