PRIORITIES
There are several issues that Granite Staters face everyday. The list below are just a few challenges that families and individuals struggle with and where I stand on these issues. I realize that the list is much longer for many people and I want to hear from you about what is important in your life and what I can do to help find solutions and make a real impact! Fill out the form at the bottom of this page to tell me more about the everyday challenges you face.
Priorities
Childcare
New Hampshire has a childcare problem. It’s two-fold: low wages for workers and a critical shortage of options. There are waitlists for almost every age group. Childcare centers are struggling to hire and retain a workforce to keep up with the needs of parents and guardians. Low wages of childcare workers are causing recruitment issues, which in turn results in centers closing. Businesses, like my own, struggle to hire employees, because many potential employees don’t have access to childcare.
Childcare in not a privilege. It’s a necessity. Parents are forced to stay home instead of choosing to. Sustainable support for the childcare industry will help us build up a workforce, attract new talent to the state, and help all parents and guardians, particularly single ones.
Health and Reproductive Justice
Quality, accessible, affordable healthcare is a basic human right for everyone. Improving access and lowering costs needs to be a priority for legislators. I believe we must put public health science above political considerations when it comes to the health of Granite Staters.
A woman’s right to make her own health care decisions must be protected at the state level, either by constitutional amendment or state legislation. We cannot go backwards to a time where women were denied the right to decide what is best for themselves. Reproductive healthcare is an essential aspect of a woman’s fundamental human rights.
Environment
The world is in a climate crisis, and we need to act now. This is a direct threat to us and to future generations. If we don’t take immediate action to protect our home, planet Earth, no other issue will matter.
This is an issue that affects everyone. We must commit ourselves to protecting our natural resources, increasing investments in renewable energy, providing incentives and policies to help create clean energy jobs, and continuing to develop ways for homes and businesses to become more energy efficient.
Public Education
Public Education in NH must be supported, not undermined. The budget passed last year drastically cut public school funding. It included a budget-busting and unnecessary school voucher program that siphons off much-needed public funding to private, religious, and home school programs. These “Educational Freedom Accounts” will cost local property taxpayers tens of millions of dollars over the next few years. All public schools will suffer, particularly rural ones. The budget also included an amendment that banned schools and state agencies from teaching and training “divisive concepts.” I support repeal of this bad legislation.
NH’s public school system ranks sixth in the country in terms of quality and safety. We cannot afford to lose our good and experienced teachers to jobs in other states. I will work hard to secure the resources necessary to keep our public school system one of the best in the country.
Economic Viability
We need sustainable, long-term economic relief for both residents and small businesses.
Actions taken by the majority in the NH legislature during this past session and in the budget process have done absolutely nothing to lower property taxes – in fact, they have cut state funding for property tax drivers such as public-school funding. Working families and small businesses are being crushed by some of the largest property taxes in the country.
We need incentives for more development of affordable housing options across the state. We need an incremental increase in NH’s minimum wage up to $15 an hour to help struggling families and individuals, to sustain a skilled workforce, and attract young workers to our state.