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Jay Costa

Elected Office: State Senator—District 43

Candidate for: State Senator—District 43

A Family Tradition

State Senator Jay Costa’s Pittsburgh roots run deep. His family first lived in East Liberty, then moved – while Jay was still young – to the Squirrel Hill-Point Breeze neighborhood. His experiences growing up in these Pittsburgh neighborhoods instilled in him a deep appreciation for our region’s sense of community and prepared him to succeed in a career in the public eye. First on Larimer Avenue, to Ridgeville Street, and now in Forest Hills – where he and his family have lived for nearly 30 years –  Jay learned the importance of hard work, the power of helping others, and the responsibilities we all have to the region we call home.

Jay’s father worked at the Larimer Avenue family grocery store, Costa Brothers,  before taking a position in county government. 25 years later, he’d be elected Allegheny County Treasurer before his untimely death at 61. His mother, while primarily a homemaker, was just as active in the community, serving as a volunteer on a number of area boards including as Chairwoman of the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board for over 25 years.

Jay’s parents weren’t the only Costas working hard to help their neighbors. His grandfather, a first-generation Italian immigrant, would help other newly-minted Americans find work through his job on the Pittsburgh Railway.

Watching his family, Jay learned the true impact of public service and recognized his own ability to make a positive impact on the lives of people around him.

A Career Begins

After graduating from Taylor Allderdice High School, Jay attended the Community College of Allegheny County. Graduating with a degree in Criminology, he then attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania to study Criminal Justice with the ultimate goal of becoming a police officer.

Upon graduation from IUP, Jay worked in our Pittsburgh Public Schools as a substitute teacher before accepting a position with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department. As part of his training, Jay attended the Police Academy, where he graduated first in a class of municipal police officers throughout Allegheny County.

Jay’s final stop in his educational career was at Duquesne University Law School. He worked during the day as a Deputy Sheriff and attended law school in the evening. There, Jay learned everything he could from DA’s and public defenders in the County’s downtown courtrooms.

When Jay earned his Juris Doctorate, he spent time working at two Pittsburgh law firms, honing his skills as a practicing attorney and in the administrative and technical aspects of the legal profession.

This experience would come in handy. When the opportunity to serve as Allegheny County Register of Wills arose, Jay ran a successful campaign and began a career in public service.

A Commitment to Public Service

As Allegheny County’s new Register, Jay streamlined services and fully updated the office’s technology offerings, with an eye toward efficiency and true customer service.

While the Register of Wills office has traditionally been an administrative position, Jay would constantly travel around the communities he served, learning firsthand how he could meet the changing needs of the public.

He pushed hard to address (and eventually reduce) inequities in the PA Inheritance Tax in an effort to save taxpayer dollars and decrease financial inequity among regional families.

When the PA budget cut funding to the region’s Poison Control Centers, Jay went to Harrisburg himself to find new money to keep those organizations open.

A Shift in Government

His position as a county row officer gave him a front-row seat to regional trends starting to unfold.

The Federal government of the late 1990’s began retreating from local issues, shifting many major governing decisions up to state capitols. The only problem with this realignment, as Jay saw it, was that local communities lost their voice and their influence over their own governance.

In light of this shift, Jay knew the best way he could advocate for the community would be to move into a position where he could help shape state policy. He wanted to be a part of a broader conversation about the region’s future, and as a native son, to guide it in the right direction.

In a special election, Jay won his first term as a State Senator serving Pennsylvania’s 43rd district, which included the Squirrel Hill neighborhood where he grew up.

As a new Senator in Harrisburg, Jay hit the ground running, tirelessly advocating for his community and putting his family’s penchant for service into action once again. He distinguished himself as a capable and authentic lawmaker and quickly rose through the ranks of the Senate Democratic caucus, first as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, then as Caucus Chairman followed by his role as the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

In 2010, Jay was elected as Democratic leader, due, in part, to his diverse experience and his ability to work with all parties.

Jay Costa: A Leader in the Senate

In Harrisburg, Jay has fought hard for his constituents, and for the rights of all Pennsylvanians.

He’s been a leader on improving and expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare; worked to build a smart, fair, and just economy; struggled to safeguard our environment and address climate change; and fought to curb the epidemic of gun violence sweeping our state.

Most importantly to Leader Costa, he’s helped bring up the next generation of Senate Democrats, striving to elect and empower caucus members to bring real, sustainable change to our commonwealth.

A Kid from Pittsburgh. A Champion for Pennsylvania

The Costa Brothers Grocery on the corner of Larimer and Shetland is now long-gone, replaced by a community basketball court. When he’s not in Harrisburg, Jay sometimes drives by that corner and the new homes along the streets where he grew up. A lot of progress has been made in the district, but more can be done.

Jay and Roxanne, his wife of 35 years, are proud to have raised their three children, Jessel, Anthony, and Rachel (and a shelter dog, Vader) – all of whom still call Pittsburgh home.

They encourage their children to live the values they learned from the region they love – empathy, hard work, honesty, truthfulness, and the impact of truly listening to others.

Those ideals guided Jay through his life as a parent, student, lawyer, and a county official. Now as Senate Democratic Leader, they’re helping him, and the new Senate leaders, build a better future for all of Pennsylvania

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Calendar

March 2021

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
  • CANCELED Aspinwall Democratic Committee Meeting
    CANCELED Aspinwall Democratic Committee Meeting March 1, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm Aspinwall Boro Bldg on Commercial Ave
    See more details
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2
  • 14th Ward Democratic Committee Meeting
    14th Ward Democratic Committee Meeting March 2, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Online Meeting

    14th Ward Democratic Committee Meeting - Will be held on line. Contact Sam Hens-Greco for more information or to schedule a time to speak.

    Candidates for the Court of Common Pleas are asked to complete the 14th Ward Committee Judicial Questionnaire prior to scheduling a time to speak. Contact Sam Hens-Greco at samhengreco@gmail.com for a copy of the questionnaire.

    In order to accommodate the large number of candidates there will be Committee Meetings on the following dates. Only 5 to 7 candidates will speak per night.

    Tuesday January 19th
    Wednesday, February 3rd
    Tuesday, February 16th
    Wednesday, February 24th
    Tuesday, March 2nd

    See more details
•
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4
  • ZOOM: McCandless Democratic Committee Meeting
    ZOOM: McCandless Democratic Committee Meeting March 4, 2021 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm Zoom

    Business Meeting precedes 7:30 Open Meeting. Email Paul Heckman at prheckman@gmail.com for an invitation.

    As there are more judicial candidates than we can fairly entertain at our monthly meetings, we will not be having judicial candidates speak at our meetings. As part of the Northern Regional Democratic Alliance (NRDA), we invite judicial candidates to join us at the NRDA Judicial Forums as detailed here in the ACDC calendar. More details - https://mccandlessdems.org

    See more details
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  • CANCELLED Franklin Park Democratic Committee Meeting
    CANCELLED Franklin Park Democratic Committee Meeting March 8, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Franklin Park Municipal Building, 2344 W Ingomar Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

    All Democrats in Franklin Park are welcome.

    For questions, please contact Secretary Cynthia Navadeh at cnavadeh@yahoo.com

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  • Pine Dems Monthly Meeting
    Pine Dems Monthly Meeting March 8, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm 11530 Perry Hwy, Ste 106 Levana Bratique Wexford, Pennsylvania 15090 United States

    The Pine Township Democratic Committee meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7PM at Levana Bratique in Wexford. 7-7:45 PM is reserved for committee members - the general public is welcome to attend at 7:45 PM. Join us!

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  • ZOOM: Pine Dems Committee Meeting
    ZOOM: Pine Dems Committee Meeting March 8, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Virtual

    Pine Dems Monthly Meeting - meeting held via Zoom. Email info@pinedems.org for link.

    See more details
  • CANCELLED West Deer Democratic Committee Monthly Meeting
    CANCELLED West Deer Democratic Committee Monthly Meeting March 8, 2021 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm 109 East Union Rd Cheswick, Pennsylvania 15024 United States
    Join us for the monthly meeting of the West Deer Democratic Committee. We meet at 8:00 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the West Deer Municipal Building.

    Network with other Democrats, hear from candidates and elected officials, and learn how the Democratic Party is working to win local elections and improve West Deer.

    All visitors are welcome.

    See more details
• • • •
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  • CANCELLED Mt. Lebanon Democratic Committee Monthly Meeting
    CANCELLED Mt. Lebanon Democratic Committee Monthly Meeting March 10, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Mt. Lebanon Municipal Office, 710 Washington Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15228, USA

    Join us for the monthly meeting of the Mt. Lebanon Democratic Committee. We meet at 7:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month in the Commission Chambers at the Municipal Building.

    Network with other Democrats, hear from candidates and elected officials, and learn how the Democratic Party is working to win local elections and improve our community.

    All visitors are welcome. Come and find out how you can get involved. Learn more at https://www.mtlebanondemocrats.com

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  • CANCELLED South Park Democratic Meeting
    CANCELLED South Park Democratic Meeting March 10, 2021 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm 2675 Brownsville Road Township Community Room South Park Township, Pennsylvania 15129 United States
      Democratic meeting. Candidates welcome.
    Questions call Dave or Joan Buchewicz, 412-833-8025
    Meetings are scheduled the 2nd Wednesday month, 8 PM.
    See more details
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  • CANCELLD Oakmont Democrats Monthly Meeting
    CANCELLD Oakmont Democrats Monthly Meeting March 16, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Oakmont Elks 106 Washington Ave. OAKMONT, Pennsylvania 15139 United States

    Monthly Meeting

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  • CANCELLED Harrison Township Committee Meeting
    CANCELLED Harrison Township Committee Meeting March 16, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm 1600 Pacific Avenue Suite 10 Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania 15065 United States Map It

    3rd Tuesday of every month.

