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WILTON – Local representative and selectman Tom Saviello has announced today he intends to seek election to the state Senate in 2010.
Saviello, had been unenrolled as an independent, said he intends to run as a Republican, hoping to succeed Senator Walter Gooley (R – Farmington) who stated over the course of the summer that he would not be running for reelection in Senate District 18. That area consists of all of Franklin County, except the town of Jay, and the towns of Vienna, Mercer, Rome, Smithfield, Fayette, Mount Vernon, Belgrade, Readfield and Wayne in the counties of Kennebec and Somerset.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue serving the people living in the town’s within District 18,” said Saviello today, in a prepared statement. “I plan to continue to be an active voice for the special needs and concerns of our area.”
Saviello has served four terms in the Maine House of Representatives for District 90, which consists of Avon, New Vineyard, Phillips, Strong, Temple and Wilton as well as Freeman Township, part of Salem Township, Perkins Township and Washington Township. He is a member of the Rural Caucus of the Maine State Legislature, an advocate for rural parts of the state, serving as the organization’s co-chair this term. He also serves on the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee.
The bills he has sponsored recently include several aimed at recognizing the work of Armed Forces veterans and a number of environmental regulations which he termed as “common sense” steps to “protect the environment while preserving jobs.”
Saviello is well known both locally and throughout the area, having served as a MSAD 9 (now Mt. Blue Regional School District) school board director and currently serving his third term on the Wilton board of selectmen. He also is involved with several community organizations, including the Wilton Lions, Masonic Lodge No. 156, Wilton Congregational Church, and board of directors for the Wilton Blue Berry Festival
“I feel I can continue to bring balance and change in state government as we know it by working together,” Saviello said, noting he had worked with Republicans, Democrats and Independants while in the legislature. “My experience as a selectman, school board member, business manager, and as a State Representative has prepared me to tackle the challenges facing Senate District 18.”
Saviello, who lives in Wilton, has a background in forestry and environmental compliance, and received a Ph.D. in forest resources from the University of Maine at Orono in 1978. He is a widower with two children; Allison, 26, and Ben, 22, as well as his dog, Baxter.
He said he has been and intends to continue meeting with selectmen and residents in Senate District 18 to better understand their concerns and see how he can best help. He also said he intended to run as a “Clean Elections” candidate, as he has in the past, opting to forego any private campaign donations.
Forget the state senate Tom, run for congress against Mike Michaud!
Its time to get this failure out of office. Republicans will be a lock for 2010 at this rate!
Good Luck with your new adventure.
lose the tie.
Finally a decent, honest, hardworking politician on the move in Maine! Tom is the best thing to happen to local government since my father. Good luck Tom!
And jonboy, the tie is his signature, kinda like Madonna’s bra……
Too bad you chose the party of “no”
You were much more appealing a candidate as an independent.
I have mixed feelings here.
Tom is a wonderful person and a dedicated public servant, I think it is teriffic he is running for State Senate and normally I would vote for him without hesitation.
His choice to not remain an unenrolled politician but to instead join the Republican party gives me great pause.
From abortion to mandatory minimum sentences to equal marriage I think that the Republicans have got it so very very wrong on so many important issues that it will be very difficult for me to support Tom as he joins that party – but I do love the bowtie.
I think the hardest part is that I’d guess many of Tom’s posiitons are in fact likely to vary from the Republican platform positions ( http://www.mainegop.com/PlatformMission.aspx ) but when you stand up with that label on yourself you are saying you support those ideals – and I am going have a hard time casting my vote for Tom knowing that.
I don’t like how often a trip to the ballot box is an exercise in selecting the least offensive possibility.
May, I think the state Democrats have shown for the last 30 years that THEY are the party of “no.” No growth, no progress, no jobs. Good luck Tom.
Party of “no”?? Huh? No what? No more overspending? No more (finally) democratic majority in Maine? Bring it on! Go Tom!
I serve with Tom and I am well aware of his voting record it is one that represents his district which is a rural one. The problem is that the hard left of the democractic party is from southern Maine and they run the show in Augusta. What Tom has come to see is that it is very hard to accomplish anything for rural Maine within the democratic party, this is a veiw btw which many democrats will share over a beer behind closed doors. In 2005 southern liberals actually made Tom’s life such a hell he left. As a republican Tom will be no different that he has ever been the same hard worker for rural Maine he has always been. The reality of governing is it is about alliences saying one is a democrat or a republican never means we accept all thew party platforms we just agree with more of them than with the otherside. Janet Mills was a democrat and at times she disagreeded with her party, most of those issues were differences with souther Maine’s attitude towars rural Maine. At the end of the day we need hard working intelligent people representing us and Tom is both of those things and more!
I want to say good luck to Tom on his run. I hope that we as a community can have a State Senator from Franklin county to represent us. I would not like to have a state Senator from Belgrade as my voice. I, as many, feel that we might see Ann Woloson run again. I have nothing against her, but she is from another county. We need Representation from a local person who knows the difficulties of being rural. As a Selectman for the Town of Farmington, I look torwards what I believe are the best interests of the town and its tax payers. I have seen Tom put a stop to the DEP’s last attempt at dictating where we as a community could build. The DEP’s desire was for the only building to be allowed in the center of town. This may work for a larger community, but not for a town that has vast acreas of land along route four. Dist 18 represents: Franklin County – Avon, Carrabassett Valley, Carthage, Chesterville, Coplin Plantation, Dallas Plantation, Mount Abram Twp., Redington Twp., Freeman Twp., Salem Twp., Eustis, Farmington, Industry, Kingfield, Madrid, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Gorham Gore, Lowelltown Twp., Skinner Twp., Merrill Strip Twp., Beattie Twp., Massachussets Gore, Jim Pond Twp., Adler Stream Twp., Tim Pond Twp., Stetsontown Twp., Davis Twp., Lang Twp., Coburn Gore, Kibby Twp., Chain of Ponds Twp., Seven Ponds Twp., Phillips, Rangeley, Rangeley Plantation, Sandy River Plantation, Perkins Twp., Washington Twp., Strong, Temple, Weld, Twp. D, Twp. E, Twp. 6, Wilton and Wyman Twp.
