I WON'T VOTE FOR EITHER CANDIDATE

I understand the term "citizen legislator" to refer to a
representative in a state like New Hampshire where they receive
little pay and work only a few months each year. Certainly, a citizen
legislator would only accept campaign contributions from individuals.

But Ms. L'Italien's campaign committee's reports reveal thousands
in contribution from public and private sector Political Action
Committees whose members depend directly or indirectly on state
spending. She understands their issues and she, along with her
Democratic colleagues in the legislature, deliver results for them.
Now they are helping her to recover the over $29,000 she loaned her
campaign in 2002 to get elected. A responsive leader votes in favor
of issues her constituents favor. When she was elected, the 18th
Essex voted for Romney, to repeal the personal income tax, and
instructed her to introduce and vote for legislation making
possession of marijuana a civil violation, a measure which preserves
valuable police resources, while still punishing people for possessing
marijuana.

When it came to the marijuana vote, over 1,000 more of
us voted in favor of the instruction than voted for Ms. L'Italien.

It won in her Andover precincts with 69% of the vote. Yet this
"responsive legislator" ignores our advice on marijuana policy
and her voting record indicates she is a spendthrift with our money.

As for her Republican opponent, Maria Marasco, a look at her campaign
committee reports reveals she's accepted money from one PAC,
Citizens for Limited Taxation. She recognizes the majority of voters
in the 18th Essex District who want limited taxation, but what is her
position on marijuana policy?

I know I will not vote for Ms.
L'Italien and absent an unequivocal statement from Ms. Marasco that
she favors reforming the marijuana laws by ending the arrest of
adults for marijuana possession and ending the giving people of all
ages criminal records for possessing marijuana I will blank the
ballot when I reach the State Representative race in November.

Steven S. Epstein