Donna Iannone, a resident of Dushore and a Sullivan County Commissioner, recently announced that she is running for PA State Representative in the 110th Legislative District, which serves Bradford, Sullivan and western Susquehanna County.
Though she loves her job as commissioner, Iannone believes that being a member of the House of Representatives will provide a better platform for her to improve the lives of those she already represents and all constituents in the 110th District.
As a member of the Pennsylvania County Commissioners Natural Gas Task Force, she shares the frustration of natural gas lease holders who are being robbed of the royalties they deserve.
“For more than eight years, state legislators have not passed a bill to keep natural gas companies from depriving PA leaseholders from post production costs,” Iannone said. “We can change the makeup of our legislature or we can continue the fruitless fight to lobby our legislators.”
Equally high on Iannone’s list of priorities is the Opioid Epidemic. Having lost a loved one to substance abuse disorder and watched friends and another family member suffer the effects of the disease, she is anxious to work with professionals in the District and her colleagues in Harrisburg to develop a better strategy to curb the epidemic.
As the daughter of a single mother, Iannone is also familiar with the struggles of the working class. She has faced many obstacles in her life like everyone else and understands, if you really want to make a difference in your community, you must stand up for what you believe in and work hard. As co-owner of the Colley Pub, a family-style eatery near Dushore, she understands what is involved in owning and operating a business.
Iannone put herself through college and earned a masters degree in Business Administration from Wilkes University. As a commissioner, she serves as representative on numerous committees like Children & Youth, drug & alcohol, mental health and intellectual disabilities and public libraries. She is a cofounder of the Sullivan County Back Pack Program and a member of the Sullivan County Health Partnership Committee.
Iannone was selected as the first president of the newly-formed Pennsylvania’s Women’s County Commissioners Caucus. As a member of the Energy and Environmental Committee, she supports responsible development of natural resources and fair practices for those involved in farming and agriculture.
“I understand that this will not be an easy contest, and I did not make this decision lightly,” Iannone stated. “My life’s journey has led me to this decision. I’m far from perfect, but I truly believe that I can make a positive impact for the people of the 110th District.”
To learn more about Iannone and to lend support to her campaign, interested readers may log on to www.donnaiannone.com.