An open letter to the residents of the Lakes Region,

Americans are overwhelmingly demanding transformation in Government. Quick fixes and small changes are inadequate for what Americans see as a broken, bloated bureaucracy at all levels of government. The transformation that is needed will not be easy, and will not be accomplished within the current Red versus Blue context that stymies the current political process.

We have an opportunity to move government from a fossilized 1960s model of inflexible, inefficient, and ineffective red tape toward a 21st century model of incentives, adaptability, quality and productivity.

Modernizing government would lead to dramatic improvements in learning, health, public safety, the environment, energy and other public services while substantially lowering the cost of government, balancing the budget and creating the opportunity for greater tax cuts.

Solutions Day is about you! This is your opportunity to become a citizen activist, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent. It’s about you, your family and your future. On Sept. 29, you have the opportunity to start the change that is desperately needed in our government. You can choose to do it at the school board level, the town level, the county commission level, the state legislature level, the congressional level, or the presidential level.

If you have an idea you want to promote that is going to make life better for yourselves, your neighbors and your fellow Americans, this is your opportunity to get involved. It’s not often one of these opportunities comes along, however this is the first of what we hope will be many. It is time for citizens to take back our government.

Please consider joining us on Sept. 29 and help create a new wave of transformational change that will move government into the 21st century, strengthen and revitalize our core values, and help protect America against its enemies.

I will be hosting a Solutions Day gathering the afternoon of Sept. 29 in Naples. Please contact me at 693-4951, leave a message with your name and phone number so I can call you with the information for the event. If you would like more information, go to the Web site at www.americansolutions.com.

Rep. Rich Cebra

Naples