Gmail - In the Cape Cod Times Today - jjbangert@gmail.com: "An advocate for the voiceless
By SARAH PEAKE
October 08, 2010 2:00 AM
My priority as your state representative has always been, and will continue to be, to fight for you. I will listen to you, learn from you, and then go to bat for you whenever and wherever that is necessary.
Sometimes that is right here on Cape Cod, like my fight to stop NStar from spraying harmful chemicals over our precious drinking water recharge areas. Sometimes those fights occur at national fisheries management meetings, like my fight to turn back efforts to change the lobster regulations for the Outer Cape, which would have cost most of our lobstermen thousands of dollars in lost income and would have put others out of business.
And, of course, many of those fights occur in Boston where I have fought to protect local aid for our towns, for Lyme disease treatment reform, to stop bullying in our schools, and to bring stability to municipal budgets by making it harder for the governor to cut regional school transportation budgets.
I have successfully worked to give us a seat at the table where decisions are made that affect our lives and livelihood. This leadership translates into keeping and growing jobs here on Cape Cod. As vice-chair of the Tourism Arts and Cultural Development Committee, I work everyday to keep our tourism and arts economic engines robust and vibrant; as vice-chair of the Regional Transportation Caucus and as a member of the Aviation Caucus, I protect our rural transportation needs and jobs at our airports; as the legislator representing Massachusetts on the Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission, I help create fishing policy and protect our fishermen's livelihood.
Perhaps most importantly, I advocate for those whose voices may not be heard: our veterans, our elderly, and those in need. I have helped thousands of constituents connect with government services to help make their lives better.
What's next? There are still many challenges. All one has to do is pick up this newspaper to understand that. Here are what some of my priorities will be:
* Rein in small business health care costs. We made some important steps this session to address this problem, but more must be done. I was successful in enacting legislation to allow small businesses to band together to negotiate and buy health insurance as a group because there is strength in numbers. Now we must get serious about reducing or eliminating the other causes of high premiums.
* Stop the escalating homeowners' insurance premiums. I will file three bills to establish 'standards' for the hurricane models to insure the data used is relevant to Cape Cod; limit wind deductibles to only named hurricanes; and allow for policy rebates for homeowners who take steps to 'hurricane proof' their homes.
* Get our economy back on track. I will continue to work with my colleagues from across the aisle and across the commonwealth to preserve valuable film and aviation tax credits and to find new areas of strategic investment. These investments are critical to growing the economy, increasing jobs and restoring revenue. This growth will enable us to help those who need a hand up and will allow us to look seriously at repealing taxes.
These are complex issues and my sleeves remain rolled up to continue to fight for you. There are those who offer 'sound-bite solutions.' I offer you my track record of hard work, proven accomplishments, and a fearlessness of tackling the difficult and thorny issues. Please visit www.sarahpeake.org to learn more.
I respectfully ask for your vote on Nov. 2, so I can keep fighting for you.
State Rep. Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown, represents the 4th Barnstable District in the Massachusetts House.
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