Press Release
Commonwealth Foundation Thanks Speaker Mike Turzai
June 10, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Mike Turzai announced that he will resign from his seat in the General Assembly effective June 15. Turzai served 10 terms representing House District 28 in Allegheny County and has been House Speaker since 2015.
Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Charles Mitchell issued the following statement:
The Commonwealth Foundation is proud to have worked alongside Speaker Turzai during his two decades in our legislature. We will miss his resolute, courageous advocacy for smart, free-market reforms that improve the lives of our fellow Pennsylvanians.
Notably, he succeeded in helping students across the commonwealth afford the education their families wanted for them. Last year, over Gov. Wolf’s opposition, he led lawmakers in expanding Pennsylvania’s premier school choice program. This reform, coupled with a 2018 expansion, has provided the opportunity for tens of thousands more students to attend better schools each year.
We are also honored to have worked closely with Speaker Turzai to enact public pension reform, reform the state’s liquor system, defeat billions of dollars of tax increases, limit state spending increases, and protect affordable energy for all Pennsylvanians.
Speaker Turzai has been both a successful free-market champion and a beloved mentor for a new generation of leaders. We are confident that those who take his place will continue the fight for the causes he has done so much to advance.
We hope Speaker Turzai finds success and happiness in all his future endeavors. We look forward to working closely with those who will now lead the Pennsylvania House in passing more public policies that ensure all Pennsylvanians have equal opportunity to pursue the American dream.
Commonwealth Foundation experts are available for comment. Please contact Michael Torres at 850-619-2737 or [email protected] to schedule an interview.
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The Commonwealth Foundation transforms free-market ideas into public policies so all Pennsylvanians can flourish