Gerald LaValle

Gerald J. LaValle
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 47th district
In office
June 4, 1990[1] – November 30, 2008
Preceded by James Ross
Succeeded by Elder Vogel
Constituency Parts of Allegheny, Beaver, and Lawrence Counties
Personal details
Born (1932-01-25) January 25, 1932
Rochester, Pennsylvania
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Darla J.
Children 2 children
Residence Rochester, Pennsylvania
Alma mater Geneva College
Westminster College
Occupation Educator
Religion Roman Catholic[2]
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch United States Marine Corps and United States Marine Corps Reserve
Years of service 1956—1981
Rank Lieutenant colonel
Unit 4th Marine Division

Gerald J. LaValle is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate.

A native of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, he earned a degree from Geneva College in 1956 and a Master of Education from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania in 1971.[1] He worked as a teacher, guidance counselor, and athletic coach at Midland High School and Rochester Area High School from 1959 to 1984.[2]

He served in the borough government of Rochester, Pennsylvania, as councilman from 1973 to 1976 and mayor from 1976 to 1988.[2] He then served as County Commissioner of Beaver County.[2][3] He was elected to represent the 47th senatorial district in the Pennsylvania Senate in a 1990 special election.[1] Within the Democratic caucus, he was elected Minority Caucus Secretary in 2005 and Minority Appropriations Committee Chairman on February 6, 2007.[1]

In 2007 and 2008, LaValle was investigated by the Pennsylvania Attorney General for his connections to two separate Beaver County non-profit organizations.[4] The Beaver Initiative for Growth, an $11 million community development nonprofit founded by LaValle and State Representative Mike Veon, was implicated for loose financial management.[5] The second, the Voluntary Action Center, was a small nonprofit call center partially funded by the Beaver Initiative for Growth and operated by LaValle's wife, Darla LaValle.[4][6]

Investigations into the Voluntary Action Center began when Darla LaValle repaid the organization about $50,000 in "unauthorized compensation."[4] On August 18, 2008, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett charged LaValle's wife, Darla LaValle, with stealing thousands of dollars, inflating her salary, and denying employees pension benefits while serving as executive director of the Voluntary Action Center.[7][8][9]

He retired following the 2008 Pennsylvania Senate elections.[3][4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Gerald J. LaValle (D)". Official Pennsylvania Senate Profile. Pennsylvania Senate. Archived from the original on 2007-08-19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Senator Gerald J. LaValle (PA)". Vote Smart. Archived from the original on 2008-11-17.
  3. 1 2 Cioffi, Laure (2008-01-06). "LaValle plans to retire". The Vindicator. Archived from the original on 2009-12-12.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Erdley, Debra (January 3, 2008). "Beaver County senator LaValle to retire this year". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  5. ↑ David, Brian (November 6, 2008). "Election 2008/West: GOP shocks Beaver Dems". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
  6. ↑ Bumsted, Brad; Debra Erdley (December 1, 2007). "State senator's wife received 'unauthorized' pay". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  7. ↑ "Beaver County Court of Common Pleas Court Summary" (PDF). Court Summary Report. Unified Court System of Pennsylvania. 2008-09-26. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
  8. ↑ "Attorney General Corbett announces theft charges against former Executive Director of Beaver County nonprofit" (Press release). Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. 2008-08-14. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
  9. ↑ Associated Press (2008-09-26). "Pa. senator's wife faces trial on theft charges". Associated Press.
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