Seventeen months ago, with two volunteer advisors and a brave soul who was willing to volunteer as my treasurer, I went to the State board of elections to file our Statement of Organization. This filing allowed us the opportunity to see if we could, as a state delegate, gather support, raise funds and create a forum to seek out, assess and attend to the needs of the people of Maryland District 37B. We found out that not only are we very good at raising funds, but that the employer and employee, the young and old, the rich and poor, people of all races, creeds and orientations had one thing in common: and I quote - "We want our children and grandchildren to live, work, learn and play right here in our own communities". Well, my fellow citizens, in order to accomplish this over riding goal we must begin to realize that it's time for a change.

We found out that our people want hope, not a minimum wage of $5.15/hour which is the Haddaway/Eckhardt note of stale despair. Our people no longer want to sit on their front porches and wonder how to make ends meet; they want better paying jobs. We found out that if we create a stronger technical and entrepreneurial work force, we will attract environmentally clean businesses to our communities resulting in those better job opportunities for our children. Also, our people want accessible and affordable health care and mental health care not the negativity of the Haddaway/Eckhardt team when voting NO to the Fair Share Health Care Act. Our people want the hope of a compassionate representative when voting for Stem Cell Research, not the Haddaway/Eckhardt cold edge of contempt for those who are suffering from diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Our people want to trust our Governor and our Legislators when it comes to our basic energy needs, and be legitimately represented at the bargaining table. Not the Erlich/ Haddaway/Eckhardt teams hollow promise of supply side competition and no regulation. It's time to end the Haddaway/Eckhardt tactics of fear and negativity and begin to once again embrace fresh ideas based in hope, opportunity and compassion. It's time for a change.

In the remaining few months left in this campaign, you will hear us speak in favor of a hands on measured growth policy, not the lazes fare policies of Haddaway and Eckhardt. We will work and fight for narrowing the $10,000.00 to $21,000.00 income gap between the Western Shore and Eastern Shore, and not be satisfied with the Haddaway/Eckhardt pat on the back for a job not done. We will encourage education by working to reduce tuition costs through funding education, not the Haddaway/Eckhardt discouragement of attendance by adding 40 to 50% increases in student tuitions. Also, we will not perform the Haddaway/Eckhardt routine of the "twiddling of the thumbs" as we indiscriminately loose more farms and open space. We will work and fight for preserving our open spaces, to help farmers become more profitable by investing in the development of renewable fuels (i.e. soy bean for SB2-SB20 and corn for ethanol), and we will support the Transfer Development Rights programs in order to bridge the rift between our towns, our farmers and our developers. And when it comes to the environment, we will always work from the premise that healthy air and a healthy Chesapeake Bay is not only vital to our citizens’ well being, but is essential for good business. Finally, when it comes to Health Care, affordability and accessibility are the code words. We can and need to reduce the costs of care and insurance; and we can begin to do that at the emergency room door. I propose for our rural areas that we provide the funds for research and development of "Health Mobiles" and "Mental Health Mobiles" as a strong potential approach to reducing emergency room costs and giving Health Care accessibility to our elderly and those in need. With a proactive approach, and not the Haddaway/Eckhardt reactive approach, we can begin these initiatives. With your help, and our brand of Eastern Shore advocacy, we will finally have a place where our children and grandchildren can live, work, learn and play right here. Again, I say to you all, it's time for a change.

For these reasons and for the future reasons that our campaign's "Listening Tour" will undoubtedly uncover, I am announcing my candidacy for Delegate of the Maryland Legislative District 37B. Thank you, God Bless and let's win in November!