Merrimack 12 includes two seats representing Pembroke. In the running are Republicans Peter Mehegan and Brian Seaworth, and Democrats Mariana Beer and Kenneth Nivison.
Nivison did not respond to the Monitor’s candidate survey.
Mariana Beer
Party affiliation: Democrat
What town/city do you live in? Pembroke
Political experience: First-time candidate
Professional experience: Director of Operations at Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust
Community service experience: Member of Pembroke’s Budget Committee, Dungeon Master at Pembroke Town Library (Children’s Summer Reading Program)
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and position?
Yes
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage?
Give towns and cities grants to revise their local zoning restrictions.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement?
NH should not assist at all.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all?
It should not restrict abortion at all.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why?
HB2 – access to Free and Reduced School Meals, budget changes that negatively affected THE most vulnerable population in the state.
NH consistently struggles with funding its government and services. What is one way you would raise state revenue, and what is one area you would cut expenses? Be specific.
To increase revenue, we must continue to work with our Travel and Tourism partners to attract year-round visitors to the state. Tax breaks to foreign or out-of-state corporations must be revised/repealed.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education?
The state must fulfill its constitutional obligation to adequately fund public schools. Continued study and analysis to prevent system failures or surprise expenses, such as increased healthcare expenses.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today?
We must do everything we can to promote small and medium businesses across all industries. Revitalize downtowns (or Central Business Districts) so that there are no more empty storefronts in our communities.
Find more information at the candidate’s website:
Peter Mehegan
Party affiliation: Republican
What town/city do you live in? Pembroke
Political experience: One-term incumbent
Professional experience: Fortieth year at Pembroke Academy
Community service experience: The Beachhead youth group out of Sunrise Baptist church, youth pastor, pastor. Children’s minister at various churches. Drama director of 14 years at PA. Media Club advisor of 25 years at PA, first six years offered free.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and position?
No
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage?
Lift state regulations on development.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement?
NH should proactively seek opportunities to assist with immigration enforcement.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all?
It should keep the current law of restricting abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why?
I will be working closely with my school district to write an LSR to allow school districts to opt in to the State Employee Health Insurance Program for all of their employees. Under current law, educators are authorized participants in the New Hampshire Retirement System, but there is no corresponding statutory mechanism allowing school districts to access the state health insurance pool, even on a voluntary basis. As a result, districts are left to negotiate coverage independently, often at significantly higher and more volatile costs. This is not a repeal but an effort to open a doorway to lower costs.
NH consistently struggles with funding its government and services. What is one way you would raise state revenue, and what is one area you would cut expenses? Be specific.
State revenue increases as NH businesses prosper. I would continue to back the NH advantage and make New Hampshire attractive to businesses looking for a home. I would look to cap excessive mandated costs to special education and healthcare.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education?
The state needs to address mandated increases in Special Ed, and prohibitively priced tuition for certain individual students must be capped. Any schools that accept NH students for special services and charge excessive tuition need to account for these charges. Annual increases in health insurance must be capped.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today?
The US Constitution was written to “secure the blessings of liberty unto our posterity.” There is no more important priority for the state and the nation to address than the health and well-being of our posterity, the next generation over which we’ve been given stewardship. Any policy that would seek to harm or even eliminate the next generation, or reduce their education to merely “adequate,” is detrimental to that end, and the state must take a stand that protects this constitutional goal.
Find more information at the candidate’s website:
https://sites.winthehouse.gop/site/peter-l-mehegan
Brian Seaworth
Party affiliation: Republican
What town/city do you live in? Pembroke
Political experience: Seven terms representing Pembroke in the NH House
Professional experience: Mechanical Engineer, with a career spanning aerospace, electric utilities and software.
Community service experience: Chair, Pembroke Planning Board. Member, Municipal Budget Committee. Board of Directors, Sunset Mountain Fish and Game.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and position?
Yes
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage?
Lift state regulations on development.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement?
Local, County, and State agencies should assist Federal agencies when it is in the best interest of New Hampshire.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all?
NH’s law has, to me, reached a stable state. Roughly middle-of-the-road for the U.S. and permissive when compared internationally. I acknowledge that the current law remains in conflict with my party’s platform but, given NH’s political environment, further restrictions are not viable.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why?
The wall of posters at each place of employment. People today don’t get their information by reading posters on a board in the break room. The law should reflect today’s world.
NH consistently struggles with funding its government and services. What is one way you would raise state revenue, and what is one area you would cut expenses? Be specific.
The best way the State can increase revenue is to continue to provide businesses with an environment wherein they can succeed. We’ve seen it time and time again. Revenue rises when the taxpaying businesses are successful. This holds true even when the tax rate itself is reduced.
For spending, a good place to look for cuts is the myriad of contracts through which the State pays outside entities. Some are absolutely necessary – funding State functions that we can’t do in-house. Others, surely, have been installed to fill a need that no longer exists, yet funding continues because it is already in the budget. In particular, we should look at increases from 2020-21 when emergency funding was allocated.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education?
The State’s role is two-fold. The State transfers general funds, primarily from business taxes, into Education spending. Secondly, the State identifies disparities between communities and transfers funds to the towns that need them most.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today?
While talking to area businesses, I heard one message repeated. Our business owners appreciate that NH has a stable (and supportive) business climate. Too many rush to Concord, eager to make big changes. It is important to defend what works – the laws that have served us well for many years. Stopping the bad can be just as important as changing things in an effort to do good.
Find more information at the candidate’s website: