Letter: Fitzgerald has earned the support of her colleagues

by Shoshana Bricklin, Chestnut Hill resident
Posted 5/4/22

While both legislators took office the same year, only Fitzgerald has been able to garner support from her legislative colleagues in her quest for re-election, including well-known progressive State Sen. Art Haywood. 

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Letter: Fitzgerald has earned the support of her colleagues

Posted

Editor’s note:

In  the Thursday, May 5 print issue of the Local, the last paragraph of this letter was misleading. 

In it, writer Shoshonna Bricklin, a supporter of Isabella Fitzgerald and a  member of the National Organization for Women’s political action committee, said State Rep Chris Rabb was taking credit for sponsoring an amendment to bill HB46, which gives tax credit for contributions for pediatric cancer research, but that his name did not appear anywhere on the bill. 

In fact, while Rabb’s name did not appear on the bill itself, his name is clearly printed on the amendment, which lifted a $5 cap on the amount a person can contribute. The final bill, which passed unanimously, now includes no limit on contributions. 

The article on the primary race between two sitting state representatives in the newly-drawn 200th district mischaracterizes the race as pitting a so-called progressive (Rabb) against an establishment candidate (Fitzgerald).  

While both legislators took office the same year, only Fitzgerald has been able to garner support from her legislative colleagues in her quest for re-election, including well-known progressive State Sen. Art Haywood.  Fitzgerald secured such support because of her collaborative style and was recently appointed as the Democratic vice-chair of the Bi-Partisan caucus.  She also was endorsed by the very progressive municipal union AFSCME District Council 47 as well as Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Fitzgerald introduced and passed legislation in 2020 requiring insurance companies to pay for additional screenings such as MRI's for women whose mammograms show dense breast issues.  Prior to 2020, women had to pay out of pocket for these additional screenings. This is huge. The law benefits women not just in her district - but across the Commonwealth. This legislation saves lives.

She proposed legislation entitled "Dignity for Incarcerated Women" requiring the Department of Corrections to provide feminine hygiene products to women regardless of their ability to pay. While this didn't become law, it became policy for the state Department of Corrections. 

The Philadelphia Chapter of the National Organization for Women Political Action Committee (on which I serve) endorsed Fitzgerald not only for her leadership in these areas, but because we know that without woman legislators, these kinds of initiatives would never see the light of day.  And in Pennsylvania women make up less than 30% of our General Assembly and there are only 9 women of color in our State House (none in the State Senate).