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Pennsylvania State Senate
09/15/2024 04:50 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?SPick=20210&chamber=S&cosponId=37814
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: October 14, 2022 01:38 PM
From: Senator Jay Costa
To: All Senate members
Subject: Condolence Resolution - Former Senator Jim Ferlo
 
Please join me in commemorating the life of our former colleague, Senator Jim Ferlo, who passed away on May 15, 2022 at the age of 70.

Senator Ferlo led an extraordinary life of public service.  Before being elected to represent the 38th Senatorial District, Jim served on Pittsburgh City Council beginning in 1987, including three years as council president.  Known as a proud agitator and activist before and during his tenure in elected office, Senator Ferlo never shied away from doing what he felt was the right thing.  He was known for walking the walk, not just talking the talk – a kind of politician who was an example of how to effectively organize and petition through both argument and action.  He knew how to bring people together.

Ferlo’s activist roots began at a young age.  He was one of ten siblings born to Italian immigrant parents in Rome, NY.  He was a vocal opponent of the Vietnam War as a teenager and moved to the City of Pittsburgh at age 15.  During his tenure on city council, he chained himself to the Syria Mosque in Oakland to keep it from being bulldozed. From this action spawned the idea for Preservation Pittsburgh, a grassroots non-profit that has been focused on city preservation for 30 years. He was a lover of people and community, which were always the cornerstones of his legislative initiatives.

Sen. Ferlo’s passion drove him to be an incredibly competent legislator.  He was a fighter for the environment, workers, immigrants, low-income families and other marginalized communities.  He led efforts to reenact Pennsylvania’s hate crime statute protecting the LGBTQ community and was the first openly gay State Senator in Pennsylvania. 

Jim left a vast legacy of good work in his wake.  Please join me in honoring him with this condolence resolution.
 



Introduced as SR372


Memo Updated: October 14, 2022 02:25 PM