Dear Neighbors,
Thanksgiving is upon us and marks a wonderful time of year when we gather with family and friends to enjoy a bountiful meal and reconnect with our loved ones. Further, Thanksgiving provides an opportunity for reflection upon the past year and allows us to plan how to make the upcoming year even better.
For me, 2015 has been extraordinarily special. It started out with the unforgettable opportunity to be sworn-in as your State Representative for District 44B – the community I grew up in. Every single day I remain grateful for the honor and privilege to represent you, your family and our whole community at the State Capitol.
We have a great state to be thankful for, but there is much that can be improved: our government must do a better job in providing first-class educational opportunities from cradle to career (including reducing the astronomical costs of child care and post-secondary education), fixing our health care system so that everyone has affordable access, ensuring our environment and natural resources are well nurtured and cared for, addressing our crumbling transportation infrastructure, delivering services that help those most in need, and allowing for a business climate where employees and employers can be successful. I am thankful for the opportunity to contribute to this work.
The middle of 2015 was even more memorable; as on June 6, I married my incredible wife, Kate (here is a recent picture of us taken at my cousin’s wedding). I am most thankful to have her in my life and have a partner with whom to share life’s journey. Indeed, each time I catch a glimpse of the Thanksgiving football games tomorrow, I will be reminded of how far I “out-punted my coverage” in terms of a spouse!
Before 2015 wraps up though, we have the holiday shopping season, and you may be looking to take advantage of “Black Friday” deals at big-box stores or online retailers. I’d also like to encourage you to participate in “Small Business Saturday” coming up this Saturday, November 28 by shopping at local businesses. Supporting small businesses has been and will continue to be a major priority for me at the legislature, and I hope you will consider supporting them, too.
In closing, Kate and I wish you have a great Thanksgiving spent with those you love and care about. As always, I welcome your thoughts on any issue that is important to you. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your viewpoints or if I can ever be of assistance. It’s an honor to represent you at the Capitol.
Thankfully,
Jon Applebaum
State Representative