Former Pennsylvania state senator and Pittsburgh City Councilman Jim Ferlo has died at the age of 70.Ferlo served in Harrisburg from 2002 to 2015 and was on city council for 15 years — serving as president in the late 1990s.Ferlo was the first openly gay member of the state Senate. His friend, state Sen. Jay Costa, said Ferlo always advocated for working people, minorities, women and the LGBTQ community during his tenure in office.“No matter what side of an issue someone fell, having Jim Ferlo as part of the conversation kept you on your toes and made you become more educated and thoughtful,” Costa said. “For that, I know he made so many of us better public servants, myself included. It was a true honor to have served with Jim, but even more so, I’m so glad to have called him a friend.”“It was an honor to serve with him in the Senate and I am happy to have called him a friend,” said state Sen. Jim Brewster.Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the commonwealth flag on all commonwealth facilities, public buildings and grounds tp fly at half-staff.“Jim was a good man and a better leader, who always stood up for what is right," Wolf said. "The people of western Pennsylvania have lost a dedicated advocate, and Pennsylvania has lost a true public servant.”Funeral arrangements for Ferlo weren’t immediately announced.