A Former Judge Is Running For The Newly Created 54th District In The PA House

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — A Norristown native who in 2015 became the first Black magisterial district judge in Montgomery County, and also the youngest person ever to hold local judgeship in Pennsylvania, has announced he is running to represent the newly created 54th Legislative District in the House of Representatives.

Greg Scott, who became Norristown's first junior borough councilman when he was just in high school, says he is running for state rep so he can "continue to provide for the community that raised me.

"I am excited to announce my candidacy and I look forward to continuing to serve my community in this capacity to ensure that our state contributes its fair share of funding in bettering the lives of working families," Scott, who is in his mid-30s, said in a statement.

Scott said he would continue to prioritize criminal justice reform — just as he has as a local judge — and would focus specifically on mental health issues as they relate to the court system.

Scott also looks to invest in public education, saying he would like to create a property tax reform commission to address the school funding issue and to "provide recommendations to fix this broken system."

Scott says he was instilled with a sense of community activism from an early age, particularly from his mother, Peggy, who was active in the Norristown area, and his grandmother, Ernestine, who was involved with Philadelphia government.

He joined the Norristown Fire Department in a volunteer capacity at age 16, and the following year joined up with the Plymouth Community Ambulance Association as an EMT.

Scott became the youngest magisterial district judge ever in Pennsylvania upon his election seven years ago when he was 28; he is recognized as the first Black MDJ in Montgomery County.

"On the bench, Greg is dedicated to the lives of the deserving individuals that appear before him," states Scott's bio on his campaign website. "He has become a leading voice for understanding trauma and its impact on citizens appearing in court rooms and has helped to create programs aimed at reducing recidivism and helping constituents attain access to services to assist with their mental health and well-being."

Visit this website to learn more about the candidate.