Published 10.16.2008

To the Editor:

It's particularly important that citizens in the cities and towns that make up NH Senate District 6 re-elect Jackie Cilley.

Ms. Cilley has been a tireless advocate for local communities, organizations and individuals. She is one of the most responsible and responsive people I have known in state government.

In the case of the Town of Barrington, there have been numerous instances where town government needed some form of intervention or information from the state. Ms. Cilley has taken these matters to various agencies or the governor's office and received responses or action, sometimes within a matter of hours.

She has organized forums for local officials on issues such as the state's pension shortfall and on regional issues such as federal support for fuel assistance. I can honestly say that I am not aware of anyone who has worked harder for this district.

Jackie Cilley is one of those rare people in politics who doesn't cleave to the party line. She appears to be driven entirely by the desire to make state government an effective instrument to meet the needs of the people.

The business of governing is always a matter of balancing competing interests. In my experience Ms. Cilley has always been willing to listen to different points of view and search for common ground. I'm not sure you can ask for more than that from any public official. She deserves our wholehearted support.

Charter Weeks

Barrington

To the Editor:

I am the owner of George & Ed's convenience store on North Main Street in Rochester.

Recently the Department of Health and Human Services revoked my license to accept WIC and food stamps at my store.

This not only threatened the existence of my business, but it placed a severe burden on my faithful customers who live within walking distance of the store, a fact that is extremely important to those who do not have vehicles enabling them to drive to malls to do their shopping.

Representatives Julie Brown and Bill Brennan and Senator Jackie Cilley took on the task of finding a solution to this problem and because of their intervention I not only received an apology from the Department of Health and Human Services, but my license has been reinstated as well.

I am grateful for their caring and concern for me and for my customers and for their diligence and hard work in solving this problem for us.

They have my support and my vote for re-election in the upcoming election on Nov. 4. I hope they will have yours too. They deserve it!

Guatem Patel

Owner of George & Ed's

Rochester