Northeast Philly’s Joe Picozzi looks back on a year in the state senate

A few weeks after Sen. Joseph Picozzi took the oath of office — now 30, he is now one of the youngest people ever elected to the Pennsylvania state senate and the first Republican to represent Philadelphia since 1996 — tragedy struck his district when a small medical plane fell from the sky. 

All six passengers died in that Jan. 31 crash, along with two people on the ground. More than 20 others, including children, were injured. Picozzi, who was on the scene that night of the plane crash and jumped in to help his constituents. He represents District 5, which encompasses Northeast Philadelphia, where he grew up.

A picture of the Cottman Avenue gas station where officials held press conferences in the days following the plane crash hangs on his office wall. He’s “gotten close” with some of the victims and their families.

“It shows the resilience of the northeast, how many people are blowing up my phone, what can I do to help?” said Picozzi. He thought, “How can I be a resource to people? That really makes you take a step back. We’ve done a lot since then, working with the victims and first responders. [Rep.] Jared Solomon [D-Philadelphia] has done a lot, too.”

“I could never imagine that,” he said of the plane crash. “But that’s part of public service. There are crises, and you have to confront them. You’ve got to make decisions. You’ve got to keep going. You’ve got to be there for the people who put you there.”

Picozzi brought Andre “Trey” Howard, 11, to the Senate to honor him for his bravery in shielding his sister when the plane crashed, sustaining injuries himself. 

Picozzi’s grandfather worked at City Hall and brought him there, sparking an interest in government. When he was fourteen, Picozzi served as a student intern in then-Rep. Frank Farry’s office, Later he helped with Farry’s campaigns.

Farry, (R-Bucks) now a state senator, said, “One of the most meaningful ways we can give back as public officials is by helping young people in our community succeed. Joe first worked in my office as an eighth-grade intern, and I don’t think either of us imagined we would one day serve together in the state senate. It’s incredibly rewarding to support the next generation in our region as they find their paths to serve our community.”

Picozzi’s legislative priorities include education, public safety, and quality of life. He chairs the Urban Affairs and Housing Committee, is vice chair of the Majority Policy Committee, and a member of the Appropriations Committee. 

He has been busy in Harrisburg. Picozzi’s bill to allow doctors for World Cup teams playing in Philadelphia in 2026 to practice here was signed into law. He co-sponsored a bill that created a new crime of interfering with public transit after SEPTA driver Bernard Gribbin was murdered. He also sponsored bills to combat catalytic converter thefts, for breast cancer research, and another to streamline government.

Some of the biggest issues during his first year were the fight to fund SEPTA and to pass a state budget with a divided legislature. But those tough months helped him forge relationships with colleagues statewide and in City Hall.

“The budget delivered a lot of results for Philadelphia. The final product is good for the city,” he said. “Being really tested as a freshman is something that ultimately, I’m grateful for.”

The Governor and the Department of Transportation did not want to take money from the Public Transportation Trust Fund, which was the solution the Republican Senate had identified to plug the hole in SEPTA’s budget.

“In the end, they gave $400 million to SEPTA to stave off the crisis for two years,” he said. “They gave $100 million to PRT (in Pittsburgh), a similar thing. And they put $212 million from the PTTF to SEPTA for infrastructure improvements.”

When Broad + Liberty asked about working with Gov. Josh Shapiro, Picozzi said, “I’m hoping to see more collaboration and cooperation between the executive and the legislature in the new year.”

“The biggest thing (in the budget) is a 20-year tax abatement enabling legislation,” said Picozzi. “That’s something that is going to be critical in transforming a lot of our abandoned buildings, blighted properties. I played a really big part in getting that through.”

There was also “a lot of resources for our schools,” he said. “A lot of that is going to do big things for Philadelphia.”

Asked if serving in the Senate was what he expected, Picozzi allowed it was not.

“It’s not the ‘School House Rock’ version,” he said.

Picozzi is saving for a downpayment to buy a house and knows how hard it is for people his age to buy their first home. “Don’t forget I spent my life savings on my campaign.”

“Most of my peers don’t own homes,” he said. 

He’s sponsored a bill to waive the real estate transfer tax for first-time homebuyers. 

“One of the biggest problems is it’s way too expensive to build. There’s so many regulations, fees, and ways things can get stymied. Time value of money. If you have spent two years going through the regulatory process before you build anything. Looking at ways these processes can be streamlined is really important.”

Because it’s so expensive to build, it inflates housing prices, he said. The Urban Affairs and Housing Committee will be “doing some interesting stuff in the new year,” he said.

Picozzi has visited 25 schools in his district and hopes to go to the others next year.

“I always tell (the students) just because you’re not old enough to vote, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have a voice. Doesn’t mean that you can’t make a difference,” he said. 

The kids he’s met are “bright, sharp” and “level-headed.” 

“I’ve been lucky in many ways. All kinds of people have been very gracious in sharing their wisdom with me,” said Picozzi.

Senate Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) believed in Picozzi from the start of his campaign.

“There is no other member, Democrat or Republican, who cares about the future of Philadelphia more than Sen. Joe Picozzi,” Ward said. “He is hardworking, works across the aisle to the benefit of the people he represents, and above all, has a pulse on the people of Philadelphia. Sen. Picozzi’s decisions and actions are grounded in how they benefit the people of Northeast Philadelphia now and in the future. Proof positive is his efforts to turn blighted vacant properties into new homes and ensure working families can access more income through the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit.”

“Sen. Picozzi’s inspiring manner and ‘never give up’ attitude brought hope to his constituents during the crisis of a devastating plane crash on the streets of the district he serves,” Ward added. “He has demonstrated dedication to his constituents by rising above the targeted partisan attacks by Gov. Shapiro and special interest groups during the mass transit debate. Sen. Picozzi’s style is one of public service, without an ego. I have great admiration for Joe Picozzi.”

Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) said, “Throughout my 31 years in the Pennsylvania Senate, I’ve worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle because that’s how you get real results for the people we serve. Collaboration and mutual respect are essential to delivering for our districts, for Philadelphia, and for communities across the commonwealth. I’m always glad to share experience and help newer members, like Sen. Picozzi, get acclimated so they can be effective advocates for their constituents. At the end of the day, the focus should always be on doing good work and making a difference for the people of Pennsylvania.” 

Picozzi’s 2024 campaign knocked on some 70,000 doors, and he wore out three pairs of shoes. Before running for the state Senate, he was chief of staff at the Manhattan Institute (a think tank) and served as an aide to former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Picozzi graduated from Georgetown University.

Picozzi’s first words on the Senate floor were quintessentially Philly: “Go, Birds!” 

Linda Stein is a Philadelphia-area reporter.