Steven Bunce
District 3 - Tilton & Sanbornton
Mr. Bunce is running for state representative.
NOT RECOMMENDED
Our examination has found little evidence of active campaigning, with no campaign site that we've found, other than his Facebook page, which contains only one post. He answered only one question in the Citizens Count survey. When asked to complete his General Election questionnaire, he mocked the Belknap County nursing home in every question. Behavior not becoming of a state representative.
For those reasons alone, we cannot recommend Mr. Bunce.
Read the questionnaire!
Mr. Bunce of Tilton is a first-time candidate running for Sanborton/Tilton District 3 in Belknap County. Mr. Bunce did provide us with a questionnaire before the Primary for his positions on county issues, which is posted below.
He is a member of the Tilton Zoning Board.
He purchased the former Moonlite Kennels in Tilton and rebranded the business as Domestic Dog Training, which provides small dog training , boarding, grooming and daycare services.
Mr. Bunce attended the Berkley College of Music, and had an early career as a rock & roller in the greater Boston area, per this article about his band, Honey Talk. Originally from the affluent area of Canaan, CT, he moved to Tilton in 2021 with his partner to purchase the dog training business.
On his campaign Facebook page, he writes:
I believe in individual liberty, limited government, and the New Hampshire way of life. Protect freedom. No income tax. No sales tax. Keep property taxes low. Support small businesses. Live Free or Die."
In his Citizens for Belknap questionnaire, he makes it clear that he sees his experience as an entrepreneur and businessman are underrepresented in the state legislature, and his skill for managing payroll and budgets would be an asset to the state.
When asked about whether Gunstock and the county nursing home should be privatized, he suggested that that he sees county ownership as a risk to the taxpayers, and say, I am not interested in government mingling in private industries."
Likewise, his position on opioid addiction challenges reflects a libertarian perspective as well. He sees the role of government to provide public safety and punish those who break the law, and leave drug treatment to nonprofits and nongovernmental agencies.
As for affordable housing, he would rather keep the rural character of character of the county than increase density of workforce housing, although he does favor reducing regulation to allow landowners to add accessory dwelling units and other structures. Read more on his positions, below. He was recently quoted by the NH Union leader on his opposition to an apartment development on the Winnipesaukee River.
NOT RECOMMENDED
While we applaud Mr. Bunce's efforts to build his business and provide jobs for the area, we find some of his libertarian solutions concerning.
In addition, our examination has found little evidence of active campaigning, with no campaign site that we've found, other than his Facebook page, which contains only one post. He answered only one question in the Citizens Count survey.
With little information to go on, and concerning libertaria-leaning answers from his survey, we cannot recommend this candidate.
Editor's Note: This is posted as submitted by the candidate
Candidate Questionnaire for the 2026 General Election
1. Give three examples of waste you would cut in our NH state or county government.
(Write answer below the question)
1. Eliminate the $4,000,000 waste associated with the Belknap County Nursing Home.
2. Eliminate the $4,000,000 waste associated with the Belknap County Nursing Home.
3. Eliminate the $4,000,000 waste associated with the Belknap County Nursing Home.
2. Do you believe New Hampshire needs to explore additional sources of state revenue, or do you believe the state’s current approach to taxation and revenue is working? Please explain.
No. We literally lose $4 million a year owning the Belknap County Nursing Home.
3. Do you support having an AI data center located in Belknap County? Explain.
Yes, I would put it directly on top of the Belknap County Nursing Home to offset the $4,000,000 loss a year.
4. Because Laconia hosts more city and county services for the homeless, it also shoulders more of the impact and financial burden. Would you support a county-wide plan to offset those problems and costs? Why or why not?
Yes, we should put the homeless in the Belknap County Nursing home and have them run the data center so we could offset the $4,000,000 loss every year.
5. Should Belknap County towns heavily impacted by out-of-state visitors receive a higher share of Rooms & Meal tax revenue?
No. In regards to taxes, we do not have a collection problem, we have a spending problem. And a logic problem because we are losing $4,000,000 a year on the Belknap County Nursing Home.
6. By 2030, what would be your vision for education, and its method of funding?
I think we should better prepare kids for their future jobs at the Communist Belknap County Nursing Home / Homless Shelter / Data center.
