Former District 19 Senator Len Teitelbaum, who is supporting challenger Roger Manno against incumbent Mike Lenett, sent out this mass email last night.
From: len@senatorteitelbaum.com
Date: Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 8:49 PM
Subject: Race for My Old Senate Seat
To:
Dear Friend:
Now that all the brochures have been sent, and primary day approaches, I am attempting in a concise way to answer the question that many people have asked: Why are all the previous D 19 legislators, The WASHINGTON POST and GAZETTE newspapers, as well as many other activists and groups, endorsing Roger Manno for my old State Senate seat?
Being an elected official is a very personal business. All your activity should be done with the idea that today’s opponent on an issue could be tomorrow’s ally. Stepping over people is not how things get done. Roger Manno has proven, as one of your elected State Delegates, that things get done when people work together, and credit is shared in an equitable way. Credit is taken when it is earned, and if an issue is important, but is being worked by another legislator, volunteer to help, but don’t take credit for other people’s work.
Roger’s accomplishments in his time in Annapolis has been many. A few examples are: He sponsored a bill, HB1532, now law, to require 2- 15-minutes breaks every 8 hours, HB29 to prevent insurance companies from denying coverage or increasing rates for pre-existing conditions, Two bills, HB1073 in 2007 & HB37 in 2008 which provided tax assistance to close the “doughnut hole” for Medicare recipients. He also was called by the White House to help formulate the Health Care bill which was just passed by Congress & signed by the President. Look at his website www.RogerManno.com for other examples.
But there’s another part of the job that has not gotten the attention it deserves. That is the Senator working with his/her Delegates to get things for D19 residents. Such things as traffic lights, road repairs,& stop signs at intersections. Cooperation between all four members is absolutely necessary because we have to compete with other Delegations for limited funds to get these things. This is where the rubber hits the road when they say ” all politics is local.” I used to meet with my Delegates two to three times a month, where we worked together, to write joint letters, make phone calls & do the District’s business. Traffic lights at the north gate of Leisure World, and the traffic light at Arcola& Hermleigh Roads are two examples of our success. This did not happen these last four years. We even wrote recommendation letters, to our Congressional delegation for applicants to West Point, Annapolis and The Air Force Academy. Incidentally two of the people we recommended were accepted to and attended, one each to West Point, and the Naval Academy.
Two weeks ago the GAZETTE published a list of the road repairs planned for Montgomery County. Not one road in D19 was listed. If the four D19 legislators had been meeting regularly, Georgia Ave. near the entrance to Leisure World, Georgia Ave. near Wheaton, University Blvd. near Kemp Mill road are but a few example of candidates that could have been on the list for having potholes fixed or having sections repaved.
These are just a few reasons why all the previous D19 legislators, THE WASHINGTON POST and GAZETTE newspapers AND MANY other folks are supporting Roger Manno, I hope you will also.
Best regards, Len Teitelbaum
Printed and circulated to my community at personal expense and without authorization by Roger Manno or any other organization.