I never realized growing up in Fayette County just how good I had it. What a great place to be a kid. I’m a husband and a father now, and it turns out that our community is an even better place to be a dad.

We all value our outstanding schools, our low crime rate, and our tradition of strong local leadership. Having reaped the benefits of living in this special place, I now want to do my part to ensure that our community is as good to my two young children, and to all of our children, as it has been to me.

For this reason, I am running for the Georgia House of Representatives.

I have lived in Fayette County almost my entire life and I know what its values are. I share them. Faith, family, and love of community and country. We don’t believe in government trying to run our lives, but we do insist that government perform its core functions efficiently and properly.

We need government that improves our woeful transportation system. We need government that wastes less and taxes less. And we need government that respects our private property rights.

Georgia’s 72nd district has become accustomed to energetic leadership that reflects the conservative principles of its populace.

Our citizens want their representative to work as hard as they do, and here is a promise: if elected, I will be the hardest working member of the Legislature.

Here’s another promise: I will run as a conservative, and I will serve as a conservative.

When I cast a vote in the General Assembly, I will never betray Fayette County’s values for special interests or political expediency.

I served for six years on the staff of our outstanding former U.S. Congressman, Mac Collins. I learned some valuable lessons about statesmanship and character during that time, but I also came to realize that some government bureaucrats spend your money as if it they earned it.

My candidacy is based on reform: reform of the budget process in the General Assembly, and reform of state agencies that often fail to respect the principle of local control.

Local problems require local solutions, and I seek to empower our local officials to manage our community as they know best.

This is especially true with respect to education. I vow to defend the prerogatives of the parents, teachers, and administrators that have made our schools the best in the state.

There is cause for great optimism about our state’s future, but I also recognize that tremendous challenges lie ahead. The economy is strong, but working people are still feeling squeezed. Our community is strong, but we still have much tough work ahead to preserve our quality of life.

In these uncertain times, we cannot afford to be anything less than certain about where our elected representatives stand.

I stand for conservative government, family values, and hard work. I plan to run as I would serve: with a positive vision for Fayette County.

The public is sick of political mudslinging that elevates dirty tricks above honest debate. In recognition of this, I invite the other candidates in the race to join me in a spirited and fair discussion of the issues before the General Assembly that are most important to our community.

Matthew L. Ramsey

Warner, Hooper & Ramsey

Peachtree City, Ga.

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