Editor's Note: Although Mike did not receive the nomination for Assemblyman, we reprint his speech here so that the issues and values contained therein may live on.

          Welcome! I say welcome because not only do I represent Pleasant Valley in the County Legislature, but Pleasant Valley is also my home.

          Two-Hundred and Thirty-Six years ago a Presbyterian Minister from Pleasant Valley by the name of Melancton Smith stepped forward in his service to his town and fellow citizens. He became a delegate to the New York Provincial Congress then considering whether to break away from Great Britain. He helped organized militia, which he named the Dutchess County Rangers, and he served as county sheriff during the war for independence. Afterwards he fought against slavery, became a delegate to the Constitutional Convention as a fierce defender of state and local rights. When it came time for New York to ratify the federal constitution Melancton Smith was a key vote in approving the U.S. Constitution albeit with assurance that the rights of the individuals would be protected. Afterwards, in 1791 Melancton Smith of Pleasant Valley was elected to the New York State Assembly.

          I tell you this at the start of my speech where I will ask for your vote to nominate me to represent you in the New York State Assembly, because our shared history, our heritage is part and parcel of who we are. From Red Hook, who will celebrate its 200^th anniversary this year to Wassaic, whose Borden Milk factory was founded 150-years ago last year whose condensed milk proved pivotal to outfitting our troops in the U.S. Civil War we hail from a proud region. We live in historic towns. You and I cherish our towns and the sense of community. We value our neighbors, and our representatives in government must do the same.

          When I ran for County Legislature in 2009, I promised the four towns that I would come to represent that in me they would have a local presence. I have delivered. I attend monthly board meetings, participate in community events, I write weekly on substantive issues in our local newspapers and most importantly I bring their issues – the people’s issues – to Poughkeepsie with me. One cannot provide actual representation unless we’re in touch with the people we represent. We are a government of the people, by the people and for the people. These are the words of the founder of our party, Abraham Lincoln spoken at Gettysburg in the midst of the U.S. Civil War. We gather here today so that you as elected committee members of the 103^rd AD might represent the people of your respective towns. You must look at each of the three candidates here today and ask which one of us can best meet the needs of your neighbors? Who among us can best be our voice in Albany? Who here has the record and reputation for being fiscally conservative yet socially aware?

          As a legislative aide to Assemblyman Joel Miller I learned to excel in constituent service in helping others navigate government red tape. As an attorney I help moms and dads navigate family court. As a director of a nonprofit I help some of the society’s most vulnerable citizens to find a job, volunteer and appreciate their self-worth. As a professor of philosophy and law I am preparing college students for their future success.

          Our future is important. Our local municipalities are stretched thin, with budgets that will burst if Albany does not give us mandate relief. Just two nights ago during my monthly report to the Amenia town board a councilwoman told me how their town is suffering under the onerous mandate known as Wick’s Law. This burdensome law is increasing state and local construction costs, delaying projects and adding to municipal debt. We must join almost every other state in the nation in adopting a single contract method by repealing Wicks Law and giving our local governments sorely needed relief.

          At the County level, we are being crushed by nine unfunded mandates that together comprise 90%of our budgets. Although worthy causes in themselves, these mandates strip autonomy from local leaders to decide for themselves the needs of our community and how to meet them. It has placed us county legislators with little choice but to either raise taxes or cut the services upon which people have come to rely. As a county legislator I have made the tough choices to cut services and lay off workers while preserving our most essential programs. But the future is grim. Unless Albany can deliver on mandate relief this year Dutchess County’s budget will face a deficit and services must be cut. We need someone in Albany who will take the time to understand these mandates and show leadership in reducing them.

          As a first-term county legislator I got behind an election cost-sharing mandate that was threatening to burden our town governments. I studied it in depth, and sponsored legislation that cut the cost charged to ours towns by almost half while providing incentives for further cost reductions.

          I studied also the state mandate of Special Education Placement that last year cost Dutchess County taxpayers $7-million to house out kids whose school districts could not provide them with appropriate education. This figure, which mind you is double the annual fee we pay for the Resource Recovery Agency, can be avoided if we get serious about managing the mandates here at home. Wouldn’t it be great if we could ask our county’s twelve school districts to enter into a program of shared services such that each district specialized in offering a different form of specialized special education such that our children with special needs can learn locally and thus reducing county expenses by $7million per year?

          Building coalitions locally is important. We are long past the time when we can operate in silos. Now adays we need to transcend boundaries and come together as partners in a collaborative approach. After the county budget cut youth services last year, I became involved in building a coalition focused on youth empowerment in Eastern Dutchess. Comprised of five school districts, nonprofits and parents we now meet monthly to discuss issues facing kids today including drugs and gangs.

