Michelle Maksimowicz PhD
Campaign Speech
The age-old question asked to political candidates is: Why are you running? I want to run to be your voice in Denver on issues that are important to you! I have a vision of an even better community and a better Colorado. I will be sharing this vision, the issues I am committed to and a commitment to always listen to the issues that are capturing your hearts or tugging on your purse strings.
My first issue that I am committed to is: Education for the 21st Century. The greatest pain I have endured in over 30 years of working in education as a teacher and administrator is our failure to truly educate all of our children. It hasn’t been that our schools or even our State and Federal Government haven’t tried. Research says that it takes up to 10 years for change to be embedded in the practice of an organization. That is assuming the leadership remains constant. The school reform efforts that were embodied in GOALS 2000, enacted during the Clinton Administration, I believe were heading us in the right direction. These reform efforts were not yet embodied in the school culture when George W. Bush was sworn in as President. No Child Left Behind was the new reform initiative, leaving the fragile Goals 2000 change efforts scattered in the dust.
I have a vision for the success of all students that I believe can be realized through Senate Bill 212 or the “Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids.” This Plan has the potential for helping us meet the goal of preparing ALL our students for the 21st Century!
My experience with Goals 2000 initiatives and with No Child Left Behind and its short falls, prepared me to be a vital contributor to our new state initiative. I would look forward with excitement and enthusiasm as a member of the State House to working with the Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and school educators to strengthen the details of this initiative, create research based implementation, and to develop authentic accountability measures.
Community involvement with our students is necessary. I have mentored a student since she was a first grader at Hunt Elementary. She is now finishing her junior year at Palmer High School and plans to attend college. Mentoring is just one-way of how we can make a positive difference with students. We have the potential to meet the needs of all of our students but we must develop the political will to make it happen. Yes, I believe in “Learning For All, Whatever it Takes!”
The second issue I am commitment to is: A Secure, Sustainable local State and National Economy. Let’s start with the National economy, which has a great deal to do with our state and local economy. The majority of Americans are very angry about the state of our economy today. In the year 2000 we had very little national debt compared to now. We were hit hard from first the millennium, then 9/11, followed by spending now a trillion dollars on the war in Iraq. All have drained our financial resources. As a fiscal conservative I know we can not continue to have our national debt grow without a change in the way we spend and the especially the way we continue to borrow money our grandchildren may not even be able to pay back. The way we do business as a country must change.
. An example of how poor economic policy from Washington affects us here in Colorado Springs is the closing of INTEL while another plant is built in China without any real financial penalties to INTEL from our government for the layoffs and unemployment compensations.
Families across the State are concerned about Foreclosures. According to forclosure.com in March there are 801 foreclosures in El Paso County and 1,266 Pre- Foreclosures so far this year. Last year there were over 2,000 Foreclosures in El Paso County. Families are concerned about the rising gas prices, which in turn affect the price of groceries and other commodities. According to the US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor statistics, unemployment rose from 4.3% in September to 5.4% in January in Colorado Springs.
Another need in our State is to offer better economic incentives and to reach out in new ways to businesses attracting them to Colorado. For example, Michigan has been running ads for over a year on television all over the country enticing businesses with tax breaks and other incentives. I have a friend who recently was in Egypt and said the Michigan ads were running on Egyptian television.
Our schools will be in a grave financial state with Amendment 23 shrinking, Referendum C disappearing in 2011 and TABOR still in. House Speaker Romanoff announced that he is introducing a constitutional ammendentment that will create a rainy day fund for school. This will revise TABOR and Amendment 23.We need legislative action for financial reform to adequately fund our schools.
We must say, “ A Better Economy, Whatever it Takes!”
My third commitment is to: Families and Healthcare for their Children. “Of all forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.” Martin Luther King Jr.
US and Colorado Healthcare are in a crisis. As a Nation we spend twice as much per person on Healthcare and have overall worse outcomes than any other Industrialized nation. Forty seven million are uninsured in our country. There are 700,000 Coloradoans uninsured and a similar number are under insured. We are making head way on insuring our children of Colorado under Governor Ritter’s Leadership but more must be done.
The Blue Ribbon Commission for Healthcare Reform in January presented its recommendations to the State Legislature on a Single Payer Plan that reduces costs and covers everyone. “Centennial Care Choices” is another Healthcare Reform. I will study these and all other Healthcare Reform initiatives.
I will stand on the side of families on Healthcare issues. We cannot wait another forty years to end the inequality and inhumanness described by Martin Luther King Jr. Our commitment needs to be, “Healthcare for All, Whatever it Takes.”
A commitment I deeply believe in is: A Secure Future for Veterans and Seniors. We all need to take responsibility for our seniors as their children and for Veterans as citizens of a free country.
There are 70,000 Veterans in Colorado Springs. The average age of a Veteran in this Country is 60 so they are also considered as a Senior, at least by McDonald’s and Kohl’s!
More American military veterans have been committing suicide than US soldiers have been dying in Iraq. A concern for our community with such a large number of Veterans is that former serviceman are more than twice as likely than the rest of the population to commit suicide, even more alarming, four times greater than the non-veteran for ages 20 to 24.
The Department of Veteran Affairs states this Enabling Goal: To Deliver world-class service to veterans and their families. I will be standing with Veterans to see that they do receive this promise
My father was a Veteran of World War II and my son is an Air Force Academy Graduate and now a Major in the Air Force, having been deployed 4 times to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. I am proud of the service both of my father and my son and the sacrifices both have made to protect our freedom. My commitment to Veterans is also very personal.
Eventually we will all be Seniors Citizens. Why not secure our future now! Seniors in our community deserve our utmost respect and care. That respect is not shown through our words but through the opportunities we provide in community based services and our genuine concern for the quality of their lives.
Seniors are extremely burdened with the high cost of prescription drugs. Medicare does not include the cost of medicine. Many seniors have to choose between medicine and food or between medicine and heat. Our Seniors also need to have easy access to transportation to meet at least their basic needs for medical care, medicine and food.
I will stand up for our Veterans and Senior in our State Capitol and I will ask you to stand with me for, “ A Secure Future for Seniors and Veterans, Whatever it Takes!”
A vote for me as your State Representative for House District 15 is a vote for Learning for All, Healthcare for All, a return to Financial Security with Responsible Spending and Respectful Practices and Policies for our Seniors and Veterans.
I will be a voice for you, a voice for change. I am asking for your vote, your help and yes, your money.
I will look forward to working with you to build a better community and a better Colorado.
Thank you,
Michelle Maksimowicz PhD
Contributions can be made to “ Committee to Elect Michelle Maksimowicz” Dave Dempsey Treasurer, PO Box 75095 Colorado Springs, CO. 80970
Contributions of any amount will be gratefully appreciated!