RAMA VALIANTI - State Rep. Candidate-1st Essex District (Newburyport, Amesbury, Salisbury)
781-244-0186-C
[email protected]
781-244-0186-C
[email protected]
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR:
* ALWAYS, ALWAYS working on ways to strengthen our education systems in all 3 municipalties: Amesbury, Newburyport, and Salisbury; and at all levels especially early education and special education. Paying close attention to making sure languages, music and the arts continue to be a viable and vibrant
part of our education process. And outside recess is kept in tact!
~ Always looking for ways to do things more efficiently, and making sure merit-
based pay scales and hiring are the focus.
~ Examining testing practices to make sure they are working for ALL students.
~ Strengthening our vocational/technical training in many areas, including renew-
able energy and climate action, biotech, and modern manufacturing sectors
such as nanotech and other intricate technologies where the United States
still leads the way.
~ Form partnerships with high school/college students to effectively educate
people of the benefits and inner workings of government; and to research
strategies for our government to be more financially efficient.
* Tackling corruption at the State House, starting with making patronage
illegal.
* Leveling the political playing field whenever possible, starting with requiring
legislators to work a full 2 year term. In the 2nd year of their term, they end
their state house sessions on July 31. Let's have the 2nd year be the same as
the first (through mid-December). If not, then let's propose to reduce the salary
from the current base of $65,00 to let's say...$45,000.
* Making government more efficient, setting up volunteer task forces
(including high school and college interns) to come up
with ideas, proposals and implementations to reduce spending whenever
possible, maintaining integrity of vital programs, but shedding light on waste,
corruption, overlap and redundancy.
* Term Limits for State Reps. and State Senators: 8 years - their pensions
do not kick in until 10 years! This will save us taxpayers millions and millions of
dollars. Noone (or very few) gets a pension any more - what's up with that??!!
Investigating why aren't they on the Social Security system like the rest of us?
And proposing a change to get them onto that system.
* Term Limits for Speaker of the House (and Senate President): 2 years.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Is this true - I hope not
but, let's not tempt them. A lot can get done in two years (isn't a state rep's
term 2 years?) and there are probably a lot of good people down there with a
lot of good ideas, so why should one person wield so much power? Especially
since the democrats have such a stranglehold on the majority and so many of
them seem to go lock, stock and barrel with what the speaker says. (See
former Speaker DiMasi's and current Speaker DeLeo's differing stances on
casinos and almost the entire legislative body's flip-flop to appease them.)
~ Let's think of it as a "Family Services Bill": noone's family wants to see their
loved ones go to jail.
~ And, it could be a cost-saving measure as well, since it can be very expensive
to incarcerate people.
* Economic equality: doing our best to level the playing field for everyone,
including supporting minimum wage hikes, AND equal pay for women leg-
islation.
* Jobs bills and training, and infrastructure projects - safety maintenance
and improvements can keep many, many workers busy for years to come.
Continue to look for ways and incentives and research and development to
bring back good-paying jobs. We absolutely need to do this!
* Continuing to satrengthen our Gun Control Laws, making Massachusetts the
leader and inspirational guidepost for other states and the national agenda.
~ Amending or overturning the 2nd Amendment; which was enacted in 1791
(I think we can all agree things have changed quite a bit since then and it
might need to be tweaked, or eliminated all-together).
* Smarter, safer gun/hunting laws. Currently someone shooting a gun or
hunting need only be 500 feet (approximately a football field and a half) from
a house, and 150 feet from a road. Since distance are often fuzzy and weather
conditions can render these parameters even cloudier this is not a
common-sense situation, as occassional accidents and deaths will attest. I will
propose much safer distances.
* Renewable energy: continuing our commitment toe renewable energy such
as wind and solar. It's a no-brainer, and we need to do more, NOW for our
generation and future generations. Continuing renewable energy credits for
these and other greener, safer, and cleaner technologies yet to come.
Investing heavily on these green environmental initiatives and infrastructures,
bringing much-needed jobs, and positive climate action.
* Casinos: No thank you! I will be voting against them, and stronger urge all of
us to consider the social ramifications that come with this slippery slope.
* Marijuana: legalize it, regulate it and tax it. But, get it right! As we continue
to work on getting the medical marijuana industry going I think we need to take
a close look to Colorado, to see what their experience has been, especially with
edibles, which have proved to be quite dangerous - leading to a drastic spike in
emergency room visits for numerous problems, including uncontrolled vomiting.
I would propose a law prohibiting edibles, until proven safe.
* Continued and increased commitment to public transportation and
bicycling initiatives, helping to keep more cars off the road. Including equip-
ping MBTA trains and buses with bike corrals on the outside of the vehicles,
especially during peak commuter times, which is currently not allowed, hence
thwarting the efforts of many, many well-intentioned travelers.
