Saturday, March 31, 2012

Running for Reelection

On November 6, 2012, I will be seeking reelection to continue serving the constituents of Maine State House District 92.

The last year in Augusta has been challenging on many levels.  Our state continues to face economic stagnation and we seem to be having a difficult time finding the consensus on the best ways forward.  While we must make sure that our budget is manageable and reflects our priorities and values as Maine citizens, it is unlikely that we can cut our way to prosperity – especially if it means jeopardizing our safety or our health.  I pledge to continue to work hard on your behalf to find smart solutions to the problems facing our state.

In the last legislative session, I was proud of the range of legislative initiatives I was able to sponsor and pass.  We passed unanimously a bill to redesign Long Term Care services in Maine for our seniors and people with a disability.  Reducing administrative costs and emphasizing personal and family responsibility in home based settings were the foundations of the approach.  It is now providing the foundation for booking millions of dollars of savings without reducing essential services.  That’s what I think is making government work smart on behalf of every citizen.

In addition to that major initiative, I was able to sponsor and pass bills to grow our economy – Maple Products Marketing and the reintroduction of professional boxing – as well as a measure to protect the safety and privacy of our children by removing a mandate for the collection of Social Security numbers.  I worked hard to find a compromise on the issue of wind power development, insuring that the health and safety concerns will be addressed in a systematic and factual manner.  All of these initiatives as well as others I sponsored succeeded because I have been able to work effectively with all my fellow legislators, not just the ones from my own party.

I've been honored to serve District 92 in the Maine Legislature guided by simple principles--working collaboratively for you to create results and invest resources wisely. During the time that I have had the privilege of serving you, I have avoided petty partisanship and political theatre--instead staying focused on innovating and implementing commonsense solutions by Mainers for Mainers. In short, I believe that you elected me to get things done, and I would be grateful to continue that work.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you. I look forward to continuing to earn your support as the Representative from District 92.