Below are two letters that I have sent at the beginning and end of the campaign. The letter appearing first below was sent out the weekend before the election to a random selection of households in the district. The earlier letter, from the beginning of the campaign was sent out after the May 12th Republican Primary to let the electorate know that there would be an alternative to the "business as usual candidates."
ATTENTION:
CONCERNED, CONSCIENTIOUS, AND CIVIC MINDED
VOTERS
Several months ago I sent a letter to many voters advising that I was seeking the office of Delegate for the Sixty-Eighth District. I am enclosing a copy of that letter for your review.
In that letter, I stated my purpose for running was to turn back the trend toward unreasonable spending in campaigns. My theory is if a candidate spends foolishly in seeking office, he will spend foolishly when in office. At the time I sent my letter, one candidate had raised and spent $150,000. Now that candidate has spent over $500,000, and the other candidate has spent over $300,000. I stated my theory as --
Grogan's Law:
"The COST of government is directly proportional to the AMOUNT SPENT to obtain an office."
What I predicted in my letter has come true. You are being bombarded daily with expensive glossy brochures and annoying recorded phone calls. The other two candidates have attacked each other and made accusations that, if true, no one could justify voting for either of them. If the accusations are not true, no one could justify voting for them because of their being untruthful to the voters.
I offer a real alternative to the politics as usual of the other two candidates. My goal in running was to prove that one did not have to spend a fortune to run for office. My total spending will be slightly less than $20,000. Can either of the other two candidates justify spending nearly a half million dollars more? Remember, this is what it will cost you, if they are elected.
I appeal to your logic, and I ask that you vote your conscience. When you apply those standards I feel certain you will decide that I deserve your vote.
I thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
William K. Grogan
The letter from the beginning of the campaign follows:
ATTENTION:
ALL CONCERNED, CONSCIENTIOUS, AND CIVIC MINDED
VOTERS
My name is Bill Grogan, and I ask you to please read and consider the contents of this letter. You have recently been bombarded with slick advertising materials for candidates in the May 12th Primary. You and I both know it will only get worse as the November election nears with the mails, radio and TV flooded with more costly advertising in an attempt to "get their message out."
I am running for Delegate in the 68th District as an Independent.
I promise you I will not bombard you with fancy mailings and slick commercials in my campaign. I do not need to do it, and I think voters resent the constant barrage from candidates whose "real" message is nothing more than that they're for Home, Motherhood, and Apple Pie. My message is a simple common sense one. I want to reduce the cost of government, and I want to establish a fair and simple tax system. I would like the chance to make this a reality.
WHY AM I RUNNING? Frankly, I became angered, frustrated, and embarrassed at the amount of money being spent to obtain an office. There is a direct correlation between the increased spending in campaigns and the increased cost of government. In my opinion, spending $150,000 to be elected to a job that pays $18,000 per year simply does not reflect economic common sense. If a candidate cannot show economic common sense when seeking office, why should we expect change once in office? The present system of spending small fortunes in campaigns is nothing more than the selling of offices to the highest bidder.
This expensive system goes against the basic principles of democracy and representative government; it puts government out of reach of ordinary citizens, whom it is supposed to serve. This system easily falls prey to corruption, as was seen in the recent Abramoff scandal in Congress. I believe strongly that citizens should take a stand and attack this flawed system; when I saw no one else leading the charge, I felt compelled to do so.
WHAT DO I HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH? I hope to prove that a person can still be elected without selling out and spending enormous amounts, but by running a frugal campaign based upon basic principles and common sense. It may be too late. We may have already passed the point of no return. It may be that all future elections will be decided by the amount of money spent, with the office holder being beholden to special interests. I hope not.
How you vote will answer that question.
NO INCOME TAX
This is not just a slogan to get your attention. I have practiced tax law for 36 years and long ago I decided that there are only two requirements that a tax system must have: (1) that it be fair and (2) that it be simple. Neither our present state tax system, nor federal tax system, meets either of those requirements.
My goal is to bring about true tax reform, first at the state level, and hopefully later at the federal level. Space and time do not allow me to explain my plan in great detail here, but I welcome the opportunity to meet voters individually or in groups or organizations to discuss my plan in full. Here are a few highlights:
- It would only affect individual taxpayers. Citizens spend too much time and money on tax issues under the present system.
- Citizens would pay no tax on "earned" income, such as wages or income derived from basic work.
- Individual citizens should get the same benefits as corporations. Corporations pay taxes on their profits. Citizens should only be required to pay tax on their "profits" also.
This letter is meant to be an introduction, and to let you know you will have a real choice in the November election; there will be an alternative to the business as usual candidate.
I am attempting to keep costs to a minimum. In that regard I ask, if you agree with the points I've made and what I hope to accomplish, please pass this letter on to a friend or neighbor. This will give me twice the exposure for the same cost. Also, please hand out some of the enclosed cards.
If you don't agree with me, I ask that you call me at 237-6214. If you request, I will take your name out of our mailing list, and you will not receive anything from me in the future.
I thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
William K. Grogan
And remember Grogan's Law:
"The COST of government is directly proportional to the AMOUNT SPENT to obtain an office."
Grogan's Law