In 2006 I ran for state representative and lost by only 216 votes. In a year in which national issues prompted many voters to fill out a straight Democratic ballot out of anger against events in Washington D.C., GOP candidates in Rhode Island did poorly across the board, despite our focus on purely local issues. Despite my disappointment in the result, given the climate at the time it did not come as a surprise. I hope that in 2008 more voters will focus on the problems we face here in Rhode Island and make a choice between the candidates for state representative based on what they stand for and not on mere party labels. One party rule by the Democrats must end for the good of Rhode Island - as even many Democrats themselves will acknowledge privately. More than ever this State needs good, ethical hardworking people dedicated to making Rhode Island as good a place as it can be. My family has encouraged me to run again and I accept that challenge because I want Rhode Island to be a place where my children can grow up with pride in their government. I would be honored to be your Representative and I hope that you will give me your support and your vote on November 4. There are three specific reasons why I have chosen to run: 1. We must break the one party monopoly on power held by the Democrats. It inexorably leads to ethical problems, corruption and bad government with no accountability to the people. The series of corruption scandals we have witnessed over the past several years which have seen several General Assembly leaders sent to prison must end. Unchecked power corrupts and an unbalanced legislature becomes insular and out of touch. That must change. Re-electing the same old people year after year only worsens the problem. 2. The massive budget deficit we face in 2008 is not a surprise. Many people, myself included, have been warning for years that unless the General Assembly adopted long term structural solutions to perennial budget problems instead of relying upon stop gap gimmicks to close annual deficits, eventually we would face a day of reckoning that would include harsh pain for all. This mess we now face is the direct result of the failure of the Democrats, including my incumbent opponent, who have, with no check on their power, run the General Assembly for decades and have created a fiscal crisis. This is inexcusable and also must change. 3. Rhode Island is a beautiful state and a wonderful place to live. Unfortunately, we are also one of the most heavily taxed states in the country. Combined with our legislature's seemingly endless ability to spend our money, we have reached a crisis point. Rhode Island is simply becoming too expensive a place for working people to live. Comparing our state budget today with that of just a few years ago is sobering. We cannot relentlessly continue to raise taxes and spend money without continuing to drive away our children and further increase our long term debt. Our housing costs are soaring, our taxes are increasing and threatening to increase more and yet we all know we get too little value from the money sent to the State House. I want to put a stop to all that. I cannot do it by myself. I do not have any overnight fixes. Legislatures do not work quickly and reform movements do not happen overnight. I will not make promises I cannot keep. But if you send me to the State House I will do the best I can to keep Rhode Island an affordable and attractive place to live for as many people as possible. I will do my best to restrain state spending, encourage economic development and keep our taxes low. To a person recently laid off from work, to a graduate of URI that cannot find a job in this State because nobody is hiring, to a recent high school graduate unable to find employment above the minimum wage, none of the other issues that stir people's passions matter. As your state representative I will focus on economic growth combined with maintaining the affordability of Rhode Island as a place where working people can live. At the same time, I will fight for rational and reasonable economic growth within limits, growth that does not destroy the very character of the state that makes it special. A happy balance exists between preservation and economic growth. Finding and maintaining that balance will be the focus of my efforts. Newberry for State Representative District 48, North Smithfield & Burrillville Contact me at 765-1069    •    Vote November 4th, 2008 Back to the Homepage