I would like to take this opportunity to thank each Levittown resident who took the time to vote in the election for Fire Commissioner at the Levittown Fire District on Dec. 11, 2001. I also extend my appreciation to each individual and business owner who lent their support to my campaign. You did a terrific job. As a result of our efforts, it was an extremely close race. Of the 888 votes cast in the election, I received 441. Although I did not win this election, I am extremely proud of the number of votes I received and of the campaign that we conducted.

I would also like to take this opportunity to address an issue that came to my attention as I campaigned for this election. As I campaigned, it became clear to me that many residents did not understand the difference between the Chief of the department and the Fire Commissioners. You should not be embarassed, as I did not know the difference until I joined the fire department. The Fire Chief is responsible for supervising firemen at fires and other emergencies and overseeing the day to day operation of fire department personnel. The Fire Commissioners are responsible for setting an annual budget and for making decisions on how your tax dollars are used by the fire department.

As I campaigned for this election, I was surprised to learn that many long term residents of Levittown had never voted in a Fire Commissioner election. As a long term member of the Levittown Fire Department, I was disappointed that the Fire Commissioners and the fire department had not done a better job of notifying residents that the election of Fire Commissioners is a taxpayer election, not an internal fire department election.

There are five Fire Commissioners in the Levittown Fire District. One Fire Commissioner is elected each December to a five-year term. It is important that each resident vote in the election for Fire Commissioner as the Fire Commissioner directly affects how much of your tax dollars are allocated to the fire department and how such money is spent. In addition, your Fire Commissioner's actions determine how well-trained and equipped your firemen and emergency response personnel ultimately will be.

You may only vote for the Fire Commissioners of the fire district in which you reside. You can determine which fire district you reside in by reviewing your tax bill and determining which district is indicated under the heading entitled "fire district." If you are still not sure in which fire district you reside, you may always check with the Levittown Fire Department.

Voting is one of the most important things you can do. You can let people in office know whether or not you approve of how they are spending your tax dollars and whether or not you are satisfied with the job they are doing. So please make sure you are registered to vote and please exercise your right to vote.

In closing, let me thank each person who lent their assistance to my campaign and each resident who voted in the election. I would also like to thank my wife Joyce and the rest of my family for their constant support and encouragement. Finally, I would also ask that you remember to keep the men and women of our armed services in your thoughts and prayers as they continue to sacrifice so that our great country and we, its citizens, remain free.