Sunday, November 4, 2012
Reader says L'Italien has been a strong advocate for the Autism Community.
- ELECTIONS
-
Sunday, November 4, 2012
To the Editor: For the past thirty years I have worked with children and adults with autism and related disorders, so I am well aware of the challenges they and their families face. Autism affects more than 1 in every 88 children, 1 in 54 boys in Massachusetts, and sometimes it can be difficult for parents to detect until their child enters school. That's why I'm glad the autism community has an advocate as strong as Barbara L'Italien. Before L'Italien was in office, many insurance companies did not offer to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism. Families were stuck with huge bills for diagnostic visits, behavioral therapy and other vital care services for family members with autism. Often only those families who could afford to …
Reader says Lyons is a voice for fiscal responsibility.
- ELECTIONS
-
Sunday, November 4, 2012
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 …
Former state rep. has impressed him.
- ELECTIONS
-
Sunday, November 4, 2012
To the Editor: Like many residents of Tewksbury's Precincts 3 and 3a, I'm looking forward to the upcoming election on November 6th. Due to redistricting, we are now in the 18th Essex district, and we have a choice of two representatives-- Jim Lyons and Barbara L'Italien. For me, the choice is clear. Barbara L'Italien has impressed me with her balanced and bipartisan approach to legislating. Barbara puts her constituents above her party affiliation, and it shows. Working with Democrats and Republicans alike, she was able to pass landmark legislation granting insurance coverage to children with autism. This bill attracted the co-sponsorship of none other than Scott Brown, and ended up passing unanimously! Barbara knows that to get real …
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Candidate in the 18th Essex district Barbara L'Italien sent out mailers to citizens in the district that said incumbent State Rep. Jim Lyons (R-Andover) has an agenda that does not represent the priorities of Merrimack Valley communities.
(Editor's note: The 18th Essex District includes Tewksbury Wards 3 and 3A) With the election days away, Barbara L'Italien, challenger for the 18th Essex state rep. seat, sent out some mailers recently that claim that State Rep. Jim Lyons is backed by groups that are anti-equal marriage and anti-choice. The mailer contains several bullet points explaining the different efforts he had made while a state rep. that do not represent the will of the district. L'Italien claims Lyons wrote a bill would restrict health insurance coverage to cover counseling for rape victims, supported the restriction of counseling for gay students, supported the elimination of funding for teen pregnancy prevention and supported the elimination of student health …
Reader says Lyons is "just the kind of person we need representing our Merrimack Valley district."
- ELECTIONS
-
Saturday, November 3, 2012
To the Editor: Jim Lyons is just the kind of person we need representing our Merrimack Valley district. Jim represents change and reform in state government. Jim has worked diligently to increase our Local Aid and he has fought against the reckless spending of our hard-earned tax dollars. Jim is fearless when standing up for the taxpayers, small business owners, and struggling working families of the 18th Essex District. That's why the big city Democrat power-brokers are frantically spending so much money to hurt Jim Lyons and his advocacy for Local Aid and responsible budgets. These power-brokers will do anything to defeat Jim and then bring back one of their own - Democrat insider Barbara L'Italien. L'Italien followed along with the big …
Reader has had good experience working with former rep.
- ELECTIONS
-
Saturday, November 3, 2012
To the Editor: As we get closer to Election Day, I'd like to tell your readers about a great experience I had, working with Barbara L'Italien, candidate for State Representative in my district. About three years ago, my neighborhood found out that a cell phone tower was going to be built on our street. Abutters had not been notified. We were concerned for many reasons, including possible consequences for public health, neighborhood aesthetics, and effect on property values. I remember feeling pretty powerless at the time. Here we were, a group of neighbors up against a large company connected to a large industry with lots of leverage and money at their disposal. Our neighborhood group knew that only by working together with our State …
Friday, November 2, 2012
Reader says Lyons is an "independent voice on Beacon Hill."
- ELECTIONS
-
Friday, November 2, 2012
To the Editor: I strongly support and endorse the candidacy of Jim Lyons for State Representative. Jim is a small business owner who has served as an independent voice on Beacon Hill for the last two years. He knows what it takes to control budgets and reform spending. Jim understands that during this economic downturn, citizens and businesses alike are struggling to keep their heads above water. He believes that this is a time to reduce the financial tax burden for concerned citizens and loosen the governmental regulations on struggling businesses within our district and across our state. Jim has also been a strong supporter of our local municipalities. He regularly meets with our local leadership to make sure that we understand what …
Reader concerned about school-based health issues.
- ELECTIONS
-
Friday, November 2, 2012
To the Editor: As a parent, I consider my children's health and safety to be my priority. Many families like mine depend on school nurses and other health services to keep their kids safe and healthy while they're at school. I've had my kids in the Andover school system for years, and over that time I've seen how much good school nurses and school-based health centers can do for children when properly funded. Mr. Lyons recently filed an amendment to the FY13 budget-- Amendment 577-- that would completely eliminate school-based health services, including all funding for school nurses. If adopted, his amendment would gut our school health programs, forcing them to shutter their nurse's offices and close down vital anti-smoking and anti-…
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Writer says L'Italien did an outstanding job during her previous tenure at the State House.
- ELECTIONS
-
Thursday, November 1, 2012
To the Editor, Living in Boxford's precinct 2 we were fortunate to have Barbara L'Italien as our State Representative for 8 years. At the same time Boxford was also fortunate to have Brad Hill as a State Representative and Bruce Tarr as our State Senator. The three of them worked together very effectively for Boxford and were able to accomplish a great deal. I believe they were particularly successful because of the bipartisan nature of their relationship. While they had many accomplishments during that time, the most important was the work they did to address the terrible problems that some Boxford residents have with salt in their water. Barbara L'Italien was key in passing legislation to compel MassDOT to commission an engineering …
Friday, October 26, 2012
Reader says Lyons bill would be damaging to students.
- ELECTIONS
-
Friday, October 26, 2012
Dear Editor, As a school committee member and a parent, I am deeply concerned by a piece of legislation supported by State Representative Jim Lyons. Lyons' legislation, House Bill 1060, would raise obstacles to any student seeking counseling in our schools by requiring them to first obtain a permission slip from a parent. North Andover schools have, sadly, born witness to student suicides. In our efforts to understand and hopefully prevent these tragedies, one thing is clear – the window of prevention can be brief. Can you imagine a desperate youngster seeking help, only to be sent away with a form to sign? Difficult days at school run the gamut of a lost homework assignment to the debilitating hammer of persistent bullying. Our gay …
salemst
10:10 pm on Sunday, November 4, 2012
If people want their taxes raised Ms L'Italien is an outstanding choice for State Representative. She successfully voted and raised the sales tax from 5% to 6,25%. As Assistant Ways and Means Chairman she led a private 4-2 Democrat majority Conference Committee directly responsible for instituting the alcohol and meals taxes being slipped into the budget without a House vote in June 2009 during … more ›