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'''John A. Alario, Jr.''' (born September 15, 1943), is the current but departing president of the [[Louisiana]] State Senate. A three-term state senator from Westwego in Jefferson Parish in [[suburb]]an [[New Orleans]], Alario from 1972 to 2008 was a member of the state House of Representatives. Twice he was House Speaker. Along with Mallory Horne of [[Florida]], John Hainkel, Jr., of Louisiana, and Libby Mitchell of [[Maine]], Alario is one of only four persons who previously held both of the top state legislative offices, House Speaker, and Senate President in their states.

'''John A. Alario, Jr.''' (born September 15, 1943), is the current but departing president of the [[Louisiana]] State Senate. A three-term state senator from Westwego in Jefferson Parish in [[suburb]]an [[New Orleans]], Alario from 1972 to 2008 was a member of the state House of Representatives. Twice he was House Speaker.  

 

Along with Mallory Horne of [[Florida]], John Hainkel, Jr., of Louisiana, and Libby Mitchell of [[Maine]], Alario is one of only four persons who previously held both of the top state legislative offices, House Speaker, and Senate President in their states.

==Background==

==Background==

Alario was born to John A. Alario, Sr., and the former Elsie Lombas.<ref name=alariocenter>{{cite web|title=John A. Alario, Sr., The Man Behind The Name 1924--1985 |url= http://www.alariocenter.com/index.cfm?DocID=1974 |accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref><ref name=votesmart>{{cite web|title=Project Vote Smart|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/4547/john-alario-jr#.UjaCgj_hdAE|title=Senator John Alario, Jr.'s Biography|publisher=|date=|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref> In 1961, he graduated from West Jefferson High School.<ref name=senate>{{cite web|work=Louisiana State Senate Biography|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Alario/biography.asp|title=Senator John A. Alario-District 8|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref> In 1965 he received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. From 1965 to 1966, he taught in the Jefferson Parish public schools. In 1966, he began work as an [[accountant]]. By 1972, when he began his legislative career, he had launched his own tax consulting firm, John A. Alario, Jr. Income Tax Service. He is a member of the National Society of Public Accountants. In 1973, he became a delegate for the Louisiana Constitutional Convention. From 1979 to 1985, he was chairman of the Louisiana Exposition Authority.<ref name=votesmart/><ref name=senate/>​

Alario was born to John A. Alario, Sr., and the former Elsie Lombas.<ref name=alariocenter>{{cite web|title=John A. Alario, Sr., The Man Behind The Name 1924--1985 |url= http://www.alariocenter.com/index.cfm?DocID=1974 |accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref><ref name=votesmart>{{cite web|title=Project Vote Smart|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/4547/john-alario-jr#.UjaCgj_hdAE|title=Senator John Alario, Jr.'s Biography|publisher=|date=|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref> In 1961, he graduated from West Jefferson High School.<ref name=senate>{{cite web|work=Louisiana State Senate Biography|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Alario/biography.asp|title=Senator John A. Alario-District 8|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref> In 1965 he received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. From 1965 to 1966, he taught in the Jefferson Parish public schools. In 1966, he began work as an [[accountant]]. By 1972, when he began his legislative career, he had launched his own tax consulting firm, John A. Alario, Jr. Income Tax Service. He is a member of the National Society of Public Accountants. In 1973, he became a delegate for the Louisiana Constitutional Convention. From 1979 to 1985, he was chairman of the Louisiana Exposition Authority.<ref name=votesmart/><ref name=senate/>​

 

Alario is a member of the [[Roman Catholic]] men's organization, the [[Knights of Columbus]]. He is also affiliated with the Louisiana Epilepsy Association, Louisiana International Deep Water Gulf Transfer Terminal Authority and the Westwego Volunteer Fire Department. He was a delegate to the 1972, 1996, and 2000 [[Democratic National Convention]]s.<ref name=votesmart /><ref name=senate /> He is a recipient of the Hale Boggs Memorial Award, named for the late Democrat [[U.S. Representative]] for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district.<ref name=whoswho>"Louisiana: Alario, John, ''Who's Who in American Politics, 2007-2008'' (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, [[New Jersey]], 2007), p. 648.</ref> ​

Alario is a member of the [[Roman Catholic]] men's organization, the [[Knights of Columbus]]. He is also affiliated with the Louisiana Epilepsy Association, Louisiana International Deep Water Gulf Transfer Terminal Authority and the Westwego Volunteer Fire Department. He was a delegate to the 1972, 1996, and 2000 [[Democratic National Convention]]s.<ref name=votesmart /><ref name=senate /> He is a recipient of the Hale Boggs Memorial Award, named for the late Democrat [[U.S. Representative]] for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district.<ref name=whoswho>"Louisiana: Alario, John, ''Who's Who in American Politics, 2007-2008'' (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, [[New Jersey]], 2007), p. 648.</ref>

 

Alario and his wife, the former Alba Williamson, have four children, John W., Jan M., Christopher Brian, and Kevin George Alario.<ref name=whoswho/>​

Alario and his wife, the former Alba Williamson, have four children, John W., Jan M., Christopher Brian, and Kevin George Alario.<ref name=whoswho/>​

In the state House, Alario was the chairman of the Appropriations, House Executive, and Ways and Means committees. He also served as chairman to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget and the Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay. He was a member of the House Commerce, House and Governmental Affairs, Legislative Budgetary Control, Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs, Natural Resources, Judiciary B, and Judicial committees.<ref name=votesmart/><ref name=senate/>​

In the state House, Alario was the chairman of the Appropriations, House Executive, and Ways and Means committees. He also served as chairman to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget and the Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay. He was a member of the House Commerce, House and Governmental Affairs, Legislative Budgetary Control, Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs, Natural Resources, Judiciary B, and Judicial committees.<ref name=votesmart/><ref name=senate/>​

 

He was selected by [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]] as House Speaker twice, from 1984 to 1988 and from 1992 to 1996.<ref name=votesmart /> As the House Speaker, Alario was described by a colleague, [[Ron Gomez]] of [[Lafayette]], as "a master of adding just the right degree of levity to defuse almost any potentially explosive situation."<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'', [[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000, ISBN 0-9700156-0-7, pp. 59-70.</ref> In 1986, Alario removed Representative Kevin P. Reilly, Sr., of [[Baton Rouge]] from the chairmanship of the House Appropriations Committee after thirteen years of service when Reilly, an unsuccessful candidate for state treasurer the following year, criticized Governor Edwards.<ref>Gomez, p. 162.</ref>​

He was selected by [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]] as House Speaker twice, from 1984 to 1988 and from 1992 to 1996.<ref name=votesmart /> As the House Speaker, Alario was described by a colleague, [[Ron Gomez]] of [[Lafayette]], as "a master of adding just the right degree of levity to defuse almost any potentially explosive situation."<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'', [[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000, ISBN 0-9700156-0-7, pp. 59-70.</ref> In 1986, Alario removed Representative Kevin P. Reilly, Sr., of [[Baton Rouge]] from the chairmanship of the House Appropriations Committee after thirteen years of service when Reilly, an unsuccessful candidate for state treasurer the following year, criticized Governor Edwards.<ref>Gomez, p. 162.</ref>​

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