This being the season of political vitriol and mischaracterizations, it is a shame that we sometimes lose sight of the good folks within our community.

With long work days that often extend through weekends, there is little time for my wife and I to be political activists. However, we attempt to keep up with political issues that affect our business, family and community and we vote carefully to assure the best political representation.

As residents of Raymond for the past two legislative terms, we have voted for Mike McClellan and will vote for his reelection to House Seat District 66, which covers parts of Raymond, Casco and Poland.

We vote for Mike because he has been a resident of Raymond for 27 years. He knows the area, the people and the issues. His votes in the Legislature will have the same effect on his family as they have on ours. We also vote for him because we share similar core values.

Mike has consistently expressed a need to curb non-essential spending, a need to check the growth of government and a need to rein in welfare spending. Mike is respectful of people’s rights and dislikes government intrusion. He believes control should be in the hands of local residents and local government and not the product of a national agenda or out-of-state lobbyists operating in Augusta.

McClellan’s desire is to keep taxes low, foster business growth and to enhance Maine’s quality of life and expand job opportunities by improving Maine’s educational institutions.

But then it is easy to understand what Mike represents. Rather than vague references and muddled concepts that defy understanding, his positions, background and forward direction are clearly spelled out at http://www.mikemcclellan.com/. What you won’t find are misrepresentations of, or attacks on, opposition.

Mike is a communicator. He emails constituents information regarding issues and pending votes on a weekly basis. Constituents who have questions, comments and suggestions can email Mike at [email protected] or [email protected] and he will ALWAYS respond directly and candidly.

Where a mutual interest is expressed, Mike will also stop in and visit neighbors to discuss specific concerns and to offer assistance. I have never met another elected official who actually enjoys communicating with the people he represents, regardless party, issues or philosophical differences. He works diligently to represent all of the residents within his district.

McClellan’s commitment to community is not something recent, nor does it end with his service in the Legislature. Mike has been the executive director at a local Maine Chamber of Commerce and a Director of Maine Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. He is the current executive director of the Maine Statewide Independent Living Council; independent living for people with disabilities, and he currently serves on the board of The Lewiston Root Cellar.

My wife and I vote for Mike McClellan because we like him. The guy is hardworking, honest, sincere and down to earth. We feel as though he is safeguarding our interest and representing us in a respectful manner. He has a positive, outgoing demeanor, and sees working with opposition as a healthy challenge. He is a neighbor who makes you feel good about living in a neighborhood.

Joseph D’Alessandro

Raymond