votegatties.org

Its all over. Its been a grueling campaign season and I’m ready to relax a bit. I wanted to thank everyone who supported our campaign efforts since May. We finished 7th out of 7 candidates, however, there were some positives:

1. We received 10,274 votes, good for around 7.7%. We anticipated receiving around 3,000 votes, so this was a positive in our minds.

2. We may have finished last, but through out the night, we battled. We were as high as 5th at one point.

3. The Lake Michigan College millage proposal failed. The margin of the failure was around 10,000 votes, the same amount I received. So, I hope our campaign helped impact the failure of the proposed tax increase.

4. Unlike other candidates, I did not hide my political beliefs. I was a loud and proud libertarian.

Again, here are the final totals. The top 3 candidates won seats on the LMC Board of Trustees:

1. Mary Jo Tomasini: 34,955

2. Renee Williams: 23,990

3. Paul Bergan: 20,754

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4, Wilma Kime: 19,674

5. Ted Mattis: 13,112

6. Daniel Seidling: 10,344

7. Jason Gatties: 10,274

Unfortunately for the citizens of Southwest Michigan, they voted for more of the same. With the failure of the millage, expect the Board of Trustees & administration to once again raise the tuition rates & cut essential programs. Instead of looking at administrative cuts, privatizing non-academic services & reaching out to the private sector for help, I’m positive tuition rates will increase over the next two years and in 2010, they will most likely attempt to raise taxes once again, despite the fact that the measure has been voted down twice.  Again, more of the same.

As for my immediate future, I plan on helping grow the Boston Tea Party & looking forward to the new edition to my family in April.  I will run for office again in 2010 and those plans will be set in motion in early 2009.  So I’m not going away any time soon and will continue to fight for liberty here in Southwest Michigan.

In Liberty,

Jason Gatties

LMC Board Of Trustees

Top 3 Win Seat on LMC Board of Trustees (Source: Election Magic)

1. Mary Jo Tomasini: 34,955

2. Renee Williams: 23,990

3. Paul Bergan: 20,754

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4, Wilma Kime: 19,674

5. Ted Mattis: 13,112

6. Daniel Seidling: 10,344

7. Jason Gatties: 10,274

LMC MILLAGE

No: 44,387

Yes: 32,416

I just wanted to send my congrats to Mary Jo Tomasini, Renee Williams & Paul Bergen on their victory tonight. I also wanted to thank everyone who cast their vote for me today. The results probably won’t be final until the morning, but I should crack 10 thousand votes, which is a fine accomplishment for someone who has never run for public office. Sure, we could have done better and next time, we will. However, heading into the election today, I felt like I would be lucky to get 3000 votes. So, to get 10 thousand was pretty amazing.

As many of you know, I was against the proposed millage increase and I’m happy to announce that it looks like the measure was defeated by over 10 thousand votes. Hmm…I get around 10 thousand votes and the measure was defeated by around 10 thousand votes. See a pattern? Mission accomplished.

I will post the final results as well as my final thoughts tomorrow.

Boston Tea Party presidential candidate Charles Jay has once again offered his endorsement of Jason’s campaign for Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees. Charles will be on the ballot in Colorado, Tennessee & Florida and will alsp appear as an official write-in candidate in several other states. Charles Jay is well known for his involvement in gaming, boxing & mixed martial arts.

Please read his endorsement below:

Jason Gatties is a guy who knows what it is like to work hard, pay his dues, and handle responsibility. He brings a common sense approach to politics and deserves your vote for Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees, if you happen to live in the area. I have spoken to Jason specifically about the office he is running for and I can tell you that he has some fresh ideas that might be ahead of everyone’s time, but need to be put into action.

Jason is also the newly-elected Chair of the Boston Tea Party, and I think he’s going to do a bang-up job in that position.

I probably couldn’t put it any better way than I already have on his own campaign site:

“If there is a harder-working advocate for liberty than Jason Gatties, YOU go find one. And good luck. Jason is a big mixed martial arts fan, and to use terminology that is particular to the sport, he is more likely than not to put the ‘guillotine choke’ on those who wish to increase the size, scope and power of government. I’ll bet on Jason Gatties to apply that submission hold”

Charles Jay ‘08 endorses Jason Gatties for just about anything. If you want to check out his website for the non-partisan race for Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees, visit http://www.votegatties.org

The Gatties campaign has endorsed the Jay campaign in the past and we wish him the best of luck today.

We ask that you keep the following in mind:

• Jason Gatties is OPPOSED to the MILLAGE INCREASE. Also if elected, Jason would oppose any future attempts to raise taxes in our community for Lake Michigan College.
• Jason Gatties is for greater COMMUNITY SUPPORT and INVOLVEMENT
• Jason Gatties is interested in keeping TUITION COSTS LOW
• Jason Gatties is open to TRANSPARENCY and better COMMUNICATION

Our opponents have out spent Jason. However, no candidate has worked harder than Jason, especially considering our shoestring campaign budget.

Since May, Jason…

• Has appeared in the South Bend Tribune, Herald-Palladium, Benton Spirit News, Niles Daily Star & numerous political news blogs
• Was endorsed by the Libertarian Party, Boston Tea Party, Natural Law Party & U.S. Marijuana Party. Jason has also been endorsed by citizens throughout the country, including democrats, republicans, libertarians & independents
• Was interviewed by WSJM radio & various online talk shows and pod casts
• Has traveled door to door throughout Berrien County
• Spoke out against the millage proposal, the only candidate to do so
• Was elected Chairman of the Boston Tea Party’s National Committee
• Found out he was going to be a father once again
• Raised awareness in August by encouraging supporters to donate to the people of Tibet & Burma instead of donating to his own campaign efforts
• Campaigned for other libertarian candidates

We feel Jason is the best man to represent the voice of the people on the Board of Trustees. We feel the make up of the current board is not an accurate representation of all the citizens of Berrien County, South Haven, Allegan County & Covert Township. Consistent 7-0 votes is no way to run any board. Every issue should be open for discussion and Jason would be there to ask the tough questions to ensure the board operates in a responsible manner.

As you head to the polls tomorrow, you have an opportunity to send a message to the political establishment. We are tired of increased taxes, we are tired of lack of communication, we are tired of tuition increases and we are tired of being ignored. We elected you to perform a job and you have performed poorly.

Do the right thing tomorrow, cast your vote for the person who will truly bring change to our institution of higher learning. Vote for Jason Gatties.

Yours In Liberty,

The Proud Members of the Committee To Elect Jason Gatties