Serving in Maine's 131st Legislature as the Representative for District 47, which includes the towns of Alna, Jefferson, Whitefield and Wiscasset, has proven to be an incredible adventure. I am seeking to continue that adventure and make use of that experience gained, in a second term.

My first term was a learning experience.  How to get things done? What are the parliamentary procedures?  Where are all the capitol facilities and who are the non-partisan personnel? What are their functions? How do all the committees work and what are the proper procedures and processes? Who are all the fellow representatives on both sides of the aisle and how to work with them? How to establish a relationship with them and what kind of a reputation will you create?

I never imagined how much time would be required or that there would be about 2,400 bills to be considered. Unlike other Representatives with jobs and young families, being retired allowed me to spend whatever time was required. In the two years, having been out sick for three days, I missed only 12 votes.

Voting on a bill is not as straight forward as it seems. The title does not always adequately reflect the content of the bill. Amendments made in Committee and on the House floor may have significantly changed the bill content. These bills do affect people's lives. My primary consideration is how the bill will affect the majority of the people in my district.

Being in the minority is especially challenging. Having cosponsored bills with representatives across the aisle, we were able to resolve a property tax issue between Maine Yankee and the Town of Wiscasset, and provide a long sought resolution for retired teachers and state employees who were forced to retire early.

I served on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee where we considered over 200 bills.  There were many hours of testimony from individuals who came to the capital from throughout the State. In the 1990s according to a Maine Policy Institute study, Education in the State of Maine ranked first or second in the nation, now it ranks 36th. There is much work to be done, our children's future is dependent on their education.

Developing common sense solutions to our problems can be achieved by adhering to a discipline that includes: a diligent search for root causes, evaluation of multiple solutions, discussion of expected consequences and consideration of potential unintended consequences – in essence informed decisions based on verifiable data.

I am retired after 34 years on the Space Shuttle Program where I was a member of the team that gave the "Go for Launch" and acquired valuable leadership skills. My wife, Arlene, and I are residents of Wiscasset.

It was a privilege to serve in the 131st Legislature representing the people in District 47. Thank You for the experience and the education as well as your support. I amseeking a second term in the Maine House of Representativesfor House District 47.

I am running as a Clean Election Candidate. Registered voters in District 47 can contribute $5 to the Clean Election Fund on my behalf. For Online contributions go to: www.maine.gov/cleanelections