Remmington City mayor files to run for governor
REMMINGTON CITY, Remmington--In the city that he has governed for the past three years, Remmington City Mayor Graham Alton (NAT) officially kicked off his campaign for governor.
The big announcement was made at High Sky Park in the city's southeast. About 400 people gathered at the park's outdoor amphitheater to hear Alton's announcement, which was widely expected by political analysts.
Alton told the crowd his top priorities are the environment, economy and education.
"Our current governor wants to ignore climate change, keep giving tax breaks and benefits to greedy corporations while ignoring normal, every-day Remmingtonians, and he wants to maintain the status quo with our education system in this state. That's very, very wrong, friends," Alton said.
Alton was born and raised in Damoign to a sea merchant father and a waitress mother. After serving in the Air Force and graduating from Kendalla College in Harapoquen, Damoign, he moved to Remmington City in 1983. He worked as a journalist for the Remmington Star newspaper until opening his own air conditioning business in 1992.
Becoming successful in the business world, Alton began to grow his business empire and got involved in the dot-com boom. In 2002, after overseeing a diverse business portfolio, Alton started working in the non-profit sector, working first as the state head of the federal government's housing assistance program. In 2004, he resigned that position to head the Remmington City Fair Housing Organization, which he oversaw until his 2008 election as mayor, the first Nationalist to win since 1980.
During his speech Friday, the journalist, businessman, and non-profit head-turned-politician gave few specifics, but said he wants to transition Remmington's economy into a green economy.
"I believe agriculture and green technology can coexist and work together nicely. Our economy doesn't have to just be dependent on agriculture and the mining and timber industries," he said.
On the economy, he wants to end corporate tax breaks and bring tax breaks to Remmington families. More specifically, he proposed a hike in the state's gas tax in exchange for broader tax exemptions and tax credits for families of four or more.
"The economy in this state is hurting, and part of that is because the current administration is rejecting a green economy. And the other part is that they're giving all the help to the corporations and not the people. In an Alton administration, the big oil companies will be at the back of the line," he said to a cheering crowd.
On education, Alton told the crowd he wants to "reinvigorate" the state's school system by raising teachers' salaries and increasing spending for education, while also lowering class sizes. Calling the current education system "dismal," he told supporters he wants to change the way education is done in the state.
"If you want to be a top-notch education state, then you have to have top-notch teachers and technology. And right now, Remmington has the lowest-paid teachers in the country. That just has to change," he said.
The mayor did not address most other issues. About the state's ailing budget, he told the media after his speech he would fix the budget gap through a combination of tax increases and spending cuts, though he declined to give specifics. He also told reporters he would convene a special transportation committee to evaluate the state's transportation system and propose solutions.
If Alton wins the Nationalist Party nomination, he will go on to challenge Conservative incumbent Gov. Jen Stevens-Taylor, who was first elected in 2008.
It's unclear who Alton's running mate will be, though Assemblyman Bryce Goodall, who represents the constituency of Devry, could run make another run for lieutenant governor after his unsuccessful run in 2008 with former Senator James Owen-Wilson. Former Senate candidates Ashleigh Lanford, James Kensen, and Derrick Cotter have also been rumored to be interested.
REMMINGTON CITY, Remmington--In the city that he has governed for the past three years, Remmington City Mayor Graham Alton (NAT) officially kicked off his campaign for governor.
The big announcement was made at High Sky Park in the city's southeast. About 400 people gathered at the park's outdoor amphitheater to hear Alton's announcement, which was widely expected by political analysts.
Alton told the crowd his top priorities are the environment, economy and education.
"Our current governor wants to ignore climate change, keep giving tax breaks and benefits to greedy corporations while ignoring normal, every-day Remmingtonians, and he wants to maintain the status quo with our education system in this state. That's very, very wrong, friends," Alton said.
Alton was born and raised in Damoign to a sea merchant father and a waitress mother. After serving in the Air Force and graduating from Kendalla College in Harapoquen, Damoign, he moved to Remmington City in 1983. He worked as a journalist for the Remmington Star newspaper until opening his own air conditioning business in 1992.
Becoming successful in the business world, Alton began to grow his business empire and got involved in the dot-com boom. In 2002, after overseeing a diverse business portfolio, Alton started working in the non-profit sector, working first as the state head of the federal government's housing assistance program. In 2004, he resigned that position to head the Remmington City Fair Housing Organization, which he oversaw until his 2008 election as mayor, the first Nationalist to win since 1980.
During his speech Friday, the journalist, businessman, and non-profit head-turned-politician gave few specifics, but said he wants to transition Remmington's economy into a green economy.
"I believe agriculture and green technology can coexist and work together nicely. Our economy doesn't have to just be dependent on agriculture and the mining and timber industries," he said.
On the economy, he wants to end corporate tax breaks and bring tax breaks to Remmington families. More specifically, he proposed a hike in the state's gas tax in exchange for broader tax exemptions and tax credits for families of four or more.
"The economy in this state is hurting, and part of that is because the current administration is rejecting a green economy. And the other part is that they're giving all the help to the corporations and not the people. In an Alton administration, the big oil companies will be at the back of the line," he said to a cheering crowd.
On education, Alton told the crowd he wants to "reinvigorate" the state's school system by raising teachers' salaries and increasing spending for education, while also lowering class sizes. Calling the current education system "dismal," he told supporters he wants to change the way education is done in the state.
"If you want to be a top-notch education state, then you have to have top-notch teachers and technology. And right now, Remmington has the lowest-paid teachers in the country. That just has to change," he said.
The mayor did not address most other issues. About the state's ailing budget, he told the media after his speech he would fix the budget gap through a combination of tax increases and spending cuts, though he declined to give specifics. He also told reporters he would convene a special transportation committee to evaluate the state's transportation system and propose solutions.
If Alton wins the Nationalist Party nomination, he will go on to challenge Conservative incumbent Gov. Jen Stevens-Taylor, who was first elected in 2008.
It's unclear who Alton's running mate will be, though Assemblyman Bryce Goodall, who represents the constituency of Devry, could run make another run for lieutenant governor after his unsuccessful run in 2008 with former Senator James Owen-Wilson. Former Senate candidates Ashleigh Lanford, James Kensen, and Derrick Cotter have also been rumored to be interested.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment