Thursday, June 24, 2010
Pick Rick 2010!
My name is Rick Martel and I am running as the Republican candidate for the Maryland Senate, District 12. I am a resident of Catonsville, an attorney in Catonsville and a parishioner at St. Agnes Church. I have been married to Kim Martel for thirty years. We have five wonderful children and two precious grandchildren. As a lawyer for the past twenty-seven years, my professional interests have revolved around representing private citizens.
During the past four years, the Democrat monopoly power in Annapolis has acted with outrageous and unprecedented fiscal irresponsibility. In the face of a terrible recession, they have continued to spend money which we do not have and have overtaxed us in every way, disregarding what hard-working Marylanders really want for ourselves and our children. Just as individuals and families have to cut expenses and do without when times are tough, so too must responsible State government.
Senator Ed Kasemeyer has been in public office for well over twenty years. He is a liberal supporter of Governor O’Malley and votes for State Senate President Mike Miller lock, stock and barrel. Are you really better off now than you were four years ago? It is time to send a clear message to Annapolis that enough is enough! It is time to send home career politicians like Senator Kasemeyer, who have lost touch with the real people in the real communities in which we live. Tell them we want representatives who know what it’s like to live, work or run a business in Maryland.
If what has occurred in the last four years in Annapolis concerns you, then it should not be difficult to contribute to this important campaign. We anticipate that since this will be a grassroots campaign, we will need to raise $50,000 for this effort. And the giving of your time and skills would make a huge difference. Please complete the commitment card enclosed herein, make checks payable to ‘Friends of Rick Martel’ and send to me as soon as possible so we can make a real difference restoring fiscal responsibility in Annapolis. Visit my website, http://www.rickmartel.org, to read more about the serious issues facing us and what I plan to do in going to work for you. You can also make a contribution through PayPal on the website.
Let us catch the wave that is sweeping our country and send the entrenched, out-of-touch incumbents home. I look forward to hearing from you and I look forward to an exciting and successful campaign.
Very truly yours,
Rick Martel
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Donation Information
Donate online now by clicking the “Donate” button:
Or mail a check payable to “Friends of Rick Martel” to:
Friends of Rick Martel
603 Hilton Ave.
Catonsville, MD 21228
Please include your phone number and e-mail address with all correspondence.
Keep in Mind:
Campaign contributions limits do exist … donations are not tax deductible. Individuals cannot donate more than $4000 to any single candidate. Individuals cannot donate more than $10,000 to all candidates in a 4-year election cycle. Please review the state contribution and transfer limits if you’re considering a sizeable donation. Attention Lobbyists and persons doing business with County and State governments: be sure to consider and comply with state laws before donating.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Maryland Needs a Change
Elementary principles of economics:
Time and time again the politicians in power have demonstrated that they do not understand (or choose to ignore) elementary principles of economics. They raised the sales tax twenty percent to 6¢/dollar, which disproportionately hurts the poor and lower middle classes – to whom they continue to give mere lip service. After doing so, despite the fact that we have proximate neighboring states with no sales tax, they expressed surprise when State revenues declined.
They attempted to pass an ill-advised computer tax, only to retract it in the face of hurried 11th-hour overwhelming opposition. They botched the BG&E sale and the slots issue, costing us millions of dollars of lost revenue – to this date we have received no slots revenue, and they used, in my opinion, an illegal Constitutional Amendment tactic to boot.
More Taxes:
After immediately wasting the $1billion surplus left by Governor Ehrlich, the current Governor called a Special Session which was supposed to solve our anticipated tax shortage. Of course it did not, but left us with numerous higher taxes. They passed a “millionaire’s” tax, and then, when many successful Marylanders, some with businesses employing many employees, moved to neighboring states, they were shocked to find a diminution of an estimated ONE BILLION DOLLARS to our tax base. Now Governor O’Malley faces an estimated $389 million deficit this summer because Federal bailout money, which was unwisely counted on, is not coming in.
Fiscal Responsibility:
We need to re-elect Governor Ehrlich, who has demonstrated fiscal responsibility in the past, and will do so again if given the chance. He has promised to require all State agencies to audit themselves and reasonably and responsibly reduce their budgets so we can weather this economic storm and he has promised to cut taxes or provide incentives to stimulate economic growth and add jobs that will benefit us all.
