Trib: State Rep. Smith running for Senate seat against Raja

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, said he is running for the state Senate seat vacated last month by Sen. John Pippy, R-Moon.

Smith will face Republican D. Raja, a businessman and former Mt. Lebanon commissioner, in the November election. Raja ran unsuccessfully for county executive last year. Smith also plans to seek re-election to his House seat.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/news/2201322-74/smith-raja-seat-state-election-lebanon-senate-fontaine-month-rep (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

The Almanac: Smith runs successful write-in campaign

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, was unopposed on the Democratic ticket during the April 24 primary, and recently learned he was the successful write-in candidate on the Republican ticket.

His name will appear on the November ballot as both the Democratic and Republican candidate and he appears the likely winner for the seat.

A person needs 300 write-in votes to gain a party nomination in the primary, equivalent to the number of signatures on a nominating petition.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/05-07-2012-Smith-write-in (The Almanac)

The Almanac: House resolution marks Mt. Lebanon centennial

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, hosted Mt. Lebanon Manager Steve Feller and Commission President David Brumfield at the state Capitol recently.

Smith sponsored a House resolution, which was adopted unanimously, recognizing Mt. Lebanon's 100th anniversary.

"I am proud to call Mt. Lebanon home and to inform my House colleagues from across the state about this impressive milestone," Smith said. "Mt. Lebanon is a prime example of one of our area's early suburbs that has evolved and adapted to remain a premier community in which to live and raise a family."

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/04-04-2012-ML100th-citation (The Almanac)

YouTube: Smith Honors Mt. Lebanon Girls Basketball Team

ML Teen Shadows Legislator For A Day

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, was shadowed by a Mt. Lebanon High School student recently, encouraging the next generation of decision makers in Harrisburg.

The shadowing was part of the Women and Girls Foundation's Girl Gov program.

Michal Cohen, a sophomore at Mt. Lebanon High School, followed Smith's daily schedule, which included attending a meeting with fellow legislators and a committee hearing, and viewing the Pennsylvania House of Representatives session from the house floor.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/04-07-2010-YOUTH-shadowing-Smith--1-pix-

Smith To Host Cyber Meeting

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, is holding his first cyber Town Hall meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Internet users who wish to join in the meeting or ask questions will be able to do so by accessing Smith's Web site at www.pahouse.com/MSmith.

"I want to give constituents more ways and opportunities to share their concerns and thoughts on state governmental issues, and this is one way to do that," Smith said. "This allows those with busy schedules to submit questions and watch the town hall live online or watch at a later date on my Web site.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/02-03-2010-Smith-cybermeeting

Smith Introduces Pedestrian Safety Legislation To Give Local Control

Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, will soon introduce legislation that would allow municipalities to alter or set speed limits on local and state roads within their respective boundaries without the approval of the state.

"This is part of an ongoing effort to make our neighborhoods safer and pedestrian friendly," Smith said. "Giving local governments this authority would reduce accidents, permit local officials to make decisions impacting our area, and foster strong communities."

Rosie Pesacreta, a Mt. Lebanon parent whose children walk to school along Washington Road is in favor of municipalities having more authority on this issue.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/01-20-2010-smith-pedestrian-bill

Town Hall Meeting With Rep. Matt Smith

State Representative Matt Smith will be holding a town hall meeting next Tuesday, December 1 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in the Commissioners' Chambers in the Mt. Lebanon Municipal Building. The flyer I received about the meeting states:

"Please join me to hear about the recently passed state budget, health care, education, the environment and other issues important to you."

Link: www.pahouse.com/MSmith

Mt. Lebanon Kids Health & Safety Fair To Be Held October 31

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Allegheny, and Allegheny County Councilman Vince Gastgeb, R-Bethel Park, will host the 2009 Mt. Lebanon Kids Health & Safety Fair from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 in Mt. Lebanon’s Public Safety Center, 555 Washington Road.

The fair immediately follows Mt. Lebanon’s annual Pumpkin Patch Parade, which will begin at 11 a.m. in the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery adjacent to the public safety building.

Link: www.yoursouthhills.com/blog/mt-lebanon-kids-health-safety-fair-be-held-october-31

Lawmakers Pay Themselves First (But Smith Won't Take It)

State workers will have to wait another week to be paid for days they have worked since July 1, but House Democratic lawmakers have checks in hand. They paid themselves first.

Their paychecks were issued Tuesday as they voted on a $27.3 billion budget, which Gov. Ed Rendell yesterday chopped to $11 billion through line-items vetoes. He left intact funding for such items as public safety, state parks and employees' pay.

At least one House Democrat -- Matt Smith of Mt. Lebanon -- says he won't cash his check until state workers are paid, too.

Link: www.postgazette.com/pg/09218/989004-454.stm

Tax Picture Gloomy In Tough Economy

"The stew is going bad, because of all sorts of ingredients that aren't working together," said Mt. Lebanon resident and taxpayer William Lewis.

The state shortfalls and projected increases in taxes across the board may end up driving Lewis, a 30-year resident of Mt. Lebanon, out of Allegheny County.

"We are facing a 40-50 percent increase in school taxes to pay for the $115+million high school, quadrupling of PSERS (state retirement fund) fees for schools ($5 million minimum), and underfunded municipal pension funds. There's underfunded retiree medical coverage for schools, more fees to pay for EPA sewer repairs, and the municipality is so strapped they have to borrow money to pay for street repair," Lewis said.

