New state legislators take oath of office
The area’s two newly elected Republican state legislators were in awe of the pomp and circumstance Tuesday afternoon as they took the oath of office in Harrisburg.
But shortly after their swearing-in ceremonies ended at the Capitol, both state Sen. Camera Bartolotta and state Rep. Jason Ortitay said they’re eager to get to work on various goals they hope to achieve this year.
“I had to force myself to stay in the moment and not look ahead,” Bartolotta said by phone from Harrisburg. “I just wanted to slow down and enjoy it.”
Bartolotta, who owns Duke of Oil quick lube in Carroll Township, defeated one-term senator Tim Solobay to represent the 46th state Senate District.
Bartolotta celebrated with her daughter, Devin, and son, Dante, both of whom traveled to Harrisburg for the ceremonies, but the new state senator said she’s now ready to focus on pushing a new constitutional amendment aimed at dealing with budget surpluses. Bartolotta is sponsoring a bill that would redirect any budgetary surpluses into three categories, with 25 percent of the money going back to taxpayers, 25 percent into the “rainy day” fund and the remainder being paid to bolster the state’s struggling pension fund.
A similar bill is being proposed by another Republican senator, although Bartolotta’s version, which she said has a “few” co-sponsors already, is an amendment. She said pension reform will be another top priority for her.
Ortitay, the other freshman legislator, did not return a phone call about his inauguration, but he spoke about what the day meant to him during a brief YouTube video posted on his state House website.
“It’s one of those days where you think will never come, and it really doesn’t hit you that you actually won and that you’re actually taking office until a day like today,” Ortitay said in the one-minute video. “I think I had my a-ha moment when I walked onto the House floor (Tuesday) morning for the first time since orientation and you see how ornate it is and how nice it is and how many people are there.
“It’s really just unbelievable for me. I can’t express how awesome it is.”
He said his main goals are to build relationships with current members, get “expert opinions” from others and put together a business advisory council for local communities. Ortitay also said he wants to work on tax reform and find ways to spur economic growth within his district without going through Harrisburg.
Ortitay, who resides in South Fayette, defeated four-term Democratic incumbent Jesse White to represent the 46th state House District.
Bartolotta and Ortitay were among 25 new legislators sworn-in Tuesday.