Calling All Campaign Volunteers!
There will be a volunteers meeting this coming Wednesday, September 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the Norristown Public Library, Powell and Elm streets, Norristown, PA.
If you'd like to help with the campaign, please plan to attend this meeting.
Thanks for your support!
Women's suffrage in the U.S. has been around for 9 decades. Let's celebrate its anniversary by pledging to vote more women into office in Pennsylvania, which currently ranks 46th in the nation for its percentage of female legislators.
Collegeville, PA August 17, 2010—Andrea Baptiste, Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 150th Legislative District, is hosting a reception and open house for residents from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, August 27 at her new campaign headquarters at 486 East Main Street, Collegeville, PA 19426. The office is located in the Marzella Restaurant Building across from Collegeville Borough Hall. Baptiste is challenging the House seat currently held by Rep. Mike Vereb.
“Our campaign is very excited about opening our new office,” said Baptiste. “Our staff members and volunteers are working hard to inform voters about our commitment to creating local jobs, providing support to businesses, holding the line—and working to reduce--property and income taxes, and working proactively in a non-partisan way to improve the health and quality-of-life of each resident.
“I want to encourage the folks of the 150th District—which includes Upper Providence, Collegeville, Trappe, West Norriton, and parts of Lower Providence, East Norriton, and Norristown-- to come to my reception and meet me if you haven’t yet. I sincerely want to hear from each resident about your concerns and ideas.”
Baptiste, who has more than 34 years’ experience in commercial real estate and retail, has been working for the past three years in attracting new businesses and jobs to the Collegeville area as the head of the Business Liaison Committee of Collegeville Borough Council.
Baptiste grew up in Norristown, attended local schools and earned a BA degree in History from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. She is a lifelong Montgomery County, PA resident.
Contacting the Office and Campaign:
The office telephone number is (610) 454-0214, and the office e-mail address is info@baptisteforpahouse.com.
The political realities of the redistricting process such as gerrymandering make the outcome of this year's midterm elections vital to the success of the Democratic Party through the year 2020.
People ask me why I am running for State Representative in Pennsylvania's 150th Legislative District, and here is what I tell them:
I am cause-oriented: the right way to run for office is to listen to the voters, truly understand the problems facing them and then work very hard on their behalf to make their lives better.
I believe in being fully committed to the residents of my district, and in doing what is best for them, rather than for special interest groups.
I believe in using team work and bipartisanship to get results. I have demonstrated my collaborative skills through my work in the Collegeville Community on Borough Council. I will be just as hard-working and proactive in the State Legislature on the residents' behalf.
I enjoy life in Montgomery County, and am concerned about maintaining our quality of life, especially in this economy. I have an excellent understanding of how the business and the commercial sectors operate. I am committed to making communities better through the legislative process.
As of March, 2010, unemployment in Montgomery County is at 7.8%--the highest it has been in 20 years. Yet I have not seen any actions to address this issue by my opponent during his two terms in office. I will make it a priority to deliver a comprehensive strategy and plan to create jobs, build a strong workforce, and help small businesses.
I am concerned about our environment: the Marcellus Shale contains what may be the largest natural gas reserve in the US. Although this is a financial boon for the state, at the same time we must fight for responsible gas drilling with strong environmental regulations.
I believe that Harrisburg must be reformed and that trust in State Government must be earned and then restored. I believe by putting well-being of the residents of my district first that I can help make this happen.
The Pennsylvania Legislature needs more women. Our Commonwealth is listed as 46th out of the 50 states in terms of the percentage of female lawmakers in its legislature--that makes Pennsylvania the fifth lowest in the nation, ahead of only Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina and Oklahoma--not a record to be proud of!
I believe that the job of government is to help and protect the residents and not interfere with their lives or hinder progress and development.
I have never forgotten all the people who reached out to help me in Norristown as I grew up. My goal is to serve the residents of the 150th District to the best of my ability and to give back every chance I have to make the area--and individual lives--better.
Although the voter registration and performance numbers in the 150th are the most favorable they have ever been for electing a Democrat this fall to the State House, 42.6% Democrats vs. 42.2% Republicans, I need your vote and your help to secure the victory!
I need volunteers to help get my campaign message out to the residents of the 150th. I welcome you, you family and your friends to join me in reaching out to your friends, acquaintances, relatives and co-workers in the 150th District, to help me communicate my campaign messages and goals.
Thank you, as ever, for your loyalty and support.
Students at Norristown Area High School, located in West Norriton, have for years been playing sports at the old Roosevelt Field on Markley Street in Norristown. The facility is outdated and in need of significant repair. The School Board has proposed building a multi-purpose athletic field behind Norristown Area High School, but the move has been opposed by many residents and the West Norriton Board of Commissioners. As the controversy has dragged on, both the School District and the Township have spent taxpayer money on significant legal fees.
A special school board meeting is scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. to discuss a negotiated agreement concerning the development of the field, followed by a public meeting Tuesday, July 13th at 6:30 p.m. at the Jeffersonville Gold Club for the West Norriton Board of Commissioners to consider adopting the new ordinance. Read an article on the subject from The Times Herald here.
What are your thoughts? Do you support the building of a new multi-purpose field for Norristown High School or are you opposed to it? Please visit my Facebook Page and leave your answers on my wall.
July 13 Update: The Norristown Area School Board last night approved a new HS stadium. Thank you everyone for your comments. I very much understand and appreciate your concerns, but according to the Times Herald on Sunday, the agreement specifically prohibits the raising of school taxes to fund the facility. See my post from yesterday above for full details on that, and als see the school board story in today's
Times Herald for full details on late night's vote.
The new state budget increase for education was a step in the right direction, but PA needs to do more for our local school districts.