Merrimack District 5 includes Andover, Danbury, Hill, Salisbury and Webster.
Four candidates will compete for two seats. The Republican incumbents, Louise Andrus and Deborah Aylward, will face Democratic challengers Thomas Ware and Lorna Carlisle. Andrus did not respond to the Monitor’s survey.
Deborah Aylward
Party affiliation: Republican
What town/city do you live in? Danbury
Political experience: NH state representative for Merrimack District 5, representing Andover, Danbury, Hill, Salisbury and Webster. I am currently serving my second term in the NH House of Representatives and serve on the House Municipal and County Government Committee. Previously, I served as a regulatory advisory board member, and championed two bills passed into law in Virginia.
Professional experience: I worked for 20 years as a private investigator and detective agency owner, specializing in family law investigations, and founded HomeFires, Volunteer Investigators for Missing Children, a 501 (c)(3) which coordinated approximately 100 volunteer investigators nationwide to provide pro bono assistance to left behind parents. My work involving missing persons was featured in a Discovery Channel documentary, and I am the author of “The Guide to Criminal Offender Public Records.”
Community service experience: I served as a CASA caseworker, implemented the Kid Protection Network program in conjunction with local Sheriff’s Office, served as an investigative consultant for Team Hope, was Founder of HomeFires, Volunteer Investigators for Missing Children, through which volunteers assisted families and law enforcement in missing-child cases. As a state representative, I also work directly with residents of the five towns in my district on municipal, state-agency and constituent issues.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and possession? Yes
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage? Mandate municipalities adopt housing-friendly zoning policies.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement? NH should assist only when directly asked by the federal government.
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 would repeal RSA 91-A:3, II(a) in its current form and replace it with a narrower provision that protects legitimate personal privacy but does not allow substantiated misconduct by public employees or officials to be permanently hidden from the taxpayers they serve. Privacy should protect innocent people from unsubstantiated accusations; it should not become a shield for proven misconduct. Government accountability requires meaningful public access to the facts once an investigation is completed and misconduct has been substantiated.
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. I would rather grow state revenue by expanding NH’s tax base through economic growth than by continually increasing tax rates. More businesses, jobs and economic activity generate additional revenue under taxes already on the books. At the same time, I would require greater scrutiny of administrative overhead, outside contracts and programs that are duplicative or no longer producing measurable results.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? The state should meet its constitutional obligation to fund an adequate education and reduce the disproportionate burden placed on local property taxpayers. State funding should focus on adequacy and fairness, while local communities retain control over spending above that level.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? One of the biggest issues facing NH is maintaining public trust in government. That requires transparency, accountability and meaningful access to public information at every level of government. Citizens should be able to understand how decisions are made, how their tax dollars are spent and how agencies are performing.
Find more information at the candidate’s website: https://my.patch.com/content/articles
Lorna Carlisle
Party affiliation: Democrat
What town/city do you live in? Salisbury
Political experience: None
Professional experience: Sales rep, now retired
Community service experience: School board, energy committee, budget committee.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and possession? Yes
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage? This is a complicated issue that doesn’t have a single answer.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement? Our local law enforcement budget should not be chewed up by ICE which has been given a huge amount of money.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all? This is a personal decision between families and their doctor.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why? SB 295, which eliminated the income cap for vouchers. Rich people were already sending their kids to private schools and this was just a bonus for them.
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. No one revenue stream is going to fix the financial hole we are in. The interest and dividends tax which was on the books for over 100 years could raise about $180 million a year. Would be a good start.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? With the state of NH being dead last in its contribution to public education, it needs to help property taxpayers and not wealthy individuals incorporations with tax cuts.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? We need to reduce our reliance on property taxes for school funding. That affects so many aspects of life. Young people can’t afford a house many times because of the property taxes. Older people are struggling on a fixed income while their house value rises, and therefore their tax bill does too. Property taxes fluctuate wildly, depending on where you live. We need to make it fair and equitable.
This candidate did not provide a link to a campaign website.
Thomas Ware
Party affiliation: Democrat
What town/city do you live in? Andover
Political experience: None
Professional experience: I have been a teacher at the middle and high school level, worked for several years in special education. I have an additional 13 years in human services, as a program coordinator, and now a training coordinator. I have worked in construction and waited tables for several years.
Community service experience: I volunteer as a recreation basketball director and coach. I served on the Andover Hub Board of Directors.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and possession? 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? I disagree with all of these choices. (Choices were to proactively seek involvement, assist only when asked, only when receiving federal funding or not 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? The law forbidding you to tap your feet or keep time with music in a tavern, restaurant or cafe. I like music and dancing.
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 raise revenue, we can re-raise the business profits tax and business enterprise tax, both of which fall heavily on giant corporations who can afford to pay them. The interest and dividends tax, which worked well for over 100 years, could be incrementally reinstated. These taxes won’t affect almost all working NH families, and they will raise revenue so the state can meet its obligations to its citizens.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? A much bigger one! The state Supreme Court has ruled again and again that the state is not meeting it’s responsibility to fund adequate public education. The state needs to renew it’s commitment to funding education, raise more revenue and actually pay towns to meet it’s obligation.
School board decisions are NOT partisan; they are bound by law and obligated to provide services to all resident children. Schools drive property taxes because it’s the only mechanism they have to raise revenue. We can give property owners a break if we put the tax burden for schools back onto the state.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? Skyrocketing costs: utilities, heating fuel, gas, prescription medicine… We have to find ways to make stuff cost less!
Find more information at the candidate’s website: https://thomaswarefornh.com