Snyder announces bid for second term
Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, announced Monday she will seek a second term as state representative from the 50th Legislative District.
“My first term has been filled with excitement and energy thanks to the constituents of the district,” Snyder said. “I have made every effort to hit the ground running and I look forward to building on this momentum.”
The 50th District includes all of Greene County and parts of Washington and Fayette counties.
During her first term, Snyder served on many committees with relevance to the 50th District, including Aging and Older Adult Services, Environmental Resources and Energy, Labor and Industry and Game and Fisheries.
During her first term, Snyder said she lived up to her promise to support the reduction of the state legislature. “I believe we must lead by example,” Snyder said. “The cuts need to start at the top.”
Snyder also voted no for the recently passed transportation bill. “While I believe funding for transportation is greatly needed, this legislation greatly compromised two areas where I will not waiver,” Snyder said. “The first was an increase of the gas tax during a time when many hard working Pennsylvanians are already stretched too thin. The other issue required cutting prevailing wage for the people of Pennsylvania who provide the work on the transportation projects. When it comes to responsible taxation and supporting our working men and women, I will not be swayed.”
Snyder said she also fought against the closing of Hatfield’s power plant and continues to work on behalf of the many employees who were left without jobs. She said she will continue to challenge the position that the plant’s closing will not impact electric reliability.
“I believe clean coal is an integral part of the energy equation and will continue to exert influence if our power grid reliability is called into question, as it has during the extreme cold conditions recently,” said Snyder.
Snyder said her top issues for a second term will continue to be fair and equitable funding for public education, advancing legislation she has introduced to create the Coal-Fired Electric Generation Facilities Deactivation Act, legislation to address elder abuse, and legislation to address mental health needs.
She was elected to her first term in November 2012. Prior to this, she served nine years as Greene County commissioner, serving as chairman during her entire tenure. She was elected 2012 Outstanding County Commissioner of the Year by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. She also previously served as deputy district drector for Congressman Frank Mascara.
As an elected official, Snyder remains active in many political, professional and civic roles. A graduate of Jefferson-Morgan High School, she received an honorary bachelor of arts degree from Waynesburg University. She also is a 2008 graduate of the Leadership Training Institute at New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
Snyder and her husband, Jack, live on a small family farm in Jefferson and have two daughters, Joy Eggleston, senior public affairs officer at Southwest Regional Medical Center, and Maddie Warrick, a special education teacher in Carmichaels Area School District.
Snyder and her family are active members of St. Marcellus Catholic Church in Jefferson, where Snyder serves as a lector and Eucharistic minister.