Dear Editor,

Your vote on Nov. 4 is important. Those of you who live in Indiana House District 22 and US House District 2 have the opportunity to vote for two well-qualified and moderate candidates: David Kolbe, for state representative, and Joe Bock, for U.S. Representative, who will reach across the aisle to pass common sense solutions to issues confronting our state and our country.

We have had numerous opportunities to hear the candidates articulate their positions on the major issues. Both are pro-life and support second amendment gun rights.

Both want quality education to be available to all students, and oppose efforts to cut funding in Washington and Indianapolis.

Kolbe wants to eliminate the voucher system because it takes funding away from Indiana public schools. Bock wants to keep the Pell Grant program funded, to provide financial assistance to low-income students who want to get college degrees.

Kolbe wants to protect funding for local governments by keeping the business equipment tax intact until there is a solution to replacing that revenue. Bock wants to protect Social Security and Medicare by fighting attempts to privatize these programs.

Both candidates come with strong credentials that well qualify them to serve in their elected positions.

Kolbe holds an undergraduate degree from Indiana University South Bend and a law degree from Valparaiso University.

Bock has graduate degrees from the University of Missouri with a Masters in Social Work and a Ph. D. from American University School of International Service.

Both have international experience: Kolbe teaching political science at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne and rule-of-law via the Center for International Legal Studies based in Salzburg, Austria; Bock teaching masters students who plan to serve as humanitarian workers at Notre Dame and delivering disaster relief services through Catholic Relief Services and the American Refuge Committee.

After reviewing the candidates, I am sure you will come to the same conclusion as I: that Kolbe and Bock have the best experience, the best education, and the best ideas to responsibly represent our districts.

Vicki Morton
Syracuse