Somerset County – Mercer and Smithfield.
Kennebec County – Belgrade, Fayette, Mount Vernon, Readfield, Rome, Vienna and Wayne.
Keep in mind when you vote that we have the numbers, and the votes to insure that we have a voice for Franklin county.
Ross, May
You clearly are not competent voters!
The fact is Tom will go the state senate and still be himself, he will vote the way he always has, they way he feels it was right for his constituents. Whether he changed the label before his name to an (R) should be irrelevant! If you felt Tom was competent enough to represent you as an independent he most certainly will be as competent as a Republican or even a donkey! The fact is you and others have been falsely fed hate towards the Republican Party, yes you are full of hate! Shame! Maybe if you could get past your bigotry towards the Republican Party you might find yourself siding with conservatives, whether republican or independent more often.
I wish you’d chosen to campaign as an independent, but I can understand and appreciate the difficulty of running for office without the backing of a major political party. I hope you continue to embrace the spirit of bipartisanship and the interests of your constituents and fellow locals on both sides of the spectrum as you move forward.
Best of luck, Tom. You’d have my vote.
Hutch, it’s odd to see you call out others for ‘hatred’ of your party when you post more scathing, partisan vitriol than most of the rest of us combined.
I think there’s also an important distinction to be made between social and economic conservatives, and the Republican party. It’s entirely possible (and not uncommon, I believe) to espouse conservative views on certain issues and still deeply disagree with the policies and practices of the GOP. I, for one, certainly fall into that category.
Hutch,
I’m sorry you are under the impression I am full of hatred, that is not the case.
I may strongly disagree with a position and I may even find it personally offensive but I would defend your right to take whatever position you would like – disagreement is not hatred, it is the most American of sentiments and the very foundation of our political system.
I know Tom pretty well and I have even been invited by him to speak to his Lions club etc about the web. None of what I posted here do I think he’d have a problem with – Republicans generally give me pause because of my political disagreement with the positions they support. Tom has decided that the support (one would assume financial) of the Republican party is more important than his tacit agreement with platform positions by being a member of that party – I can certainly understand that. I respectfully disagree and I wish he had remained an independent. I’m quite sure he does not agree with many of the platform positions but I also know that Tom understands that being a member of either major party comes with all the associated baggage – that had to be a big factor in his previous choice to be an independent.
To my mind this whole response is the saddest part of what seems to have happened to Republicans, particularly under the recent leadership of Bush. Those that disagree with you are not “terrorists” and folks that express disappointment Tom did not choose to continue as an independent candidate are not full of “hatred”.
When I say that I think Republicans are wrong on many key issues that does not mean I hate them.
There was a time when Americans enjoyed and could even embrace a vigorous debate about issues while remaining respectful to each other. I wish we could return to that time.
if im not mistaken he was once a democrat, then a independent, now a republican.
Speculate Speculate Speculate
Thank you, Ross; well said. I totally agree. No hatred here.
And, I still wish Tom had chosen to remain Independent.
About one in eight legislators do their work and acquire a grasp of the issues. Tom is among the minority. That, among other things, is a prerequisite for serious debate.
YOU WILL GET MY VOTE TOM .AND HOPE YOU GET A BASES LOADED HOMER,JUST FOR YOUR FAVORITE M.B.H.O.FAMER.
JIMMY, WE’RE ALL A LITTLE IDEALISTIC AND LIBERAL WHEN WE ARE YOUNG. THE CHANGING OF PARTIES SHOW THE EVOLUTION OF TOM BECOMING A RESPONSIBLE MAN. HOWEVER, TOM WILL VOTE FROM THE HEART AND TRY TO DO HIS VERY BEST FOR OUR STATE, EVEN IF A DEMOCRAT HAPPENS TO COME UP WITH A GOOD BILL.
I’m grateful that Tom has chosen to run and could care less what his party affiliation is. He is easy to contact, responds immediately to questions and concerns, is not afraid to say he doesn’t know about a particular issue if he hasn’t had time to study it (vs. BS-ing his way through it) and he’s definitely the guy to go to when you are beating your head against the wall in frustration with red tape in Augusta! Thank you, Tom, for all you do. You will definitely have this family’s votes!
May, Ross
“no hatred here”
i don’t think so, when you hypocritically liberals start labeling the republicans as the party of “NO” you are casting lies about the party! i interpret such lies as hate! and to say “disagreement is not hatred” then please tell the rest of your hypocritically liberals to stop using race bating tactics and stop calling, yes on one supports, bigots!
(your going to be locked up if you don’t buy health care)
merriam webster definition of
Liberty
1 : the quality or state of being free : a : the power to do as one pleases b : freedom from physical restraint c : freedom from arbitrary or despotic control d : the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges e : the power of choice
Liberalism = hypocrisy