From: Marilyn Hayes
Columbus
The Republic’s “Where They Stand” article detailed the résumés for the District 59 state representative race pitting Bob Pitman against Milo Smith. I was astounded at the disparity in qualifications between the candidates. Let’s do a quick review:
Education: Pitman — Bachelor of Science degree in political science from I.U., and a master’s degree in college student personnel administration from I.U.-Bloomington. Smith — Attended IUPUC.
Community Involvement: Pitman — He was president of Adult Day Corp. when it was Just Friends Adult Daycare in 1987; he served as past president of the United Way Agency Administrators’ Coalition; Pitman is a 1985 graduate of Leadership Bartholomew County; he was awarded the Laws Human Rights Award in 2011; and the Pitman Institute for Aging Well at Mill Race Center was founded in his honor. Smith — He cites First Christian Church elder; and Family School Partners advisory board.
Milo Smith has been serving in the Statehouse for 10 years. In that tenure, he has voted for every anti-choice piece of legislation put forward including the outrageous mandatory funeral procedures for unborn fetuses. He carried the infamous Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This legislation was opposed by the two largest employers in Bartholomew County: Cummins and Columbus Regional Hospital. Conventions were canceled and Indiana barely avoided a nationwide boycott before an emergency patchwork amendment could be enacted to fix the blatant discrimination.
As a young man, Bob Pitman joined other Americans as a Peace Corp volunteer, serving the Republic of Niger. This outreach to travel to a foreign land and give of one’s self for two years says a lot about character and selflessness.
Bob Pitman has demonstrated real leadership in this community through his tenure at Mill Race Center. His exhibited perseverance in the creation of a new senior center to meet the needs of the county’s 50-plus population was a truly significant achievement and he was rightly honored for his leadership role.
Let’s vote to return competence to the Statehouse with a well-qualified candidate who has shown real leadership skills throughout his life.
