Patrick White for State Representative
Hello Friend,
I want to give you regular updates on how things are going. As you may know, I have decided to run for Smitty’s seat representing South County at the State House. I am asking for your support.
If you find these notes helpful, consider forwarding this email to five or ten friends and ask them to subscribe at my website.
Some Highlights from This Past Week
West Stockbridge Rent Control. I got a call asking for my help with the West Stockbridge Rent Control rate case last weekend. I jumped right in and read the 200-page filing, as well as the comments from the of the tenants. It bears a lot of similarity with the Housatonic Water Works case, for which I am a named Intervenor with the Attorney General's office. In both cases, we have communities who have been marginalized and underserved. Communities who are being asked to absorb giant rate increases with sub-par service. You may be aware that I submitted HWW testimony late last year. You can read that here. This week, I also submitted written testimony to the West Stockbridge Rent Control Board, which is also available on my website.
WTBR segment on As So It Flows. I was invited to be interviewed on this radio show/podcast related to water issues. Front and Center on the issues we discussed was the question of the Housatonic River and PCBs. Suffice to say I didn't pull any punches when discussing GE. You can listen to the interview here. Advance to around 30 minutes in to hear my segment.
Sad Anniversary. This past week marked the one-year anniversary of my best friend's death from a rare throat cancer, a cancer very similar to one his next door neighbor also had, both of whom lived on the Housatonic River. I wrote a piece on being a cancer survivor. I know it's a bit irrational, but survivor guilt is a thing. You wonder why you lived and your friends didn't.
Taxes are front and center. There was a piece in The Berkshire Edge about the public pushback related to proposed property tax increases in one Berkshire County town. We simply must find alternate ways to pay for the exploding cost of local government. I have published detailed policy positions on how we could achieve this at the State House by focusing on tourism-related taxes to reduce your property tax burden. You can read my strategies to reduce your property taxes here.
This is the only part I hate: raising money. It costs money to mount a successful campaign. There are the lawn signs, the direct mail, all the work that goes into launching an 18-town campaign. Every donation helps no matter the size (maximum is $1,000 per person per year). Please, if you believe, as I do, that all the folks of the Berkshires, no matter their means, deserve a strong voice and a hard worker at the State House, please consider supporting these efforts.
You can donate by clicking here:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/patrick-3rd
Or you can mail a check to:
Patrick Thomas White Committee
81 Hawthorne Street
Lenox, MA 01240
Donations, be they small or large, are essential if I am going to win this. Every dollar, just like every vote, is important. Thanks for any help you can provide.
I am in it to win it and am running to effect real change. I’d love to have your support.
Warmly,
Patrick White
PS: You can find detailed positions on my campaign website:
https://www.patrickwhiteberkshires.com
Riding the elephant.
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