Meet Your Legislator Breakfast
By Robert Marko
The fourth Region 12 Meet Your Legislator Breakfast was held on
Friday, October 19, 2007 at Duranti’s Restaurant. The Master
of Ceremonies was Breakfast Chairperson Bob Marko. Our Keynote Speaker
PASR President Ureneus Kirkwood was unable to attend due to the
hospitalization of her husband Al.
After remarks by Region 12 Legislative Chairman
Vince Cortese, Bob Marko introduced the following legislators who
attended this Breakfast: Senator Jay Costa, 43rd District; Representative
Sean M. Ramaley, 16th District; Representative Joseph F. Markosek,
25th District; and Representative Paul Costa, 34th District. These
men appreciated the opportunity to meet with the Region 12 PASR
members and guests. They support the need for school retirees to
obtain a COLA. They encouraged our members to continue to meet with
legislators and become active in assisting each legislator in understanding
the needs of school retirees.
The following assistants to legislators also attended
the Breakfast: Matt Campion, Assistant to Senator John Pippy, 37th
District; Brian Litzinger, Assistant to Senator Jane Orie, 40th
District; Tim Joyce, Assistant to Senator Sean Logan, 45th District;
Jennifer Stotter and Kevin Kelly, Assistants to Representative Dan
Frankel, 23rd District; Ryan Douglass, Assistant to Representative
Thomas C. Petrone, 27th District; Ralph LeDonne, Assistant to Representative
Mike Turzai, 28th District; David Shutter, Assistant to Representative
Randy Vulakovich, 30th District and Mark Purcell, Chief of Staff
for Representative William C. Kortz III, 38th District.
The assistants also acknowledged the deisre to continue
communications with PASR member contact teams and to continue legislative
communication and assistance. Region 12 PASR Chapter President Diana
Armstrong from the Pittsburgh Chapeter introduced member Michael
Finnerty, Legislative Chairman and member of the Allegheny County
Council. She also invited members to participate in Pittsburgh PASR
activities. Allegheny County Chapter President Ed Cochrane introduced
B. J. Robertson, the 2007 Chapter Community Service Award winner.
Both Chapter Presidents encouraged participation in PASR events.
They also expressed appreciation to all members and friends who
attended this event and asked them to bring a friend to the event
next year.
During the past four years the Legislator and PASR
member attendance at the Region 12 Meet Your Legislator Breakfast
has increased. We hope the attendees expanded their knowledge and
will become more involved with the PASR Legislative Contact System.
For further information please contact Vince Cortese at 412-741-4515
or Bob Marko at 412-487-1180. If you were unable to attend this
Breakfast we hope you will consider attending the progrram in 2008.
