Environment
Living in the north country reminds me daily how important the environment is. This region is rich with environmental resources which need to be protected for future generations. Clean water needs to be preserved by not building more landfills near lakes and streams. Climate change needs to be taken seriously. I am passionate about this issue and will advocate for meaningful regulations to help move NH in the right direction on climate and protecting our local environment.
Landfills – Governor Sununu vetoed the HB 1454 bill which would have required a formula to site landfills in places where groundwater does not move quickly and would reduce the risk of widespread contamination were the clay dam and plastic liners to fail. I was at the veto override rally in September, and it is unfortunate it wasn’t overturned. I am not against landfills, and realize we need them for our society to function. I realize and trust the modern landfill designs are good and safe, but it seems very logical to me to make sure landfills are located in areas which would minimize the risk of polluting the groundwater in the unlikely event the safeguards in place at the landfill were to fail.
Climate Change – New Hampshire is the only state in New England which does not have a climate plan. Climate change needs to be taken seriously. With over 30 alpine and cross-country ski areas across the state, warming winters are a clear threat to state economy and quality of life for all of us. Climate change has resulted in short term droughts like we have experienced every summer for the past several years more common, and these droughts impact agriculture, wildlife, rivers, and waters supplies. Warmer winters are allowing invasive species and pests to thrive in our forests. Moose population is now under threat because of winter ticks making it less likely calves will make it through the winter. With winters arriving several weeks later than historical norms and ending earlier, winter ticks are thriving at the expense of the moose. The range of Lyme disease is also expanding as deer ticks thrive in a more mild winter. I would support a plan to get NH in line with the recent Paris accord. This means NH emissions peaking in 2025 and falling 50% by 2030.
Housing
I’ve had a successful, 15-year career working in the real estate economics industry. My background as an economist, where I focused solely on the real estate industry, will bring fresh perspectives to Concord as the state struggles through the current housing crisis. My work in the private sector included research on the impact of federal, state, and local regulations on the real estate sector, and it is because of this experience I will bring a unique understanding of how regulations can impact, both positively and negatively, local real estate markets.
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I would advocate for increased support for trade programs to help create a pipeline of worker to expand the construction sector workforce. These are good paying jobs where people should be proud of what they help create. We need more people working in these fields to help build and maintain the state’s housing stock.
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I support working with local communities to revisit local zoning codes. Dense housing is generally more affordable, so building dense housing where there is the appropriate infrastructure would be wise.
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I would advocate for increased state support for funding the increased infrastructure needs which come with growing populations. It is a lot to ask a small community like Bethlehem or Franconia to fully fund the expansion of a school or water/sewer system to allow for new development. The state should help towns which are doing the right things and allowing more dense housing developments, by paying for a larger percentage of local infrastructure costs.
Reproductive Rights
I support the rights of women to have full control over their healthcare decisions. A person’s health is personal and should remain private, and the idea of any government official making any healthcare decisions on behalf of women is wrong. I will support removing the recent abortion restrictions enacted during the last legislative session and signed into law by Governor Sununu