Mt. Lebanon parking authority can't keep up with debt payments, Allegheny County may have to reassess all properties. Now we are told the state withholding tax is going up. The average citizen cannot see any increase in services, yet all these costs keep going up and up. We were told casino revenue would lead to 'substantial reduction' in school taxes. I got a $191 reduction on a $6,000 school tax bill. That casino money was a bust," Lewis said.

Two state officials, however, say they support reductions in state spending before increasing taxes--Rep. Matt Smith (D-Mt. Lebanon) and Sen. John Pippy (R-Moon).

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/06-24-PA-budget-B

Pippy and Smith Are Tweeting

If you don't understand what the title of this posting means, then you haven't been using Twitter, the social networking and micro-blogging service that continues to grow in popularity.

State Senator John Pippy and State Representative Matt Smith have joined the Twitterverse to better communicate with their constituents. You can find Senator Pippy at www.twitter.com/SenatorPippy and Representative Smith at http://www.twitter.com/RepMattSmith.

Women's Wellness Day -- May 30

A Women's Wellness Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 30 at Galleria of Mt. Lebanon, 1500 Washington Road. State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, said he organized the event to help educate women in the South Hills on health and lifestyle issues.

Reservations are not required. For details, call Mr. Smith's office at 412-571-2169.

Legislators Step Up To Support Governor's Schools

With 11,206 signatures on a Facebook petition and 2,674 names on paper petitions, alumni of the Governor's Schools of Excellence have added at least four legislators to those trying to save the summer programs for the state's brightest students.

At a news conference in Harrisburg yesterday, State Reps. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery; Matthew Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon; and Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery and Philadelphia, spoke in support of the program. Rep. Rick Taylor, D-Montgomery, was also said to be in support.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09070/954584-454.stm

Smith And Gastgeb Hosting Drug And Alcohol Awareness Event

From Representative Matt's Smith's office:

I'd like to invite you and anyone else who'd be interested to attend a drug and alcohol prevention and awareness event I'm hosting next month with Allegheny County Councilman Vince Gastgeb, R-Bethel Park, and several local officials.

The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 12 at Mt. Lebanon High School’s auditorium, 7 Horsman Drive in Mt. Lebanon. This event is open to the public.

We've arranged for several speakers from the county Health Department and local groups such as the Mt. Lebanon Police Department, and a question-and-answer period will follow their presentations. We'll also have several resource tables from the county, state and teen outreach organizations.

Councilman Gastgeb and I are hosting the event along with Dr. Bruce Dixon, director of the Allegheny County Health Department, and Pat Valentine, deputy director of the Allegheny County Department of Health and Human Services.

Local Lawmakers: It's Time To Cut Spending

"We've got to reduce our spending, especially if this trend continues on the same track or gets worse in the spring," said Pennsylvania Sen. John Pippy (R-Moon). "Our overall economy is down. Spending is down, buying is down. Sales tax is down, and with job losses our state revenues are down. This is the second year of the downturn in our economy.

"I commend the governor on the tough cuts he's made so far, but we need to look to further reductions because a tax increase isn't something I would consider. I would also oppose any increase in the state's fuel tax. We've weathered this better than many of the larger states in the union. And I am happy we pushed to maintain the rainy day fund, so that it has grown to $750 million. It helps, but we have to look further at duplications in programming and make those cuts too," Pippy said.

Pennsylvania Rep Matt Smith (D-Mt. Lebanon) said he opposes tax increases in this economy and advocates elimination of most if not all of the $200 million accumulated in the legislative surplus.

The "rainy day" and "legislative" surplus funds are not the same. The legislative surplus has an additional $200 million, and has accumulated over a 10 to-15-year period, Smith said.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12-31-PA-budget-sidebar

Rep. Smith Returns Pay Increase

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Allegheny, said he will return his legislative cost-of-living increase to the state's General Fund in light of the budget crisis facing Pennsylvania and the economic crisis facing its residents.

Smith on Dec. 3 said he would also continue pushing his proposal to cut the state legislature's budget by 20 percent in the new session.

"Given the dire budget circumstances our state is facing, with a more than $600 billion shortfall already in less than half a year's worth of collections, I simply cannot accept a cost-of-living adjustment," Smith said. "I'm returning my new cost-of-living increase to the General Fund, as are several of my House Democratic colleagues and our caucus' leadership."

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12-10-ML-Smith-returns-raise

Smith Coasts To Easy Win in 42nd District

It was an early night in the race for District 42 seat in the state House of Representatives. Freshman incumbent Matt Smith of Mt. Lebanon, 36, took the election with roughly 65 percent of the vote over challenger Jim Blazeck, according to unofficial results.

"By 9:30, 10 o'clock it was obvious Matt had won. I called him and congratulated him, then I just went home after that," said Mr. Blazeck, 56, of Mt. Lebanon.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08311/925740-57.stm

Smith, Pippy and O'Donnell Endorsed by Post-Gazette

State Representative Matt Smith, State Senator John Pippy and Steve O'Donnell have been endorsed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in their races for the Pennsylvania State House, the Pennsylvania State Senate and United States House of Representatives.

Link: Smith In The 42nd: The House Freshman Is Off To A Bright Start

Link: Re-elect Pippy: The GOP Senator Has A Solid Grasp Of The Issues

Link: O'Donnell In The
18th: The Challenger Is A Better Choice For The Big Picture

Blazeck Challenges Smith For 42nd District Seat

Republican Jim Blazeck is not a career politician, and, he said, that's a good thing.

He is challenging incumbent Democrat Matt Smith for the 42nd District seat in the state House of Representatives next month, somewhat short on experience but long on enthusiasm.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08297/921954-55.stm

Link 2: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/10-22-Smith-Blazek-B-w-2-pics