Letters to the Editor for Sunday, September 27, 2009

By: | Lynchburg News and Advance
Published: September 27, 2009

Delegate race starts to heat up in 23rd District

Garrett backed
Earlier this year, I came to realize that I would never be able to be heard on a national level. However, at the local and state levels, I could find political leaders who would listen to my views. Never having been actively involved with either political party, I examined candidates for both parties at various levels in this year’s state elections to determine which candidate best matched my principles that I could support. I chose to support Scott Garrett for House of Delegates in my district.

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I found that Garrett is a principled person with strong traditional family values that effect how he sees and approaches resolution of many issues in our community. His views on education, jobs and the economy are all driven by making the family a stronger unit. He will minimize activities in the education system that aren’t directly related to teaching our children in the classrooms and will provide more money for teachers to upgrade those things they need to be more effective in the classrooms. He will establish incentives for small businesses to start up and to grow, creating jobs in our area. He will lower taxes, provide better education for our children and jobs for those parents who presently are out of work as keys to bringing harmony and stability to families in Lynchburg.

I know that Scott Garrett is a leader. He is able to forge new ideas in ways that encourage others to understand the merits of his ideas. He learned his leadership skills early as an Eagle Scout. He was chief resident when he was working at the University of Florida hospital and has received the AMA Physician’s Recognition award. He was recognized as a Who’s Who among Rising Young Americans, has served Lynchburg as a city councilman for three years and is a trustee for his church. He has demonstrated that he is a natural leader.

With this information, I know that Scott Garrett will best represent and listen to my concerns and those of all his constituents. This is why I am supporting and voting for Scott Garrett for House of Delegates for the 23rd District on Nov. 3.
RHONNIE SMITH
Lynchburg

Valentine backed
Shannon Valentine is a woman of intelligence, integrity and character. She has impressive experience in the world of big business, having risen to the position of associate vice president of corporate communications for Equifax, a billion-dollar company headquartered in Atlanta. She has been an equally impressive delegate, willing to reach across the aisle and work with all members of the House of Delegates. She is the kind of person who respects other peoples’ viewpoints even when she does not agree with them — and we need people like this in politics more than ever.

During the four years she has been in the House, she has, among other things, secured $25 million for our Combined Sewer Overflow project, thereby keeping our water and sewer bills lower than they would otherwise be. She has worked with a bipartisan group to preserve $34 million for the Central Virginia Training Center, led a bipartisan effort to establish intercity rail service from Lynchburg to Washington and was responsible for securing seed money for PACE, a program that will assist elderly people to stay in their own homes.

For these and other efforts, she has been honored by various groups. The Medical Society of Virginia Alliance presented her the Individual Distinction Award as the individual who best promotes health education and quality of care through legislation. In 2007, she was elected to serve on the Medical Society of Virginia’s Foundation Board. She has also been named a Top 20 delegate by the Virginia League of Conservation each if the four years she has served us. And she was recently named the 2009 Legislator of the Year for her work in public safety.

Let’s stay with the tried and true and re-elect Shannon Valentine on Nov. 3.
NANCY CARDWELL
Lynchburg