Dean to Hold 'Town Hall' Tonight

State Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-153, will hold a town hall tonight. The venue? Your couch.

Tonight at 7 p.m. everyone’s phone in the 153^rd district will ring. If you answer and stay on the line, you’ll be able to participate in a teleconference with Dean.

It’s the first time the State Representative’s office has done something like this, according to Jim Strine, media specialist with the House Democratic Caucus.

“What happens is basically we contract with a company that generates thousands of calls into the 153^rd and it tells people to hold the line and they’ll be patched into the meeting,” Strine said. “Everyone can hear [Dean] speak live.”

Strine said residents, via their phones, can press a number to “raise their hand” to have an opportunity to have their names and questions heard.

The call will go to whatever phone number is registered with each voter in the 153rd — whether it’s a cell phone or a land line. 

Mark Koenig, Dean’s legislative director, said Dean will also talk about things that are happening at the state level, like the budget, and what the State House will be talking about when it goes back into session on Sept. 24. Koenig said that the call will probably last an hour.

“This is a great way to bring thousands of district residents into one community discussion,” Dean said in a press release. “If you have a question about any state or local issue affecting the 153^rd Legislative District, I encourage you to just pick up the phone when it rings at 7 p.m. Thursday.”

Those who don’t have their questions answered live during the discussion will have an opportunity to record their question and forward it to Dean’s office; residents can also send a question before the event to townhall@pahouse.net.

Dean will hold an actual town hall meeting Thursday, Sept. 13 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Antioch Baptist Church on Logan Avenue in North Hills.