Meet the candidates for Pa. House District 42 Dan Miller vs. Pat Tylka
1. Q. Who are you and why are you qualified to run for PA House District 42?
Miller: As the eldest child of immigrant parents, I was the first member of my family born in America. I was raised primarily by a single mom who fought through a lot of challenges to help us have a chance for greater opportunities than she did. I eventually became a public school teacher, and after graduating from Catholic University law school, I became a public defender and county solicitor here in Allegheny County. My wife and I met in the AmeriCorps NCCC program and we are the proud parents of one son who is now in high school. I spent 14 years as a volunteer firefighter in Mt. Lebanon and served four years as a township commissioner. I have served on several local community boards, including Mt. Lebanon and Carnegie library boards, Outreach, the Center for Theater Arts, and the Hollywood Theater. I was elected to the Legislature in 2013 and have spent most of my efforts working on disability, mental health, addiction and education issues. I try to be very engaged in the community and host dozens of local events every term, the largest being our annual Disability & Mental Health Summit. While every legislator has some partisan slant, I thoroughly enjoy spending time on issues that matter to everyone’s kitchen table and I seek out bipartisan compromise wherever possible.
Tylka: A lifelong resident of Western Pennsylvania, I have lived in Mt. Lebanon for 38 years where my husband and I raised our children. My parents instilled in me the values of education, hard work, and family. After earning a B.S. in Education degree from IUP, I have dedicated my life to advocating for students, the elderly, and the disabled. In 2000, I was appointed to the Pennsylvania Stroke Task Force where I collaborated with other professionals in the field. I have served my community as a volunteer for Mt. Lebanon Fire Department, Light of Life Rescue Mission, and the Alzheimer’s Association. I am NOT a career politician. My experience is working in the private sector in business, healthcare, and senior living.
2. Q. Why are you running for PA House District 42? Miller:
Elections are always about the future, and I am simply not satisfied with what Harrisburg has done to either keep its promises or to help build tomorrow. Given our history, geography and workforce our state should be very attractive to businesses and workers alike. Pennsylvania has literally built our nation and our middle class and Harrisburg must do better.
That future must be designed for everyone and it needs to build it as much as possible by Pennsylvania workers with Pennsylvania products. We have to make sure our kids have access to good schools, affordable college, and needed accessibility supports. We have to make sure parents have access to high-quality child care, paid leave, and fair wages. We have to make sure businesses have an efficient partner in government and a competitive economic structure to thrive in while respecting their workers. We have to make sure that those in need receive quality care and promises made are not forgotten.
It is also essential that we analyze our pandemic response, not to point fingers but to develop a better plan going forward. Thankfully our state economy has exceeded revenue projections, but we still have a lot of important issues to address. We are unlikely to improve and learn though if theLegislature cannot get past its hyper-partisanship. Partisanship and patriotism are two different things, and partisanship is the biggest roadblock to progress in Harrisburg. Our future must be an all-in model where everyone can see themselves here, andthat is why I am running.
Tylka: I am running to protect parental rights, students, seniors and the disabled, and to grow Pennsylvania’s economy.
3. Q. Why should voters pay attention to this race? Miller:
State representatives (and senators) make a lot of major decisions that impact people’s lives. We craft budgets and design bills that reflect our state priorities and should reflect our shared values. They help attract jobs, support our schools, and care for those who need help. None of this is automatic or guaranteed and the process typically benefits when the public is more involved. I hope people pay attention to this race and to every race on the ballot. But I also strongly encourage people to engage with all of their elected officials after election day as well. Whether you agree or disagree, public engagement makes for better representatives.
Tylka: Our quality of life is quickly eroding. Inflation is at an all-time high and the economy is floundering. Our educational system is deteriorating, crime is on the rise,and our seniors are vulnerable.