PA Senate Candidate Profile: Terry Scutella
By: KIM THOMAS
Updated: April 16, 2012
Monday, WJET begins our series of candidate profiles that will air throughout the week.
First off, the race for Pennsylvania's 49th Senatorial seat.
Republican Jane Earll has held this seat for the past 16 years, but announced she would not run for re-election.
There are 4 democrats squaring off this primary season.
The winner next Tuesday will move onto the General Election in November to face the only republican running for the seat, Janet Anderson.
Tonight our candidate profile focuses on Terry Scutella.
After serving in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, Terry Scutella spent more than 3 decades working for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
For the past 11 years, he's served as a school board director on the Millcreek Township School Board.
"I feel I'm that person that can go to Harrisburg and take the concerns of the people in the 49th Senatorial district there and be their voice," said Scutella.
Scutella feels interaction is key in Harrisburg, working with republicans and democrats alike to find common ground.
He says, "you should be able to find it and do what's good for the people in your community and not worry about whether it's a good republican thing or a good democratic thing, and worry about if I can get elected next time if I vote this way. You have to do what's right for the citizens and the district you live in."
Scutella feels the biggest challenge this district faces is creating jobs.
He says he remembers the days of traveling along West 12th street when manufacturing was booming and jobs were abundant.
"Are we ever going to get back to that? No. Can we try to get back there and add to our job base, yes, especially in manufacturing," says Scutella.
He does, however, feel we can take advantage of our location and create incentives to attract new business.
The seat Scutella is running for has been held by republican Jane Earll for the past 16 years.
Scutella knows he's got big shoes to fill if elected.
"To go in there and say you're going to change the attitude of Harrisburg, you're not. You have to work at that with other legislators to find what is right for our citizens of the commonwealth and the 49th district."
Scutella says he's the best candidate for this job, citing his experience on the school board, facing the taxpayers, students and parents and making the decisions that affect their lives.
He says, "I think after 11 years there, I am attuned to what they're looking for. There's fiscal responsibility, but sometimes you just can't cut off the head just because we're going to save a few dollars. You have to look at the ramifications of raising taxes, you have to look at the ramifications of cutting programs and try to find a happy medium."
Tuesday night, our profile will focus on democratic candidate for the 49th Senatorial seat, Sean Wiley.
First off, the race for Pennsylvania's 49th Senatorial seat.
Republican Jane Earll has held this seat for the past 16 years, but announced she would not run for re-election.
There are 4 democrats squaring off this primary season.
The winner next Tuesday will move onto the General Election in November to face the only republican running for the seat, Janet Anderson.
Tonight our candidate profile focuses on Terry Scutella.
After serving in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, Terry Scutella spent more than 3 decades working for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
For the past 11 years, he's served as a school board director on the Millcreek Township School Board.
"I feel I'm that person that can go to Harrisburg and take the concerns of the people in the 49th Senatorial district there and be their voice," said Scutella.
Scutella feels interaction is key in Harrisburg, working with republicans and democrats alike to find common ground.
He says, "you should be able to find it and do what's good for the people in your community and not worry about whether it's a good republican thing or a good democratic thing, and worry about if I can get elected next time if I vote this way. You have to do what's right for the citizens and the district you live in."
Scutella feels the biggest challenge this district faces is creating jobs.
He says he remembers the days of traveling along West 12th street when manufacturing was booming and jobs were abundant.
"Are we ever going to get back to that? No. Can we try to get back there and add to our job base, yes, especially in manufacturing," says Scutella.
He does, however, feel we can take advantage of our location and create incentives to attract new business.
The seat Scutella is running for has been held by republican Jane Earll for the past 16 years.
Scutella knows he's got big shoes to fill if elected.
"To go in there and say you're going to change the attitude of Harrisburg, you're not. You have to work at that with other legislators to find what is right for our citizens of the commonwealth and the 49th district."
Scutella says he's the best candidate for this job, citing his experience on the school board, facing the taxpayers, students and parents and making the decisions that affect their lives.
He says, "I think after 11 years there, I am attuned to what they're looking for. There's fiscal responsibility, but sometimes you just can't cut off the head just because we're going to save a few dollars. You have to look at the ramifications of raising taxes, you have to look at the ramifications of cutting programs and try to find a happy medium."
Tuesday night, our profile will focus on democratic candidate for the 49th Senatorial seat, Sean Wiley.
