On Tuesday, Tim Twardzik, Jerry Knowles, and Joseph Kerwin were sworn in as Representatives in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 2021-2022 legislative session..
“I am thrilled to be a part of this amazing group of individuals in the House Republican Caucus, who are all ready to get to work,” said Twardzik. “This session, we have every opportunity to help our small business owners who have seen the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and work to create jobs throughout our Commonwealth. I am honored to have been given this opportunity to serve my community in the General Assembly.”
Twardzik is a graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School and the University of Notre Dame, where he was a four-year Monogram Letter winner in track. He is the retired executive vice president and co-owner of Ateeco Inc. in Shenandoah, the marketer of Mrs. T’s, the world’s largest selling brand of frozen pierogies. He helped grow the business founded by his father, Ted, into the community’s leading employer.
The 123rd Legislative District consists of part of Schuylkill County, including the city of Pottsville and the townships of Blythe, Branch, Butler, Cass, Delano, East Norwegian, Foster, Mahanoy, New Castle, Reilly, Ryan and West Mahanoy, along with the boroughs of Ashland (Schuylkill County portion), Frackville, Gilberton, Girardville, Gordon, Mahanoy City, Mechanicsville, Middleport, Minersville, Mount Carbon, New Philadelphia, Palo Alto, Port Carbon, Shenandoah and St. Clair.
“I am grateful for the trust placed in me by the residents of the district, and I am eager to begin our legislative process in these challenging times,” said Knowles.
Knowles added his priorities for the coming 2021-22 session will be to get the economy back to running at peak efficiency, election reform and property tax elimination.
“The coronavirus pandemic has caused businesses to close and workers to lose their jobs. We must continue to build on legislation that has been signed into law such as the Senior Protection Act, a collaborative effort to bring our teaching hospitals and nursing homes together; legislation to support our business community; and measures to ensure students are getting the necessary education.
“Our review of the 2020 election by the House State Government Committee and our pursuit of an audit of the 2020 election will continue into this session. Though elections are political in nature, the process by which they are held should be anything but political. When people question the process, they question the results.
“I am a strong supporter of property tax elimination. I recognize this is an uphill battle as evidenced by the last vote in the House where the elimination was overwhelmingly opposed. Property tax elimination is what the people of my district want, and I will continue to push for it.”
