- Jack Wagner (politician)
Infobox Mayor |Jack Wagner
order= 50th Auditor General of Pennsylvania
term_start=January 18 ,2005 - Present
term_end=
predecessor=Robert P. Casey Jr. (D)
successor=Incumbent
birth_date=
birth_place=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
spouse= Nancy Wagner
alma_mater=Indiana University of Pennsylvania
religion=Roman Catholic
party=Democratic
order2= Pennsylvania State Senator 42nd District
term_start2=May 10 ,1994
term_end2=January 18 ,2005
predecessor2=
successor2= Wayne Fontana (D)Jack Wagner is the present
Auditor General ofPennsylvania . The statewide elected office is charged with serving as the commonwealth’s independent fiscal monitor. He is a member of the Democratic Party.His niece is
Chelsa Wagner a member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives .Background
Military Service and Education
Auditor General Wagner is a veteran of the United States
Marine Corps and a recipient of thePurple Heart and other military commendations for service in theVietnam War from 1966-68. "In the demilitiarized zone between North and South Vietnam, Wagner's squad got caught in an ambush." Wagner was among three wounded, twelve others died. [ Elaine Jacobs Smith, "The Long Shot," "IUP Magazine" (Winter 2008), 3. ] After being discharged from the Marines, he attendedIndiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) where he graduated in 1974 with a degree in Safety Management. While a student at IUP, Wagner worked as a paramedic with Citizens Ambulance Service serving Indiana County and taught evening emergency responder courses at Admiral Peary Area Vocational Technical School in Ebensburg. Wagner received IUP's Distinguished Alumni Award for service to the community and the university in 1994.Family
Wagner is married to Nancy. The couple has two children: Luke and Sara. ["Auditor General Jack Wagner," Official Biography, Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General. http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/about/bioWagner.html (20 Jan 2008).]
Politician
Wagner was running a restaurant in 1980 when his community experienced serious water problems. He organized a community meeting which no public officials attended. He chose to run that evening. [ Elaine Jacobs Smith, "The Long Shot," "IUP Magazine" (Winter 2008), 3. ]
City of Pittsburgh
Councilman Wagner served on Pittsburgh City Council for 10 years representing his Beechview neighborhood. He served as Council President from 1990-93. In May 1994, Wagner was elected to the Senate of Pennsylvania in a special election.
Pennsylvania State Senate
Wagner served in the leadership of the State Senate as Democratic Caucus Chairman and as the Democratic chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. He also served on the Appropriations; Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness; Rules and Executive Nominations; and Policy committees.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Wagner ran for
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in the 2002 Democratic primary on a ticket with then-Auditor GeneralRobert P. Casey, Jr. Despite Democratic State Committee endorsement, he lost to former State TreasurerCatherine Baker Knoll , who became the running mate of the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, former Philadelphia MayorEd Rendell .In 2004, Sen. Wagner ran to succeed Casey as Auditor General and won in a landslide. He became Pennsylvania's 50th elected Auditor General on January 18, 2005. He is responsible for auditing school districts, executive agencies, and state commissions to ensure fiscal responsibility. The legislature is exempt from the Auditor General’s purview.
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