Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Rafferty, Cozzone face off
State Sen. John C. Rafferty Jr. is running for a fourth term in office, and is being challenged by Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone in Tuesday’s election.
The Republican Rafferty of Collegeville is currently chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
The Democrat Cozzone of Uwchlan is in her second term as commissioner in Chester County.
The Republican achieved one of his biggest goals when he helped to successfully write a new transportation bill that increased fund- ing for state road, bridge and public transportation projects in the last session of the legislature.
A former state deputy attorney general, the Montgomery County native sponsored legislation in the Senate to close a loophole in state law that allowed repeat DUI offenders to avoid tougher penalties if they are re-arrested for additional DUIs before conviction of the original offense takes place.
Rafferty sponsored arson legislation that passed this past year to toughen arson penalties. The bill was prompted by a series of arsons in Coatesville that resulted in a death and major damage in 2008 and 2009.
Cozzone, however, believes Raf- ferty and his fellow Republicans are too closely linked with the failures of the administration of Gov. Tom Corbett.
Cozzone maintained Republicans have been bad for public education in Pennsylvania. There is less money for classrooms, she said, which hurts opportunities for all children.
She reiterated Democratic Party positions that Corbett’s policies have been bad for job creation in Pennsylvania, and that the state has mismanaged — and undertaxed — extraction of natural gas from Marcellus Shale.
The 44th Senatorial District includes municipalities in northern
Chester County, several municipalities in southeastern Berks, and northwestern Montgomery County, but not including Pottstown.
In addition to chairing transportation, Rafferty is vice chairman of judiciary, and serves on appropriations, banking and insurance.
Before election to the county commissioners, Cozzone worked for several companies over 20 years in financial management.
She boosts her background for giving her an understanding of county budgets and strategic planning for future budget needs.