If elected, I would voluntarily forfeit the same percentage of my State Senator salary as hard-working State workers are asked to sacrifice. We really don’t have a revenue problem, we have spending and priority problems. We need to foster a more business-friendly state so businesses will come, stay and expand.
I am well beyond saying “I told you so”. I am worried that we are being permanently damaged by poor fiscal policies and management. Too many Maryland businesses are closing or relocating out of state, too many Marylanders are unemployed or under-employed. We need sound, conservative fiscal policies, especially in these trying economic times. We need to be helping businesses survive, flourish and grow in a more business-friendly environment, so more can be employed to stimulate the economy, and grow the pie so that everyone, and I mean everyone, can benefit.
Fresh Faces and Ideas:
Trust me, if we re-elect these incumbents again, then the other shoe will surely fall on us. They will raise taxes still higher. We are already over-taxed. We need relief. We need real change in Annapolis. We need fresh faces, fresh and innovative ideas, sound fiscal policy, and new blood in Annapolis. We need to consider term limits. We need to make sure that there is fairer representation for those who feel ignored and neglected. We need a fair balance of power so that conservatives, independents and moderates ‘have a place at the table’. We need to elect one of us, a real person, not a career politician, to speak and vote for us. I am willing to be that person.
If you feel the same way as me, if you want a fresh voice to speak for the 12th District, then I ask you to help me. Representative government is about serving the citizenry; it is not about serving the political aspirations of those who wish to stay in office.
You need to know the numbers are there to achieve success, but it will take a committed effort on the part of many. If the same number of people vote, I need to pick up 5,100 votes over the votes I received in the last election to beat Senator Kasemeyer. Remember - he beat me by less than two thousand votes in Baltimore County in 2006. The need to restore at least balance, if not outright order, to an Assembly run amuck with usurping power and ignoring our needs compels me to make this effort.
To restore a balance of power in Annapolis and to be in position to assist Governor Ehrlich when he is reelected to implement his policies to restore fiscal sanity to the state, we need to pick up at least 5 Senate seats and 14 Delegate seats. For this reason, this Senate campaign in District 12 is important for all like-minded citizens in the state of Maryland.
Pick Rick:
If you care about fiscal responsibility, more jobs and a better business environment, if you are concerned about the manipulation of our election and immigration laws, ignoring of our Constitution, and disrespect for laws, if you care about those who cannot care for themselves or speak for their own basic human rights and creating a culture of life; if the changing description of marriage and family and further moral erosion disturbs you, if having a legislator who listens to his constituency and represents the people is important to you, then I am ready to work for you.
I need your vote, I need your financial support, I need your prayer support, I need you to host neighborhood information parties, I need you to walk your neighborhoods with me so I can introduce myself to your neighbors, I need you to put up signs in your yard and stickers on your cars, I need you to buy and wear our campaign t-shirts, and I need you to get involved as much as you can!
Upcoming Events
Recurring Events:
Every Second Thursday of the Month
Every Second and Fourth Wednesday of the Month
Contact Info
For questions about Rick or to volunteer, send an e-mail to Rick@RickMartel.org .
For questions about or issues with the website, send an e-mail to Joe@RickMartel.org .
Send written inquiries and donations to:
Friends of Rick Martel
603 Hilton Ave.
Catonsville, MD 21228
Rick Announces Senate Candidacy
Contact: Kim Martel
Phone: 410-788-9667
Email: rickjrkim@netscape.net
Rick Martel Announces Senate Candidacy
District 12 Republican
Rick Martel has announced his candidacy as Republican candidate for Maryland State Senate, District 12.
Rick desires to restore fiscal responsibility to help make Maryland more business-friendly, reduce taxes, create more jobs and restore responsible government in Maryland. For more information and to donate and/or volunteer for this important and exciting campaign, visit http://www.rickmartel.org.
Rick is an attorney in Catonsville with a law office on Edmondson Avenue. He was educated in Baltimore County public schools, at UMBC (B.A. Economics and Political Science, 1980) and The University of Baltimore School of Law (J.D., 1983). Rick has been a member of the Maryland Bar for 27 years and is a member of the Maryland Bar Association and the Knights of Columbus. Rick serves on the Board of Directors of Catonsville Emergency Food Ministry.
Rick lives in Catonsville with Kim, his wife of 30 years. They have five children and two grandchildren. He attends St. Agnes Church and volunteers at Fredrick Villa Nursing Home.