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  • CANCELLED Oakmont Democrats Meeting
    CANCELLED Oakmont Democrats Meeting March 16, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Oakmont Elks, 106 Washington Avenue, Oakmont.

    Monthly meeting

    See more details
  • ZOOM: Swissvale Democratic Committee
    ZOOM: Swissvale Democratic Committee March 16, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Zoom Meeting

    Swissvale Democratic Committee Zoom Monthly Meeting

    Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5139209154?pwd=MVI4eElJd2I4UjcxbG1jMENtTFFwUT09

    Meeting ID: 513 920 9154
    Passcode: ec2020

    Tim Ward - 412-512-6050 - timgward91@gmail.com

    See more details
• • • •
17
  • CANCELLED O'Hara Democratic Committee Meeting
    CANCELLED O'Hara Democratic Committee Meeting March 17, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm O'Hara Municipal Building, 325 Fox Chapel Rd, Pittsburgh PA 15238
    See more details
  • CANCELLED Plum Borough Democratic Committee and Friends of the Committee
    CANCELLED Plum Borough Democratic Committee and Friends of the Committee March 17, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Plum Senior Community Center, 499 Center New Texas Rd, Plum, PA 15239, USA

    The Plum Borough Democratic Committee and Friends of the Committee meet at 7:00 PM on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Meetings are currently held at the Plum Senior Community Center, 499 Center New Texas Rd, Plum, PA 15239.

    See more details
• •
18
  • CANCELLED Hampton Township Democratic Committee Meeting
    CANCELLED Hampton Township Democratic Committee Meeting March 18, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Hampton High School, Room C310 2929 McCully Rd, Allison Park, PA 15101
    See more details
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22
  • CANCELLD Forest Hills Dems Meeting
    CANCELLD Forest Hills Dems Meeting March 22, 2021 @ 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm Forest Hills Borough Building, 4400 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh PA 15221
    See more details
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23
  • CANCELLED Upper St. Clair Democratic Committee Meeting
    CANCELLED Upper St. Clair Democratic Committee Meeting March 23, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm 1770 McLaughlin Run Rd, Upper St Clair, PA 15241
    See more details
  • ZOOM Upper St Clair Meeting
    ZOOM Upper St Clair Meeting March 23, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

    ZOOM MEETING. Contact Mary McIntyre for link at maryfmcintyre56@gmail.com

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  • ZOOM: Jefferson Hills Democrats Monthly Meeting
    ZOOM: Jefferson Hills Democrats Monthly Meeting March 23, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Virtual
      Join the Jefferson Hills Democrats monthly meeting to network, hear from local elected officials, campaigns, and to get engaged with the Democratic Party at the local level!

    Register in advance for this meeting:
    https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpde2urTgsG92L_q0sscSQSL-t8E-fnBZS

    After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting

    See more details
  • CANCELLED Baldwin Borough Democrats
    CANCELLED Baldwin Borough Democrats March 23, 2021 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Baldwin Municipal Building Auditorium, 3344 Churchview Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15227

    The Baldwin Borough Democrats meet the 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm in the Baldwin Municipal Building Auditorium, 3344 Churchview Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15227. All are welcome to attend. Contact Marianne Conley (Chair) 412 885-3129 or Jim Hagan (Vice Chair) 412 885-3828

    See more details
• • • •
24
  • CANCELLED Richland Township Democratic Committee Monthly Meeting
    CANCELLED Richland Township Democratic Committee Monthly Meeting March 24, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm 4015 Dickey Rd, Gibsonia, PA 15044, USA

    Please join the Richland Democratic Committee for a Monthly General Meeting.

    Please contact the Richland Township Democratic Chair, Brian O'Malley, if you have any questions. 724-230-6768 or richlandtwpdems@gmail.com

    See more details
•
25
  • CANCELLED Pleasant Hills Democratic Committee Monthly Meeting
    CANCELLED Pleasant Hills Democratic Committee Monthly Meeting March 25, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm 410 E Bruceton Rd Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236 United States

    Join the Pleasant Hills Democrats for our monthly meeting. We meet in the community room of the Pleasant Hills municipal building. Email questions to phdemocrats@gmail.com.

    See more details
  • CANCELED Bethel Park Democratic Committee
    CANCELED Bethel Park Democratic Committee March 25, 2021 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Bethel Park Municipal Building 5100 W Library Avenue, Bethel Park, PA 15102
    See more details
  • ZOOM: Bethel Park Democratic Committee Meeting
    ZOOM: Bethel Park Democratic Committee Meeting March 25, 2021 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Virtual Event

    Please contact us at bethelparkdems@gmail.com for Zoom invitation

    See more details
• • •
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27
  • ZOOM: Dormont Democratic Committee Meeting
    ZOOM: Dormont Democratic Committee Meeting March 27, 2021 @ 9:30 am - 11:00 am 2950 W Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15216, USA

    For January-March, Dormont Committee meetings are being held virtually. Requests for the link can be sent to demcommofdormont@gmail.com.

    See more details
•
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