Dear Editor:
Let’s start a tradition for holding a contest each city council election cycle to decide which candidates came up with the most misleading, absurd campaign claims. I nominate Mayor Deaglan McEachern plus Councilors Vince Lombardi and John Tabor for the honors in 2023.
McEachern’s campaign mailer led off with the claim that he “prioritized transparent communication” after he led a council that held more non-public than public meetings and sealed all of their minutes. This same mailer concluded with the claim that he “increased access to recreation for all ages” right after he tried to take away the Pannaway Manor children’s softball field. The irony is priceless!
Councilor Lombardi earns a spot as a finalist for his campaign mailer bragging how “proud” he was to vote for raises for Portsmouth’s employees so they could now be paid as much as workers in other New Hampshire towns. Who knew that Berlin, Rochester, Claremont, Seabrook and so many other towns paid their employees more? And isn’t it amazing that the Hampton police force was leaving in droves to apply to work here even though Portsmouth would pay them less? This was almost as good as Lombardi’s claim that he “saved” taxpayers money by voting to hire “in house” full-time, permanent employees, replete with health insurance and pension plans, rather to hire “high priced” one-time consultants we’ d never see or pay again.
Last but certainly not least, Councilor John Tabor rounds out the field of nominees for his repeated claims that there was an enormous surge of outdoor dining in Portsmouth this season which was responsible for increasing parking revenue. How amazing it is that diners chose to eat outdoors at our restaurants during May, which was unseasonably cold; June, during which it rained every day except for two; and July, the hottest July ever recorded, replete with heat waves during which health officials warned individuals to remain indoors to avoid heat stroke. What a hardy, brave bunch these diners were! And here I thought that Tabor’s claim was merely a fabrication to rationalize the council’s preferential treatment of restaurant owners over other taxpayers. No wonder a leading restauranteur endorsed Tabor. It looks like John Tabor has just replaced Joanna Kelley as the restaurant industry’s candidate to promote this year.
Now it’s time for your readers to decide who deserves first prize for the most absurd, misleading campaign claims.
Christina Lusky
