Candidate For RI Senate Dist. 35 Mark Gee

by Elizabeth McNamara | Sep 2, 2014

Name: Mark Gee

Address: 99 Middle Road, East Greenwich, RI 02818

Age: 71

Education: B.S. Washtington & Lee Univ., Lexington, VA; Gilman School, high school diploma; Military: U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School, Newport; Naval Communication & Crypto SecuritySchool; U.S. Naval Justice School; Naval Instructor School

Marital status: Married to Dana Warren Gee, President, Spot Design, Inc. (small business owner)

Number of children/grandchildren: 7 Children (3 at home); 7 grandchildren with more to come

Occupation: Principal, Data Resources. (small business owner)

Have you run for elected office before? Yes

Have you held elected office before? Yes; EG Board of Fire Commissioners, 2008-2013 (when district was absorbed by town); EG Town Council, 2010-present.

Why are you running for state Senate?

I’m frustrated, disappointed, and angered by the actions of many of our elected officials on Smith Hill. It’s time for us to stop complaining and do something about it. We have wasted taxpayer dollars and our finances and future outlook continues weak. Ethics need not apply. Schools and infrastructure need extensive repairs. Our debt load is unacceptably high. Leadership is silent regarding fiscal reform. Our budget is predicated on questionable gaming revenues. Sen. Hodgson and Rep. MacBeth have been thwarted in their attempts to go after the truth regarding 38 Studios. Tobacco settlement $? Don’t ask. Small moves to fix heavy tax burdens are not enough. We need massive, structural changes to turn Rhode Island around. The time is NOW to establish responsible fiscal priorities. We must adopt a disciplined cost benefit analysis approach to all spending – no exceptions. I’m ready to start.

What are the most important issues facing our district? Our state?

See above. Jobs and the economy are a function of the business cycle, not the General Assembly. Tax legislation, leadership, sound fiscal management,and character are General Assembly items. Instead of looking for magic silver bullet solutions, we need to roll up our sleeves to realign fiscal priorities, and to attack uncontrolled spending. How many ways can we say it?

What distinguishes you from your primary opponent?

I’m a business person with no State of Rhode Island career aspirations. I’ve been so most of my life, and I’ve owned and operated a successful business started from scratch after working for IBM Corp. Data Processing Div. I have lived the business philosophy “the customer comes first.” I want to apply it to us taxpayers. I easily relate to RI’s business world having been a part of it for so long. I’ve been a participating member of the business community (Vice-Pres. East Providence Chamber of Commerce – Education) and a community volunteer in literacy, tutoring and mentoring (Dorcas Place and Power Lunch). I chaired the East Bay School to Career Partnership Council, taught Junior Achievement economics in East Providence schools, and chaired the Providence InTown YMCA, and the East Providence Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force.

My first job (summer) at age 14 was working for Alex. Brown & Sons in Baltimore, the oldest investment bank in the country, as a securities courier/runner and converting paper customer statements and records to microfilm. At age 16, I was a construction laborer rehabbing St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore.

The General Assembly is overwhelmingly controlled by Democrats. As a Republican, how would you be effective in the G.A. if elected?

By using the interpersonal, life, and leadership skills gained through military, business, and civic experience, as well as raising a family. I will endeavor to focus on the financial issues critical to ALL Rhode Islanders. Responsible fiscal management must be for the common good of us all. It must be our #1 priority. To that end, I believe in cooperative problem solving. And tough, persistent negotiating. And leadership.

Is there anything else about yourself you’d like to add?

I believe in honor, respect, duty, country. I am a proud combat veteran (served to Lieutenant) of the Vietnam war (Navy, USS Norris DD-859) and an instructor at Officer Indoctrination School, Newport, R.I.

My campaign website is www.geeforsenate.org. My personal website is facebook.com/mark.gee.1848.

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