Candidates appear at Peterborough forum
State Senate and Executive Council hopefuls answered questions
By DAVID ALLEN
Monadnock Ledger-Transcript Local state Senate and Executive Council candidates shared their positions and responded to questions at a forum in Peterborough Tuesday evening.
Democrat Karen Liot Hill and Republican Kim Strathdee are running for the 2nd District seat on the Executive Council, which represents Dublin, Hancock, Peterborough and Sharon. The candidates offered differing responses to a question on how to support education in the Granite State.
“I would work to replace Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut and his people and replace them with people who support public education,” said Hill.
“All students can learn, but not all teachers can teach,” said Strathdee.
The forum was hosted by the League of Women Voters Peterborough Plus unit and the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript at Peterborough Town Library. Hope Driscoll of the league’s state board and Charlotte Matherly of the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript moderated the event. All candidates for Executive Council Districts 2 and 5, and state Senate Districts 8, 9 and 10 were invited to the forum.
Regarding the issue of housing availability and affordability, Hill suggested an approach that she said was part of her work when she was a mayor of Lebanon.
“We should identify state-owned parcels that would be suitable for workforce housing,” she said.
“I’m not sure how to respond to that,” said Strathdee to the housing question.
When a question was posed about how to fund human services in New Hampshire, Strathdee cited costs that she said keep companies from moving to New Hampshire.
“Look at the high energy costs in
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New Hampshire,” she said. “Businesses aren’t coming to the state.”
Hill responded to this question by noting revenue sources. She also noted her mother’s death from cancer when saying that the state should not block funding for cancer screening, birth control and STDs.
“When Republicans decide to cut taxes, it means that local property owners pay more,” she said. “Republicans on the Executive Council have consistently voted to defund health care.”
On the topic of transportation funding, Strathdee cited a report from the American Society of Civil Engineers stating that three bridges in the district built in 1954, 1956 and 1923 are on the state’s “red list,” having been deemed structurally deficient.
“I’m passionate about the state of our bridges,” she said.
Hill said that she had a sound understanding of the state’s 10-year highway plan process.
On the issue of abortion, Hill said, “I’m a firm advocate for a constitutional amendment in New Hampshire to protect access to abortion.” She also supports the state funding of Planned Parenthood, she said.
“I would vote to approve the funding of Planned Parenthood,” said Strathdee.
Regarding abortion, Democratic state Senate candidate David Trumble said, “I’d support a law that would establish reproductive freedom.” Trumble is running in District 8, which represents Antrim, Bennington and Francestown.
“We never had an abortion law until Gov. (Chris) Sununu put it in place,” said Democrat Donovan Fenton, who is seeking re-election to the state Senate in District 10, which represents Dublin, Hancock and Peterborough.
Asked how New Hampshire could better fund human services, Trumble said, “Bringing back the interest and dividend tax would bring back $175 million.”
Fenton echoed this point, citing $160 million as what the repeal of this tax for next year will cost the state.
Republican Mary Murphy who was in the audience and is running for the state House from Hillsborough County District 27, which represents Francestown, challenged Fenton on details of the tax.
“The tax hits a much broader swath of people than only the rich,” Murphy said.
Fenton responded by citing a Fiscal Policy Institute figure of 2% of the state’s population who actually pay the the interest and dividend tax State Rep. Peter Leishman, a Democrat who represents Peterborough and Sharon and serves on the the House Finance Committee, said after the forum that revenue from this tax this year is expected to be $184.3 million.
“Special education costs are a real problem for towns,” said Trumble when asked about education funding. “Bills to fund education died in the Senate. That’s why I’m running. It’s time the state lived up to its obligation to fund education.”
“The system doesn’t work,” said Fenton when asked about education funding. “It’s broken.”
Trumble said that an impending storm in Florida should make people think about climate change.
“We have no climate change plan in New Hampshire,” Fenton said.
“Almost nonexistent,” said Fenton when asked about the state of public transportation in New Hampshire.
“We should invest in it,” said Trumble to the transportation question. “We need a whole new mindset about it.”
“I hear about housing, child care and education,” said Fenton about the issues voters speak to him about most frequently.
Another forum focused on the Jaffrey, Rindge and Dublin races will be at Franklin Pierce University at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 22. The League of Women Voters NH Peterborough Plus and FPU are cosponsoring this event.
David Trumble speaks during the forum. Seated from left are Karen Liot Hill, Kim Strathdee and Donovan Fenton.
STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID ALLEN