2026 Primary Questionnaire
Steven Bunce
1. How long have you lived in Belknap County? If you moved to the county, why did you choose to do so? If you have always lived in Belknap County, why have you stayed? If you’ve been a resident for one year or less, what prompted you to run so soon?
I moved my family to Belknap County from Southern New Hampshire five years ago to purchase a business. That decision brought us more than a new opportunity. It gave us land, freedom, and the traditional New Hampshire way of life we value. Those are the reasons we chose to put down roots and make Tilton our home.
2. Why are you running, and what is the most important legislative issue you hope to tackle the next legislative term?
A. A priority is housing policy that preserves the rural character of most of Belknap County while allowing development in areas that actively want it, such as Concord, Rochester, and downtown Tilton. District 3 clearly reflects this contrast. Tilton wants development, especially along the Route 3 corridor, while residents in the rural and agricultural areas of Tilton and Sanbornton are deeply concerned about development encroaching on farmland and forests. I would propose expanding the Current Use statute to give rural landowners a financially viable alternative to subdividing their property.
B. A lack of representation in government, especially for small-business owners. Small-business owners understand payroll, taxes, regulations, staffing, insurance, and the real effect government decisions have on working people. That perspective is badly underrepresented.
C. Corruption. Too many towns are changing in ways that the people who live there do not support. This happens when a small group gains too much influence over local government, especially through unelected positions, overlapping roles, and a lack of public awareness about how decisions are made. I want a system where power stays with the people, not a select few insiders.
D. Reducing regulation: Removing unnecessary rules that make it harder to operate a business, own property, employ people, or build something.
E. Government efficiency: Applying basic business principles to county operations, budgets, staffing, and taxpayer-owned assets.
3. What do you see as the biggest needs or issues in Belknap County, and what would you do to fill that need?
The biggest issue is that government often does not reflect the people it is supposed to represent. Belknap County is rural by choice. People live here for freedom, open land, woods, farms, lakes, and a quieter way of life. They did not choose to live in a dense urban area, and they should not be forced into development patterns that turn our towns into “Everytown, USA” with apartment complexes and "Everytown, USA" growth everywhere.
We need to protect local character and give residents a real voice in the decisions that affect their communities. Growth should be thoughtful, limited, and shaped by the people who already live here, not imposed by outside interests or a small group of political insiders.
At the same time, many local families, workers, and small-business owners are struggling with the cost of living. Government should stop making that harder. Lower taxes, fewer unnecessary regulations, and less government interference would give people more room to build financial stability, support their families, and stay in the communities they call home.
4. What distinguishes you from the other candidates running in your district?
I am an entrepreneur, employer, and problem-solver. Every day, I make decisions, manage people, meet payroll, navigate regulations, and deliver results for customers. I bring the practical perspective of someone who has built a business, created jobs, and understands how government decisions affect working families and small businesses.
I also grew up, somewhat begrudgingly, in Connecticut and Massachusetts. I saw firsthand what happens when government becomes too large, taxes too much, regulates too aggressively, and slowly changes the character of a community. That experience is a major reason I value New Hampshire’s independence, rural character, and limited government.
5. A recent independent report found deficiencies in the current Belknap County jail. Would you support construction of a building that meets modern standards? Or should the existing jail be renovated?
As a business owner, I would approach this the same way I would approach any major investment. First, I would determine the actual problem, review the full cost of each option, and compare the long-term value of renovating the existing jail versus constructing a new facility.
Based on the report I reviewed, it sounds like the county made the right decision. Spending several million dollars to repair and extend the life of the existing jail is clearly more responsible than immediately committing taxpayers to nearly $50 million for a new facility.
6. Do you agree that traditional public schools are essential to attracting business and retaining employees in Belknap county? Should our students’ education be funded at ‘adequate education’ levels as defined by the NH Supreme Court’s in the ConVal decision? Why or why not?
This question has more nuance than can be answered with a simple yes or no. Public schools may influence where some employees and business owners choose to live, but they are rarely the deciding factor in where a business locates. Large companies such as Apple did not choose Silicon Valley because of the public schools. They chose it because of the culture. Public schools may matter to some small-business owners with families, but they are only one factor among many and are not a major driver of business growth.
