To The Editor:
I thank Beth Margeson and The Citizens for Voter Education for hosting an excellent forum in which local candidates for state offices were all invited to address three top challenges in the state of New Hampshire.
My name is Thom Rossi and I am a candidate for NH House of Representatives, Rockingham District 22 (Portsmouth Ward 5 and New Castle).
My wife Kathy and I moved here from New Jersey 11 years ago and I really love what we found. We left a state that was in a deep spiral of high taxes, perpetual budget deficits, high crime, increasingly restrictive regulations and high levels of government dependence. What we found here is a state with low taxes, budget surpluses, low crime rates, high personal freedom and a culture of independence and accountability. We’ve since learned that this is the “New Hampshire Advantage,” and that it didn’t just happen, but is the result of the hard work and smart decisions made by those who preceded us.
Our first challenge is not to lose the advantage that others worked so hard to build on our behalf, because once we go down the path of higher taxes and expanding government we can never go back. Fiscal and regulatory constraint are vital in creating a future of prosperity and opportunity for all of us.
We have a major challenge in affordability of housing for middle and fixed income residents. I see the middle being squeezed out of the seacoast as property values soar and affordable housing stock is replaced with high priced units. To address this: I propose that the state use a portion of the meals and room tax revenue to fund property tax credits for homes assessed at or below the median; work across the region to expand the map for work force and mid income housing by investing in transportation; take some of the best ideas emerging from across the state on accessory dwelling units and lower regulatory hurdles for housing development; spread these best practices across the state.
Another challenge we have is to fuel the economic prosperity of our state through attracting high paying jobs and providing the educational opportunities for the next generation to take those jobs. Lower the cost of energy, keep business regulations low, encourage school choice & educational excellence, and provide economic incentives to attract biotech jobs from Boston into our region. My specific proposal for biotech/high-tech start-ups is for the state to oversee a limited market in which these companies can sell their annual net operating losses to other profitable companies based in the state, thus providing them a chance to extend their operating runways with non-dilutive capital.
By working across party lines to bring the best ideas forward, we can keep NH on the path of prosperity, opportunity, and the freedom of individual choice.
When Kathy and I moved to New Hampshire it was just the two of us searching for our retirement destination. Since then, my mother (91), our adult children, and some of our siblings have followed us. Two weeks ago we were blessed with the birth of our first grandchild, who now lives in Goffstown. Today, New Hampshire is much more to us than a beautiful retirement destination. It is the state where I want to see the generations who follow us enjoy every opportunity to lead happy and prosperous lives in a diverse and welcoming community. That’s why I’m running for office, and I hope that I can receive your vote in November.
Thank you,
Thom Rossi
Portsmouth, NH 03801
