HARRISBURG Although state Sen. David Argall has a new office, it is not a new location for a Schuylkill County legislator.

"I was thrilled when this office came open," Argall, R-29, said Tuesday of Room 171 Main Capitol, which in the early 1980s housed his predecessor, the late state Sen. James J. Rhoades.Rhoades, a Mahanoy City Republican, represented the 29th senatorial District from his election in 1980 until Oct. 18, 2008, when he died as the result of a traffic accident near Brodheadsville in Monroe County.He was posthumously re-elected in November 2008. On March 3, 2009, Argall, then a state representative, won a special election to succeed him, and then won his first full four-year term in 2012.Argall, a Rush Township Republican who is taking on a new leadership role as chairman of the Senate Majority Policy Committee, said he moved into Rhoades' former office about a month ago."It's actually smaller" than his previous office, which was Room 16 East Wing, Argall said.However, Argall said that since his new office is in the Main Capitol, it is closer to the Senate chamber itself."It's just a better location," he said. "I love the history of this building."In addition to his new leadership role, Argall will serve on six other committees in the Senate's 2015-16 session.Most notably, he will be vice chairman of the Urban Affairs and Housing Committee, a panel he chaired in the 2013-14 session. York County state Sen. Scott Wagner, R-28, will succeed Argall as chairman."We made some considerable progress on several issues, including providing some new tools for municipalities and counties needed to eradicate blight," Argall said. "I'm looking forward to working with Chairman Wagner and the committee to continue our efforts."Argall's other committee assignments include Appropriations; Community, Economic and Recreational Development; Aging and Youth; Agriculture and Rural Affairs; and Intergovernmental Operations.Argall said his Appropriations position will be particularly important for serving his constituents. His redrawn district includes all of Schuylkill County and sections of northern and western Berks County; it formerly included portions of Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton counties."The taxpayers I represent have told me that when it's a choice between cutting spending or raising taxes, they want to cut spending," he said. "You can only cut spending if you look at each department and agency to identify opportunities to create more efficiencies and to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in state spending. This will be our main task in 2015."Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC