To the Editor:

Mark Nielsen deserves to be our Congressman for a number of reasons. I know Mark to be a principled, knowledgeable person who has a deep desire to serve all the people in the Fifth District.

Both as a state legislator and throughout his campaign, he has not wavered from his commitment to controlling taxes. He is concerned that Connecticut citizens receive only 65 cents for every dollar sent to Washington, which places our state last of all the 50 states. Mark supports a fairer distribution of federal spending and a flatter, simple tax code.

Mark has campaigned as a reformer, and I believe he will be an effective agent for change in Washington. As a young father, Mark is committed to improving our public schools by rewarding deserving teachers and reforming the current tenure system. He supports scholarships for children trapped in failing schools so that they can attend a better school of their choice.

Mark wants to make our public institutions more accountable to the voters, rather than special interests. He supports a federal ban on soft money, which should prohibit candidates from accepting more than 50 percent of their campaign funds from political action committees and lobbyists.

Mark Nielson has the drive, the commitment, and the experience to be an excellent congressman. We are indeed fortunate to have someone of his caliber to represent us in Washington.

Sincerely,

Lillian Strickler

6 Tamarack Road                          October 27, 2000