          Children are our future. After my father died, I went through a rough time. I was fortunate to have the guiding hands of two successive scoutmasters who picked up where my dad left off in teaching me the values of integrity, hard work and perseverance. Today, I give back to youth as an Assistant Scoutmaster helping to build character and community awareness into our future leaders.

          I’m told Albany is a corrupt place. Just recently one of our own electeds was convicted of wrongdoing and sentenced to prison. We need someone representing us that strives to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. The Scout Law is the code that I accepted for my life a long time ago. We can’t legislate morality but we sure as well can expect our legislators to be moral.

          Special interest is a real threat to our democracy. It used to be the case that government’s power was limited to those policies that provided benefit to all, and not to one or more groups at the expense of others. Somewhere we in New York lost our way, and the laws and even the Constitution of the state have been written to cater to special interest. This has got to change.

          We must return to a mindset where governmental role is minimal, and where intervention into the affairs of its citizens is limited to a clear public purpose. When government deviates we need a representative who has the courage to speak up. On the floor of the county legislature I have not been afraid to present a different point of view or vote no when a policy defied logic or interfered with human freedom. In the Assembly I would harness the same courage to speak up for our shared Republican values and advocate for the needs of the people of the 103^rd Assembly District.

             Few issues are under attack more in the Democrat-controlled Assembly than the Second Amendment. We saw how in Melancton Smith's time our local and individual liberties were earned and fought for not only by the strength of our words and intellects, but with access to arms. Freedom is an empty concept without the ability to rise up when government becomes tyranical. I attended and fundraised for the National Rifle Association, am a gun-owner, and have facilitated gun safety and shooting sports programs for youth as well as created the annual "Shoot the Shamrock" event for the County Young Republicans, when I served as chairman.

          I am hearing from constituents of problems begging for solutions. A councilman from Unionvale wrote me that assisted living for our seniors is at capacity in Dutchess County with long waiting lists, and that the parent company of The Fountains at Millbrook wants to expand to meet this crucial need, but that state licensing regulations are interfering. How is it that state licensing prevents not only our community from meeting the needs of elder populations, but our businesses from growing?

          In this stagnant economy we need the State to free up regulations so that businesses can expand and prosper and create the jobs that so many of our neighbors so desperately need.

          In this economy there are a lot of needy people out there right now. Somehow people have come to expect government to play an active role in maintaining the steady growth of the economy and providing a variety of welfare programs to those in need. Somehow, we have got to wean people off government assistance, but we cannot do this until society steps up. We build society up by strengthening our churches and nonprofits. It’s been one of my missions to help promote food pantries ever since my family found itself receiving donations from the Saint Vincent De Paul Society at Saint Columba Church following the death of our breadwinner. In 2006, I established the annual Scouting for Food food drive, and it’s a core function of my political campaign to inspire voters not only to come out and vote but to help stock the local food pantries. This week my campaign team distributed over 1,000 donated bags to households in four towns with instructions to fill the bag and bring it to a nearby foodbank. Yesterday morning I received a call from Carol Miller in Hopewell Junction who was inspired by the request such that when she took her filled grocery bag to the pantry that she learned that the pantry serves 500 families per week and has had to turn people away for lack of food. She says she will now make it a routine to donate food.

        I have an active campaign team. We have four fundraisers ready to take shape upon receiving the nomination. I also have a strong record of grassroots campaigning. In 2009, I was victorious in defeating a popular and entrenched legislator who was impenetrable for over a quarter of a century including service in the leadership of a Democratic majority. Through hard-work and plenty of door-knocking I helped the Republican party retake the County Legislature. With your help I would like to help the Republican Party retake the New York State Assembly.

          I have the experience in campaigning, governing and the community involvement to serve as an effective Assemblyman. My professional life makes me relevant and capable of contributing. I have never been lacking in energy or enthusiasm. In a little while each of you will exercise your duty as committee members to select the person you most want representing you and representing our community. I am ready, willing and able to represent you. But the decision is yours. If you decide not to vote for me, know that I will continue to do my best to represent my constituents in the County Legislature and to that end my ear will always be available to you. Also please know that I will respect the decision of the convention and will not primary your choice of candidate.

          Service to the community is an honor. Each of you have stepped forward as electors and I thank you for your service. Should it be your wish for me to represent you on the Republican line I will work hard to secure the seat, and harder to be your voice in Albany and at home in building up the community.

          In 2001, following the events of September 11^th that weekend my boyhood home of East Fishkill faced a dilemma. The town had planned to celebrate Community Day that weekend but owing to the somber mood of the nation, nobody knew whether they should cancel. The issue was debated, and then someone came up with a solution. Now more than ever, each of us needed to come together not so much for community, but as in unity. Someone noticed that the word “community” contains the word, “unity.” Out came the scissors. True story. As we move on after today, let us a be a party not only of community, but let us also be a party of unity. Thank you.