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Let me tell you about my
employer, Senator Stephen H. Martin.
These three points help
capture the core of Steve Martin’s political
philosophy:
• Free Enterprise is the
most productive supplier of human needs and
economic justice
• All individuals…should
assume their responsibilities as citizens in
a free society
• Fiscal responsibility
and budgetary restraints must be exercised
at all levels…
They happen to also be the
first three points of the Virginia
Republican Party Creed.
As
your State Senator from the 11th District,
Senator, Stephen H. Martin, represents most
of Chesterfield
County and all of the City of Colonial Heights. He was
born in the first subdivision built in
Chesterfield
and began his public service 23 years ago,
as the Bermuda District’s representative on
Chesterfield’s
Community Services Board.
It was there that he gained a real passion
and concern for those with mental
disabilities.
After his election to the Virginia House of
Delegates, in 1987, Steve left that board,
but, immediately became a part of an effort
to develop housing strategies for mentally
disabled adults. Once that strategy was
developed and published they implemented it
right here at home, in Chesterfield. To do so,
they formed
Chesterfield Alternatives, Inc.
of which Steve served as President for some
time. Today, 56 mentally disabled adults
live in 15 homes owned by Chesterfield
Alternatives.
Over the years Steve Martin has labored on
numerous task forces and commissions
addressing the needs of those with mental
disabilities. It was his legislation that
established the Behavioral Health
Commission which he chaired and is
now a sub-committee of the
Joint Commission on
Healthcare. He
now serves as Chairman of that body.
Beginning in the late 80’s Steve made a
point of focusing on health care issues and
has been privileged to serve on several
national healthcare task forces. US Secretary of Health and Human
Services, Tommy Thompson, drafted Senator
Martin as the only state legislator in the
nation to serve on his Health
Regulatory Reform Commission. With
Steve’s commitment to sound healthcare
policy over his 20 years of service at least
six different national and state healthcare
organizations and professional groups has
recognized Senator Martin as being their
“Healthcare Legislator of the Year.”
It
was Senator Martin who authored the
comprehensive Mental Health Parity
legislation which is now the law in Virginia. At the request of Governor Gilmore,
Senator Martin was chief patron of the
defining legislation providing for the
regulation of managed care as healthcare,
not just an insurance product (MCHIP). His
leadership on this issue earned him a
reputation for being able to pull dozens of
factions together to hammer out agreement
where none seems possible.
Today, Senator Martin is a senior member of
the Senate’s Education and Health
Committee on which he serves as the
Chairman of the Health Professions
sub-committee. He is a well
respected voice on Healthcare and Mental
Health policy. Additionally, Senator Martin
Chairs the Standing Committee on
Privileges and Elections and serves
as a senior member of the standing
committees on General Laws
and on Local Government as
well as the Senate Rules Committee.
Senator Martin’s
experience and the relationships built from
his years of public service have been
invaluable to our community in recent years
as he played a significant role in making
sure Route 288 was completed, the John Tyler
Community College Midlothian Campus was
funded and the new Richmond Convention
Centers funding mechanism was approved.
These were no small tasks, requiring
experience and properly developed
relationships throughout his years of
service.
It
has been my experience in working for Steve
that he cares very deeply about the citizens
and the community he represents. I know
first hand his dedication to being
accessible and responsive to his
constituents. I would encourage those of you
who live in the 11th district to
support Senator Steve Martin in his
re-election campaign because the type of
leadership he provides will be greatly
needed as we face the challenges of the
future.
-Shirley Pappalardo
Legislative
Assistant
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