Atsalis Barnstable Patriot Column Articles
* Read his column in the Barnstable Partiot which runs the 2nd Friday of each month.
Back to Basics
January 14th, 2011Regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum we can all agree that we have been on one heck of an economic rollercoaster this past decade. We have experienced not one but two economic cycles with this last one bottoming out in what many economists believe was the worst recession since the great depression. Unbridled growth followed by unprecedented bust, two extremes which gave us our present fiscal nightmare. If we, as a State Government, are to learn from our past, thereby not repeating it, then we must acknowledge our history of overspending, under saving and over-promising. To do this, we must get back to the basics of what we do and how we do it.
Fiscal belt tightening are the buzz words these days but they are only words. In order for us to actually do it we must put words into actions. Meaning, identifying core sustainable services we agree must be maintained, cut spending across the board, link any additional spending to new net growth and stay out of the way of private sector. This last one may in fact be the most important. As a Legislature we must agree to not tax, pass unfunded mandates or burden the business community further: in short we need to get off their collective backs if we are to “grow” our way out the present economic environment and see more light at the end of the tunnel. Only by allowing businesses to produce and grow can we expect to create new jobs resulting in tangible revenue increases at the state. In this next session I hope we embrace a collective mindset and do more of these actions. Sometimes getting back to basics, admitting where and how we may have gone off track can help us all move forward.
Representative Demetrius J. Atsalis
2nd Barnstable District
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Spring Forward
February 11th, 2011Punxsatawney Phil didn’t see his shadow this year, so they say spring is near! Hard to imagine during one of the coldest winters we’ve felt in a while, but it’s reassuring to anticipate the change of season. Spring not only means the leaves turn green, but with it comes more jobs, a stronger economy and ultimately a healthier Cape. This winter we have seen record snow fall just over the bridges, yet the Cape has remained temperate. No shoveling roofs on Cape Cod; we have fared better than our neighbors to the north. The same can be said of our ability to rebound in our regional economy.
Cape Cod is blessed with tremendous natural resources and extremely resourceful people who lead the way. We clearly have gifts from nature in our waterways, beaches and land. However, it is the people who live here who enrich our lives and our economy. We are a region with bountiful culture, arts and environment. These strengths, together with our residents, position us well for a strong economy awakening this spring that should build steam throughout the coming decade.
Though the future of our regional economy will always be tied to our seasonal guests, we need to strategically grow our year round economy. One way, of many, to grow a sustainable and complimentary regional economy is by supporting our local artists. Supporting the arts, a green industry if there ever was, creates jobs which meet a growing demand in our region from tourists and residents alike. As we warm our way through the end of winter, I look forward to assisting our regional economy grow and strengthen.
Demetrius J. Atsalis
2nd Barnstable District
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Community Safety Is Everybody’s Business
March 11th, 2010We truly are all in this together when it comes to keeping our community safe. As we wade our way through a challenging economy, all the fiscal discipline in the world won’t get us where we want to be if our streets and neighborhoods remain unsafe. Law enforcement cannot do it alone; so we need to partner up in this call to action to reclaim our community as a village which attracts business investment, working families and all those who believe we can get there from here.
We have a remarkable police department which I believe is second to none in the totality of its dedication and service to our town. Yet, we can help law enforcement by being their eyes and ears – a public private partnership of sorts. There is nothing more attractive to business investment dollars then a community well known for its commitment to safe streets and neighborhoods. Let us be clear: to a large degree the crime in our neighborhoods is drug-related. The narcotics (legal and illegal) that find their way into the hands and bodies of our citizens need to be stopped! With proper law enforcement tools, strong community resolve and the belief in our ability to create the change we seek, we will make this happen.
Demetrius J. Atsalis
2nd Barnstable District
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One More Law Enforcement Tool
April 8th, 2011One need only look to see the community cancer that is spread throughout our neighborhoods by the selling of hardcore illegal narcotics. The ever-present predatory nature of drug dealers, who ply their death trade to the young and poor, must be stopped. All too often this crime ends in murder - and good citizens continue to ask for something to be done in order to take back our streets. To aid in this ever-growing community call for help, I have filed legislation to establish a Narcotics Offender Registry (NOR).
The NOR is modeled after the Sex Offender Registry (SOR) with the objective of identifying those hardened criminals who are repeat offenders for the selling of hardcore narcotics. The intent of this new law enforcement tool, made clear in the legislation, is NOT the casual drugs user. This registry would assist law enforcement officials by requiring convicted drug dealers to register with the police in their town of residence. The registry would be accessible by fellow law enforcement officers and the public, similar to the SOR.
Presently, no such system exists. In fact, local law enforcement is prohibited from answering questions posed by concerned citizens regarding the location of convicted drug dealers living in their very own neighborhood. The NOR is designed to be self-funding; make life harder for drug dealers; and make life easier for law enforcement officers. The NOR Bill is referred to as “HB 400” and is currently in committee.
Demetrius J. Atsalis
2nd Barnstable District
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