Ortitay seeking 2nd term
Saying he wants to “end partisan gridlock in Harrisburg and make state government more accountable to the taxpayers,” state Rep. Jason Ortitay, a Republican, announced his bid for a second term in the 46th Legislative District, which includes parts of Washington and Allegheny counties.
“The budget impasse has clearly been frustrating, but I am proud that we passed a balanced budget that did not raise taxes and allocated record funding for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public education,” Ortitay said in a statement issued Thursday.
Ortitay in 2014 defeated four-term incumbent Democrat Jesse White by a 56-44 percent margin.
His committee assignments during the 2015 legislative session include Aging and Older Adult Services; Human Services; Labor and Industry; and Tourism and Recreational Development.
According to the Vote Smart website, Ortitay last year co-sponsored legislation to repeal exemptions for harassment during labor disputes; require schools to use teacher performance evaluations; and authorize private alcohol sales. All three bills passed the Republican-dominated state House.
A native of Avella, Ortitay graduated from Avella High School in 2002 and then received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Robert Morris University. He earned a master’s of business administration degree from Stetson University in Florida in 2005, and then worked in banking. He founded Jason’s Cheesecake Co. in 2012 and, a year later, founded the John J. Ortitay Entrepreneur Scholarship in honor of his grandfather to support high school seniors with interests in business and finance.
A Bridgeville area resident, Ortitay, 31, also is a board member for the Center for Hearing and the Deaf and serves on the committee for Project Bundle-Up.
In Washington County, the district includes Canton, Cecil, Mt. Pleasant, Robinson and Smith townships and Burgettstown and Midway boroughs. In Allegheny County, the district includes Collier and South Fayette townships and Bridgeville, Heidelberg and Oakdale boroughs. McDonald Borough, which straddles the Washington-Allegheny county line, also is part of the district.