Politics & Government

LETTER: Lyons Is The Right Choice For the 18th District

Reader says Lyons is a voice for fiscal responsibility.

To the Editor:

Please join me in voting for Jim Lyons for state representative in the 18th Essex District. Jim Lyons has kept his promise of being a watchdog for the taxpayer. Representative Lyons has fought the status quo of political patronage and wasteful spending. Jim has battled the governor for accountability and exposed millions of dollars in fraud.

I have worked with Jim Lyons in a professional capacity as a selectman and watched while he fought to increase local aid. While others told Rep. Lyons there were huge projected deficits at the state level, Lyons replied that waste could be cut and local aid could be increased. There was much resistance to his proposals to reign in state spending and fully fund local aid and Chapter 70 school funding.

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The end result was an increase in local aid to cities and towns due to the tireless efforts of our representative and other reformers like him.
Lyon's efforts to protect the taxpayer have not gone unnoticed on Beacon Hill. The insiders are not happy to have someone looking over their shoulders when favors are given out and pet projects are funded. This is why Barbara L'Italien has reappeared as a candidate.

She has taken a leave from the $100,000 a year job she landed after she was defeated two years ago. Unlike Lyons, L'Italien can be counted on to vote for more and higher taxes. While in office, she increased our sales tax by 25 percent, increased our meals tax by 40 percent, and increased our hotel tax by 40 percent. In addition, she added a new tax on alcohol and refused to roll back our income tax to 5 percent, which was supported overwhelmingly by our citizens.

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Jim Lyons is the candidate who understands the consequences of our ever-expanding state government. He will continue to work to cut taxes and fund local aid. Jim Lyons will actually be our "representative."

Jim Lyons has taken many punches while serving on Beacon Hill but has not crumbled. Lyons is a fighter for us, the taxpayers, and will not be bullied. He will continue to battle for openness and transparency in government. Please join me in re-electing Jim Lyons for state representative next Tuesday.

Dan Lanen

North Andover


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