The Reason Behind the Vote There is no doubt that the Right to Work debate has brought mixed emotions not only to our state but District 30 as well. There were only a handful of House Republicans who did not vote in support of this legislation. Let me explain why I felt it was necessary for me to vote in opposition to Right to Work. Considerable thought was given to this issue and there were many factors that played a role in the ultimate decision. Since the fall of the gavel last session, long before this issue was voted on; I started receiving input from our community. Whether it was in support or opposition, all opinions were welcomed and highly valued. I commend our district for being so vocal and participating in the legislative process. Some have asked why I did not announce my standpoint early on. My answer is that it is only fair that those who contacted me were able to voice their opinions with an open mind and without judgment. If they knew I held a position, the focus would be on changing my position opposed to giving me their wholehearted opinion. With an issue as important as this, my silence encouraged many people to voice their opinion openly to me and it is appreciated. This issue was not as partisan as many portrayed it, especially in District 30. Several businessmen, contractors and retail owners who happen to be Republicans reached out to me to voice their thoughts. They simply didn’t believe this legislation was in the best interest of their business and of our community. There is data circulating surrounding this issue and whether it is right or wrong for our state. Many of these studies are conflicting and many of the facts have been skewed. Whatever it is these studies happen to show, I believe my job on this matter was to act as a delegate for our district. When I needed to know how to vote on this, I chose to focus on what the people of District 30 were saying. I’d also like to clear up one final question concerning my votes on the amendments to this bill. Many amendments were put forth with the idea of simply ending the bill down the road. If this bill was going to pass, whether I liked it or not, it needed to be done in a way so that this legislation would have the best chance of succeeding in a positive manner in the future. The referendum amendment did not get my support, because it did not reflect the representative democracy that we hold in Indiana. Other amendments simply had nothing to do with this bill. I voted on these amendments because they would not be beneficial to the overall bill. Once the final version of the bill had been put together, it was in the best form it could be. It just so happens that the constituents in this district did not think this bill would be in our best interest; therefore I did not give it my support. Thanks to all of you for being respectful throughout this process. I was never bullied or threatened for my view or vote. I would also like to give credit to my colleagues and House Republicans, who never once tried to influence me to vote otherwise and respected my decision to vote in accordance to what is best for our district. If you feel you have been affected by this bill or that the implementation of Right to Work will negatively impact your life, continue to work hard and carry on. Only time will tell what will truly happen when this legislation in enacted. I am confident Kokomo and the surrounding area will prevail even if faced with difficulties, just as we always have. The fact of the matter is I was elected to represent our district and your thoughts at the Statehouse. I feel this vote reflected our collective best interest. The majority of our district said to oppose this bill. Your message pertaining to Right to Work was heard, loud and clear. Thank you all for participating in the legislative process and expressing your feelings. |
