Saturday, May 27, 2006
The state lawmaker will leave office Nov. 30.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. -- Frank LaGrotta intends to leave public office with dignity.
The 20-year state representative conceded the Democratic Party primary Friday from his Ellwood City office.
"I am clearly satisfied that each of the three counties were monitored [during official tabulation] by legislative counsel. To prolong this [with a recount] would be to delay the inevitable," said the 47-year-old lawmaker who represents the 10th Legislative District. The district includes parts of Lawrence, Beaver and Butler counties.
LaGrotta was defeated by 27 votes in the primary election by 25-year-old law student Jaret Gibbons of Ellwood City.
"I thank him for what he's done over the years for the district, and I hope he will work with me and implement the changes the people are seeking," said Gibbons.
Gibbons will take on Republican nominee Chuck Morse in the fall.
LaGrotta said he will remain active in the Democratic Party and intends to support all Democratic candidates, including Gibbons, in the fall.
Taking the blame
A very candid LaGrotta takes sole blame for the loss.
"This is very difficult for me. I still have things I wanted to do. When you lose an election, it's about you. This was not about Jaret Gibbons," he said.
He said there was still an undercurrent of discontent from voters over the midnight pay raise that legislators eventually repealed and repaid.
But LaGrotta feels the loss goes deeper to some more local issues.
LaGrotta believes he took the heat for some voter anger over large sewage tap-in fees and the threat of increased school taxes in the Beaver County section of his district where he fared the worst against Gibbons.
LaGrotta said he has no plans to seek public office.
"I'm a lousy politician, but I thought I was a good policymaker. I was terrible at going to spaghetti dinners and those types of events. I thought my fort & eacute; was helping people," he said.
Sole regret
He says his only regret is that he won't be in office if the Democrats take control of the state House this fall. With 17 incumbents losing their seats in this past primary, the party has a chance of taking control, he said.
LaGrotta said he has no plans after his term ends Nov. 30, but he does intend to keep working as a state lawmaker until that time.
The state representative said he realizes he hasn't always taken the popular stand in some local issues, including being instrumental in stopping the sale of Lawrence County's nursing home to private buyers and making public problems with the Shenango Township home rehabilitation program for those with low incomes.
LaGrotta vowed to continue that work until he leaves office.
"As long as I'm in office, the investigations will continue, and I will pursue any idea that people that I represent were treated wrongly. I don't regret anything I did," he said.
cioffi@vindy.com