* Road Safety - truly making texting and any gadget use illegal and
socially unacceptable by placing it in the same category as driving under the
influence, with the penalties being exactly the same.
* ALWAYS, ALWAYS working on ways to strengthen our education systems in all 3 municipalties: Amesbury, Newburyport, and Salisbury; and at all levels especially early education and special education. Paying close attention to making sure languages, music and the arts continue to be a viable and vibrant
part of our education process. And outside recess is kept in tact!
~ Always looking for ways to do things more efficiently, and making sure merit-
based pay scales and hiring are the focus.
~ Examining testing practices to make sure they are working for ALL students.
~ Strengthening our vocational/technical training in many areas, including renew-
able energy and climate action, biotech, and modern manufacturing sectors
such as nanotech and other intricate technologies where the United States
still leads the way.
~ Form partnerships with high school/college students to effectively educate
people of the benefits and inner workings of government; and to research
strategies for our government to be more financially efficient.
* Tackling corruption at the State House, starting with making patronage
illegal.
* Leveling the political playing field whenever possible, starting with requiring
legislators to work a full 2 year term. In the 2nd year of their term, they end
their state house sessions on July 31. Let's have the 2nd year be the same as
the first (through mid-December). If not, then let's propose to reduce the salary
from the current base of $65,00 to let's say...$45,000.
* Making government more efficient, setting up volunteer task forces
(including high school and college interns) to come up
with ideas, proposals and implementations to reduce spending whenever
possible, maintaining integrity of vital programs, but shedding light on waste,
corruption, overlap and redundancy.
* Term Limits for State Reps. and State Senators: 8 years - their pensions
do not kick in until 10 years! This will save us taxpayers millions and millions of
dollars. Noone (or very few) gets a pension any more - what's up with that??!!
Investigating why aren't they on the Social Security system like the rest of us?
And proposing a change to get them onto that system.
* Term Limits for Speaker of the House (and Senate President): 2 years.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Is this true - I hope not
but, let's not tempt them. A lot can get done in two years (isn't a state rep's
term 2 years?) and there are probably a lot of good people down there with a
lot of good ideas, so why should one person wield so much power? Especially
since the democrats have such a stranglehold on the majority and so many of
them seem to go lock, stock and barrel with what the speaker says. (See
former Speaker DiMasi's and current Speaker DeLeo's differing stances on
casinos and almost the entire legislative body's flip-flop to appease them.)
~ Let's think of it as a "Family Services Bill": noone's family wants to see their
loved ones go to jail.
~ And, it could be a cost-saving measure as well, since it can be very expensive
to incarcerate people.
* Economic equality: doing our best to level the playing field for everyone,
including supporting minimum wage hikes, AND equal pay for women leg-
islation.
* Jobs bills and training, and infrastructure projects - safety maintenance
and improvements can keep many, many workers busy for years to come.
Continue to look for ways and incentives and research and development to
bring back good-paying jobs. We absolutely need to do this!
* Continuing to satrengthen our Gun Control Laws, making Massachusetts the
leader and inspirational guidepost for other states and the national agenda.
~ Amending or overturning the 2nd Amendment; which was enacted in 1791
(I think we can all agree things have changed quite a bit since then and it
might need to be tweaked, or eliminated all-together).
* Smarter, safer gun/hunting laws. Currently someone shooting a gun or
hunting need only be 500 feet (approximately a football field and a half) from
a house, and 150 feet from a road. Since distance are often fuzzy and weather
conditions can render these parameters even cloudier this is not a
common-sense situation, as occassional accidents and deaths will attest. I will
propose much safer distances.
* Renewable energy: continuing our commitment toe renewable energy such
as wind and solar. It's a no-brainer, and we need to do more, NOW for our
generation and future generations. Continuing renewable energy credits for
these and other greener, safer, and cleaner technologies yet to come.
Investing heavily on these green environmental initiatives and infrastructures,
bringing much-needed jobs, and positive climate action.
* Casinos: No thank you! I will be voting against them, and stronger urge all of
us to consider the social ramifications that come with this slippery slope.
* Marijuana: legalize it, regulate it and tax it. But, get it right! As we continue
to work on getting the medical marijuana industry going I think we need to take
a close look to Colorado, to see what their experience has been, especially with
edibles, which have proved to be quite dangerous - leading to a drastic spike in
emergency room visits for numerous problems, including uncontrolled vomiting.
I would propose a law prohibiting edibles, until proven safe.
* Continued and increased commitment to public transportation and
bicycling initiatives, helping to keep more cars off the road. Including equip-
ping MBTA trains and buses with bike corrals on the outside of the vehicles,
especially during peak commuter times, which is currently not allowed, hence
thwarting the efforts of many, many well-intentioned travelers.
* Road Safety - truly making texting and any gadget use illegal and
socially unacceptable by placing it in the same category as driving under the
influence, with the penalties being exactly the same.