Candidate for
State Senator; District 9

A lifelong resident of Chester City, Senator Pileggi understands the issues and priorities that define and guide the 9th district. His dedication to public service is rooted in his commitment to working hard for the people he represents. Senator Pileggi has served the public at many levels, from Chester City Councilman and Mayor all the way to Harrisburg as State Senator and now elected by his peers as Senate Majority Leader.

Senator Pileggi has always has always been a strong leader for the people of his district by being fiscally responsible. For years he had fought the difficult budgets of Chester City and now he has taken his fight to Harrisburg. His most recent challenge was the 2008 Pennsylvania State budget in which Senator Pileggi successfully led the Pennsylvania Senate to vote for a responsible budget that does not increase taxes, invests in education and core infrastructure needs, controls the growth of state spending and maintains the state's Rainy Day Fund.

State Senate Majority Leader

Elected by his peers as Senate Majority Leader in the fall of 2006, State Senator Dominic Pileggi now serves as the leader of the 29 members of the Senate Republican Caucus. He coordinates the legislative agenda for the Senate, manages the legislative calendar on the Senate floor and plays a key role in floor debates. During his first year as Majority Leader, Senator Pileggi led the Senate in opposing seven new taxes proposed by Governor Rendell and in turn passed the most fiscally responsible budget during the Rendell Administration.

In the past year, Senator Pileggi's top legislative initiative has been Senate Bill 1. Senate Bill 1 rewrote Pennsylvania's 50 year old Open Records Law, making government at all levels more transparent and responsive to all levels in Pennsylvania. Senator Pileggi continuously works towards making the legislature more accessible for those it represents. Senator Pileggi has led the fight to make Pennsylvania a better place to live. Under Senator Pileggi's leadership, Pennsylvania was finally able to pass a statewide smoking ban which will prohibit smoking in most public places and work places. He truly believes that as a member of the General Assembly, his first responsibility is to protect and provide for the citizens in a fiscally responsible way.

State Senator

Before his election as Senate Majority Leader in 2006, Senator Pileggi was serving his fourth year as State Senator for Pennsylvania's 9th District where he's worked tirelessly to champion the issues most important to the families and communities of his diverse district.

Senator Pileggi started in the Senate after winning a special election in October 2002 and has been campaigning for effective government ever since. Aside from reforming the legislature, Senator Pileggi has focused his time working on issues important to his district: lowering taxes, creating jobs, making quality healthcare more affordable and accessible, promoting new programs for safer and better run schools, preserving open space and exploring new and cost effective energy sources for our communities.

Senator Pileggi also serves as Chairman of the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee and as a member of the Appropriations Committee. Senator Pileggi is the former Chairman of the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee, and a former member of the State Planning Board, which develops recommendations for state policies and actions regarding conservation and land use issues.

Chester City Mayor

Mayor Pileggi's accomplishments in Chester City laid the ground work for his reputation as a reformer, a public servant and most notable, a leader. Elected Mayor of Chester City in 1998, Mayor Pileggi took the reigns of the city government and completed the work that he began as Councilman. During his first seventeen months in office, the city had created more police and firefighter jobs, built a new municipal swimming pool, upgraded the finance department's computer system and lowered the wage tax in both 1998 and 1999. His progress continued at an amazing rate for the next three years. Mayor Pileggi assisted the City in its acclamation of 10 Keystone Opportunity Zones, that allow businesses to operate free of state and local taxes for 12 years, thus drawing new businesses such as ABC Lid Co., Ace Linen Rental Service and eventually Harrah's Casino to Chester, which translated into the creation of thousands of new jobs. He oversaw the widening of Route 291, the construction of a new transit center and a southbound ramp to I-95, making an already accessible city even more geographically desirable. The development of the Chester waterfront, redevelopment of problem communities, creation of a new industrial park and senior communities are just a few of the major accomplishments Mayor Pileggi headed to make Chester City the "Renaissance City" of the decade. All this and more was accomplished while holding the line on taxes and balancing the budget. Most importantly Mayor Pileggi's major goal had been achieved; creating opportunities and a brighter future for the residents of Chester. There is still a long way to go in Chester and he continues to work hard, along with many others, to revitalize a city that played a huge role in the development of this region.

Chester City Councilman

In 1994 when Chester City government had hit rock bottom: the budget was in the red, crime was on the rise and most had given up on the local city council to improve the community, citizen Dominic Pileggi stepped in and committed himself to turning things around in the town where he was born and raised. During his first years as Councilman, Pileggi also served on the Chester-Upland School Board, a position he had held since 1991. In his tenure as Councilman, and his position as Finance Department Director, Dominic Pileggi, through increased efficiency, balanced the budget and created surplus, something Chester hadn't seen in years. He initiated dozens of redevelopment projects, worked to acquire thousands of dollars in State and Federal grant monies, and created more jobs city wide through his efficient management of the city's budget.

Personal

As a dedicated member to his community Senator Pileggi has always been involved in public service. Senator Pileggi has served as president and member to various community organizations, a few of which are: The Chester Salvation Army Board of Directors, The Chester Boys and Girls Club, J. Lewis Crozer Board of Directors, The Board of Directors of the Delaware County Industrial Development Corporation and the Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. He is also a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Chester and served on the Lincoln University Board of Trustees. Senator Pileggi serves as Chairman of the Chester City Republican Executive Committee.

A recipient of a Presidential Scholarship from Saint Joseph's University, Senator Pileggi graduated with a degree in Economics. He then went on to graduate from Villanova University School of Law in 1982 with his Juris Doctor. Prior to holding office, Senator Pileggi worked in the private sector practicing Real Estate Law.

Born and raised in Chester City, Dominic remains a member of the Chester community where he resides with his wife Diana and their three children, Elisa, Gabrielle and Michael.