DeLissio Held Meeting to Address Constituent Concerns

State Rep. Pam DeLissio, D-194, held the first of a series of town hall meetings Wednesday to address the state’s budget, education cuts and constituent concerns.

“The budget is the most concerning piece,” DeLissio told a crowd of about 30 at the auditorium at Roxborough Memorial Hospital. “The cuts to education are extremely short-sighted.”

According to documents DeLissio passed out to the crowd, the Philadelphia School District lost approximately $276 million in funding due to the cuts that many have called extreme. 

Although education was on the minds of the people in attendance, the meeting also addressed some constiuent concerns over the economic situation and unemployment. 

Chris McElhenny, a life-long Roxborough resident called the unemployment rate "a damn shame."

"I have an associates degree, a bachelor's degree and almost a master's degree and I can't find full time work," she said, adding that she works four part-time jobs, that do not offer benefits, to make ends meet. 

"It's ridiculous that I would have to go out of the state to find a job," she said. 

She was not alone in her frustration. Frank Graff, a senior citizen, expressed concern about the unstable social security. 

"They're threatening us with our social security checks," he said. "We're taking a beating down here."

Other issues discussed at the meeting included:

• The Marcellus Shale 
• Unemployment 
• Senior citizen concerns
• The state budget
• The anti-tax pledge Gov. Corbett signed

The goal of the meeting, DeLissio said was to form relationships and strengthen communication. 

"I want you to know that the 194th is well represented in Harrisburg," she said. "I talk a lot."

She may even hold the record of speaking on the floor the most out of the House's 29 new members. 

"We need cooperation, not competition," DeLissio said. "We need to get to know each other and cultivate relationships. The stupid politics needs to stop."

Check back tomorrow for a more detailed stories about specific issues discussed at the meeting.