Trending
Daniel Morton is seeking election to the Chautauqua County Legislature District 18. He offered this statement regarding his campaign:
"I'm asking for your vote for the Chautauqua County Legislature, District 18," he said. I believe it's important for you to understand who I am as a person to understand what I'd like to do for our area.
"I am the son of Jon Morton and the late Patty Morton from Ashville, New York, and I'm a lifelong resident of Chautauqua County. I often tell people that Victoria Road, where I spent my summers swimming and fishing in our beautiful lake, is the greatest street in America. My father provided for our family working at Cummings Engine to give us a solid middle-class upbringing. That, and the saintly love of my mother, laid the foundation for my future success as a father, a Marine, and a teacher.
"I am a graduate of Chautauqua Lake Central School District, Jamestown Community College, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Academy. While in the Academy, the Sept. 11 attack happened and the world changed. In March 2003, the US invaded Iraq and the world changed again. I remember when the news broke, I was working security at Peek'n N Peak wondering what I was doing checking lift passes while my fellow Americans were lining up to serve the county. After that shift, I knew I would be joining the military.
"Fate led me into the Jamestown Marine Corps recruiting office. The four years that I honorably served as a Marine were the most formative of my entire life. I was deployed to Afghanistan and then Iraq, where an IED (improvised explosive device) almost ended my story. I still have that hunk of metal in my hip and know that I am a living, breathing miracle.
"As my enlistment was coming to an end, I decided the next step was to come back home and attend SUNY Fredonia. I met my future wife (Linda) and stepson, Domenic, and by May 2011, I was graduating with my bachelor's degree and a license to teach high school social studies. I was hired at Chautauqua Lake Central School, and within a couple of years we had two more kids, Marcus and Vera; life was on fast forward. The next five years were a blur of raising children, taking Master courses, and teaching high schoolers the fundamentals of government, economics, and the sweep of our national history.
"My entire life, I have been looking for purpose, and the common theme has always been public service. I first tried law enforcement, then the Marines, and finally teaching, and this became my calling. I remember hearing on the radio that only 17% of New Yorkers wake up everyday and enjoy going to work. This statistic made me sad for the other 83% of my fellow New Yorkers and incredibly grateful to be a part of that 17%! As the years have turned into a decade plus, I teach the NYS curriculum with vigor and passion, however, for me, the ultimate objective is molding good, hardworking, contributing citizens.
"As we approach the 250th anniversary as an independent nation, allow me to inspire within you some of the spirit of our founding generation. The word on the lips of every patriot's tongue in 1775 was "republicanism" (little 'r' because this has nothing to do with the current political party the Republicans), and it was defined as subordinating one's self-interest for the common good. In this, the 250th anniversary of this experiment, let us in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "be dedicated here to the unfinished work." While commemorating the national cemetery in Gettysburg, Lincoln referenced the unfinished work, which was put into action in the immortal lines from the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." Lincoln used the power of the federal government to free an enslaved group of people, he created a department to help improve the lives of farmers, and he invested in the future of the American people.
"As election day approaches, I hope to earn your support and your vote. I challenge us all to live as though Lincoln is watching. And I want to channel that old republican spirit. Chautauqua County is a daycare desert, we need further economic development, our population has been declining, and the median household income is far below the national average. However, we have a high quality of life and we have more people with associate degrees as compared to the rest of the state and the nation. We have abundant manufacturing infrastructure and residents trained in production occupations.
"I love Chautauqua County. If elected, I hope that I can make a meaningful contribution to the long-term health of our beloved community by putting the public good above all else. So, if you see me walking our dog Redford around Mayville, stop me and say hi. Let me know what you love about Chautauqua County and what needs improving!"