Paid for by Citizens for Colburn Committee. Authority John W. Phillips, Jr., Treasurer

Colburn to seek fourth Senate term
By JOHN EVANS
Caroline Editor - Star Democrat
October 4, 2005

CAMBRIDGE — Richard Colburn took the occasion of his 27th annual Fall Banquet on Saturday to announce that he will run for re-election to the Maryland Senate in 2006.

Sen. Colburn, R-37-Mid-Shore, a Talbot County native who now lives in Cambridge and is town manager for Federalsburg, will seek his fourth term in the Maryland Senate. He was first elected to the Senate in 1995 and also served eight years, from 1983-1991, in the Maryland House of Delegates.

The dinner, held at the Dorchester American Legion Hall, was attended by a large crowd that greeted Colburn’s announcement enthusiastically, one supporter yelling out, “Give them Hell, Richard!”

“The best asset any legislator can bring to his or her constituency is good constituent service. I’ve worked on issues for 19 years in the House and Senate and I have proven my ability through hard work at the grassroots level that I can make a difference,” Colburn said. “For these and other reasons I will be seeking re-election.”

Colburn’s district covers four counties including Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester and Wicomico.

Prior to making his announcement, Colburn recited his experience and reviewed his accomplishments in office, but also took time to promote what he believes are significant issues yet to be accomplished on the Mid-Shore.

Among these are the complete dualization of State Route 404, construction of a new Dover Bridge over the Choptank River connecting Caroline and Talbot counties, preservation of the Chesapeake Bay and its heritage, and veterans’ rights.

“It is your continued support and encouragement that provide me with the incentive to keep me going in this job,” Colburn said. “It can get pretty nasty some times. You have to have broad shoulders to be in politics. It’s on those occasions when what we have done has made a positive difference in someone’s life when it makes it all worthwhile.”

Colburn said he is pro-business and ranks high in ratings by various consumer groups — a 100 percent voting record by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, a 90 percent rating from the Maryland Retail Merchants Association, and a 90 percent rating from the Maryland Business for Responsible Government group. He added that he helped draft the resolution that transferred land from the state mental hospital in Cambridge for development of the Chesapeake Hyatt resort.

Colburn said his support of the agriculture and seafood industries, veterans and volunteer fire companies also is well-documented.

“As a Vietnam-era veteran I am always sensitive to veterans’ issues and work to see our veterans receive the best possible care and benefits. I like to quote Calvin Coolidge who said a nation that forgets its veterans is forgotten,” he said.

Colburn also said he wanted to “keep farmers farming,” to stop nutrient runoff and to restore the Bay.

“It’s a war we have to win to restore the Chesapeake Bay to its health,” he said, “ Having farms converted to developments is not a way to win that war.”

“I have always been an advocate for the watermen . . . who I think are becoming an endangered species,” Colburn added. “I hope when people want to see watermen, they can drive along the Chesapeake Bay and see them harvesting oysters and crabs and not just see them in a picture in the museum in St. Michaels.”

State Delegate Jeannie Haddaway, R-37-B, Mid-Shore, and Chip DiPaula, chief of staff for Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr., also spoke on Colburn’s behalf at the banquet.

Haddaway introduced Colburn with some humorous anecdotes and praise. DiPaula followed Colburn’s comments with praise and support from Ehrlich.

Haddaway, who plans to run for election to her House seat, poked good-natured fun at Colburn, saying that he tries to fit so many events into his day that he sometimes runs late — causing a supporter in Hurlock to refer to him “as the late Richard Colburn” because his tight schedule often has him running late for events.

Haddaway also talked about how she constantly hears about how Colburn “is the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back.”

“I started asking myself what exactly do these shirts look like he is giving off his back, and I brought an example,” she said, holding up a shirt to the audience with Colburn’s face and a political slogan underneath.

Then, she added that she had made a “little modification in the design” flipping the shirt over to show her face and the same “vote for” sentiment.

Getting serious again, Haddaway said Colburn “has been a great mentor to me . . . he really knows both the House and the Senate,” and has helped her there and also noting she had graduated from high school in 1995, the same year he started in the senate.

“He is definitely one of the hardest working public servants in Annapolis today, he really does care about the people in his district,” she added.

Haddaway said there were four points he had taught her about being a public servant.

“Art of developing relationships with your constituents. This man knows how to to make personal relationships and that reflects in the things he has done for us in Annapolis.

“Persistence is key. He is one of the most persistent people I’ve met,” said Colburn. “I mean that in a good way; this man makes things happen.

“Figure out a way to clone yourself so you can be at every event in your district at the same time.

“He has taught me that every single person here on the Eastern Shore is important to our economy and to our community and our lives.”

DiPaula said Colburn’s candidacy was backed by Ehrlich, who he said has worked closely with Colburn.

“Rich is a good friend of the governor and he is a good friend of mine,” DiPaula said. “I thank you for your continued support of Richard Colburn through his two decades of service. You’re very fortunate to have Richard Colburn as your senator.”

DiPaula also promoted the Ehrlich administration’s accomplishments, asking for continued support for his initiatives.

“The governor eliminated $4 billion worth of deficits left to us and turned it into a $1.7 billion surplus,” DiPaula said, adding that Ehrlich did it without raising taxes.

“In one day last year, the Maryland House of Delegates passed $1.1 billion in new taxes. they raised corporate income tax, personal income tax for the wealthy Marylanders and raised the sales tax 20 percent.”

All eventually were vetoed by Ehrlich.

“The only thing standing between us and $1 billion in new taxes is Governor Ehrlich,” DiPaula said. “They said he could not balance the budget without raising taxes and he did. It’s a new day in Annapolis.”

DiPaula said Ehrlich had a new 5-14 plan to bring in “5 new senators and 14 new members in the House of Delegates.

“The governor has said he will work with members of each party provided they work with him on a common sense agenda,” DiPaula said, repeating his and the governor’s support for Colburn, saying there needs to be support for “common sense folks “ to run for office.