Ever since I was first elected, I have kept a pledge to make YOU and YOUR priorities, YOUR concerns, and YOUR needs my own priorities. I pledge to work hard every day to earn and keep your trust.

• I will be a full-time State Representative (as I always have been).
• I will work tirelessly to make the Fifth Barnstable District an even better place to live and work.
• I will continue my four-decade track record of public service and commitment to the people of Cape Cod.
• I will remain accessible and accountable to you.
• I will always respect you and listen to what you have to say, even if we respectfully disagree on an issue. I represent every person in the 5^th Barnstable District equally.
• I will make constituent service a priority.

So, specifically, what does that involve? In no particular order, here are a few of the issues I believe define me and will be a focus of my work.

Making Cape Cod a Better and more Affordable Place to Live

I believe every citizen of the 5^th Barnstable District should have an equal opportunity to thrive. While ‘thriving’ might mean different things to different people, I believe the concept is rooted in certain universal principles. It includes a system where people have access to a quality public education followed by an economy with affordable prices and ample jobs that provide adequate resources for people to raise a family comfortably. Here on Cape Cod, that means always supporting our schools, creating affordable housing, and helping our small businesses succeed. It also includes making sure that we have safe streets free from violent criminals and drug dealers who seek to do us harm. From a community perspective, it includes having a clean environment and public infrastructure we can be proud of. And, as a public official, I am always protective of taxpayers and individual freedoms through principles of fiscal responsibility and accountability in state government. I am committed to all of these goals as your State Representative and I use them as a framework for everything I do on your behalf.

Delivering Results

Throughout my time as State Representative, it has been my pleasure to deliver state resources back to the 5^th Barnstable District. This includes funding to help support a number of local projects, easing burdens for local property taxpayers and freeing up resources for other municipal needs. And, of course, it involves my continued support for robust Local Aid and Chapter 70 and Chapter 90 funding from the state. In recent years, my ability to deliver for our district has been enhanced by my service as a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, a rare and privileged committee appointment for a state legislator.

Personal Freedoms and Individual Responsibility

I am an American Patriot and a staunch supporter of our Constitution and the rights it protects for our citizens. In particular, these rights include the First and Second Amendments, which I support. As a State Representative, I will always respect these rights and work to safeguard them for the citizens I represent on Beacon Hill. Working as a police officer for four decades, I developed a deep and abiding respect for the sanctity of human life. It is from this standpoint that I respectfully oppose further expansion of our state’s existing abortion laws. I have also worked extensively in support of vulnerable populations in our state, including needy veterans, the homeless, victims of domestic and sexual abuse, Gold Star families, survivors of opioid abuse, and victims of violent crimes. I also support rights for animals and have taught classes for law enforcement to better identify and protect against animal cruelty.

Public Safety

I’ve spent most of my life in public service, but I am not a career politician. I spent 40 years working for the Yarmouth Police Department, before eventually retiring as Deputy Chief of Police in 2019. Therefore, public safety is a top priority for me.

• I support reforming our criminal justice system to prevent dangerous, violent criminals and drug dealers from walking our streets and threatening the safety of residents and the police who are sworn to protect us. In recent years I have filed legislation to stiffen the penalties for certain crimes and to enhance punishment for drug dealers.
• As a former school resource officer and as a parent, I see school safety as a priority. I have filed legislation to help make our schools safer and to stiffen penalties for those found guilty of crimes against teachers, staff, and sports referees.
• Our state continues to be ravaged by substance abuse and illicit drugs, particularly opioids. This is an issue that has also hit close to home for me as I have watched friends and family suffer. I will continue the mission I served as a police officer to fight the opioid epidemic in our state, mixing a tough law enforcement approach with a compassionate public health solution to the problem.
• I fervently support our first responder community and I support efforts to help protect and provide resources to those who protect us. Recent passage of Nero’s Law is a prime example of this effort, of which I am very proud. We also must continue to emphasize municipal and regional police training.

Fiscal Responsibility

As a Republican, I believe it is important for government to be a responsible steward of our tax dollars. We should spend wisely, tax limitedly, and ferret out waste and fraud whenever possible. I also believe the state has an obligation to help support cities and towns and the essential services they provide. I will work hard to study state spending trends and make sure fiscal decisions are made to the benefit of the Fifth Barnstable District and its taxpayers. I have also argued for reform of our state ‘Right to Shelter Law’ so that taxpayer-funded support benefits are paid only to United States Citizens, as this law was originally intended.

Infrastructure

We must do all we can to support our state’s network of roads, bridges, and public transit. The maintenance and improvement of these transportation systems is an important issue for public safety, economic development, and quality of life. I will look for responsible ways to invest in these systems and bring them forward for the next generation.

On Cape Cod, we have a special concern – our two canal bridges (which, coincidentally, reside mostly within the Fifth Barnstable District). I pledge to continue my longstanding work with federal, state, and local officials to make sure these bridges are properly maintained in the short term, replaced as soon as possible, and that they always remain toll-free for the motorists that use them.

We also need to make sure infrastructure is built with the best interests of the community in mind. For example, I support alternative energy development. However, I also share concerns that local residents have expressed about the safety of infrastructure to bring offshore-generated wind power onshore through our beaches and residential neighborhoods. I want to make sure infrastructure is safe while also being effective to meet our present and future needs.

Local Issues

As a proud resident of Cape Cod, I know how important it is to support our communities. I will work hard to make the Fifth Barnstable District a better place to live and work.

• I will support enhanced Local Aid for towns in the Fifth Barnstable District.
• I will fight hard to support public education and make sure that our schools, students, and teachers have appropriate resources to do their job.
• I will work with state and local officials to protect water quality. This includes ongoing work to improve our treatment of wastewater and to remove dangerous PFAS (‘forever chemicals’) from our water supply.
• I will do everything I can to protect and maintain the sanctity of our environmentally-sensitive areas, including our coastline and nature sanctuaries. The vitality of these resources is crucial to keeping Cape Cod beautiful.

Veterans

I never personally served in the military. However, military service runs deep within my extended family. In particular, this includes my son, Nicholas G. Xiarhos, a Marine who lost his life fighting for his country in Afghanistan. Those who know me know how committed I am about supporting our armed forces – those who are actively deployed now, and our Veterans – and their families through our words and deeds. And, as a Gold Star Father myself, I am passionate about supporting the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

Thank you for your confidence, trust, and support.

Sincerely,