First Day of New PA Assembly Spent on Redecorating

The Pennsylvania General Assembly started off the new year as they always do: redecorating!

New legislators were promptly sworn in so that the decorating could begin. State Rep. Jason Ortitay, R-South Fayette, who was just elected last November, was eager to get started. “First on the agenda are those curtains!” said Ortitay.

Redecoration has been a Pennsylvania tradition since 1906 when Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker famously painted the interior walls scarlet instead of the vermillion that the Democrats had voted on.

“It’s the one time of the year we can see everyone reaching across the aisle to get things done,” said State Sen. Vincent J. Hughes, who resides on the Committee on Interior Design and Draperies. “Tomorrow it will be back to the old arguments on education and state liquor stores, but today we’ll be debating red oak or cherry; chartreuse or olive.” Hughes was quick to add, “The pennant banners were my idea.”

State Rep. Sandra Major, R-111^th, has been head of the Committee on Color Palettes for three years. “Once again I fought hard to incorporate Pantone’s Color of the Year into our designs. 2015’s color is Marsala, which would look absolutely delicious on the walls of the House. But of course the freshmen bring their pastel ideologies and their hard-line earth tones, and we get stuck with some sort of horrific compromise.”