Yes, the state should comply with the New Hampshire Supreme Court’s ConVal ruling and meet its constitutional funding obligations. However, I am skeptical that a single statewide funding formula can work fairly over the long term. The cost of staffing, transportation, facilities, and operating a school varies greatly between Portsmouth, the Lakes Region, and Coos County. The state should follow the ruling while giving local communities as much control as possible over how education is delivered and funded.
7. The Belknap County Nursing Home continues to operate under capacity, yet it has a waiting list of Belknap clients. What will you do as a member of the Delegation, to assist the County Commission to maximize our nursing care facility?
I am not yet familiar enough with the details to identify the exact cause. There is an obvious dichotomy between operating below capacity and maintaining a waiting list. As a member of the Delegation, I would work with the County Commission to determine why this is happening and support practical solutions that improve access without wasting taxpayer money. It sounds like Belknap County could use a few more business owners asking the right operational questions!!
8. The county nursing home and the Belknap Mountain Recreation Area, including Gunstock Mountain Resort, are revenue streams owned by Belknap County. As a County Delegation member, do you support leasing out the property to a private company, or selling those operations?
I am not interested in government mingling in private industries. While leasing the property involves less direct government control, having elected officials run taxpayer-owned commercial operations creates a system that can easily fail when the wrong people win elections. This could be a risk to the tax payer. These assets are essentially managed through a political popularity contest. It's easy to see how that could fail. However, because this arrangement already exists, I would be interested in carefully exploring both leasing and selling, with the goal of protecting taxpayers and preserving the full value of the assets.
9. Opioids and other drugs continue to be a problem in our communities. What are your ideas to reduce the impact of these drugs in our community? What resources are you willing to commit?
I am not concerned with the private choices or proclivities of my neighbors. Some of the poorest choices I have made became the greatest opportunities for growth in my life. Government should not punish adults simply for what they choose to put into their own bodies.
That freedom ends when their actions harm or endanger others. Public intoxication, impaired driving, violence, theft, neglect, and endangering children should carry serious consequences that discourage those behaviors. At the same time, many people struggling with addiction are sick, desperate, or deeply hurt. Government’s proper role is to protect citizens, their property, and their rights, then encourage those seeking help to use voluntary treatment and community resources.
I would not commit additional taxpayer resources or create another government program. Families, charities, churches, recovery organizations, and private treatment providers are better equipped to help people rebuild their lives. Government should punish conduct that creates victims, protect the public, and otherwise get out of the way.
10. Belknap County’s delegation of state representatives has the poorest rate of attendance in the state at 78% for the 2024-25 legislative session. It’s so bad that the 2nd lowest, Strafford County, is 89%. Do you commit to attending at least 80% of committee meetings, and 90% or more of Session vote days?
f I win this election, I will show up and represent the people who sent me there. I am fairly confident I can locate Concord and arrive on the correct day.
11. The Belknap County Sheriff’s Department has entered into an agreement with U.S Immigration & Customs Enforcement 287(g) program agreement with Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). Do you support this, and why?
I support law enforcement agencies working together to make our communities safer and remove dangerous criminals. If that is the purpose and practical effect of this program, then I support it.
Ignore - this is a duplicate of #8.
12. The county nursing home and the Belknap Mountain Recreation Area, including Gunstock Mountain Resort, are revenue streams owned by Belknap County. As a County Delegation member, do you support leasing out the property/operations to a private company, or selling the property/operations?
13. Affordable housing continues to be a problem, causing challenges for our county economy, including limiting the worker pool, attracting business, and attracting younger families. If elected, what will you do to increase the stock of affordable housing?
I reject the idea that the solution to expensive housing is to make Belknap County more crowded. People live here because they value the lower population density. I moved here for exactly that reason. Turning New Hampshire into Massachusetts with apartment blocks and high-density development may increase the number of housing units, but it also changes the very thing people came here to preserve.
Housing is outrageously expensive, but it is not necessarily overpriced relative to what it costs to build. Anyone who has built a house, or even priced one out, understands why contractors are not flooding the market with inexpensive single-family homes. After land, materials, labor, permits, financing, and risk, there is often very little profit left between the cost of construction and the final sale price. That margin improves with luxury homes, which is why builders naturally focus on them. So what does “affordable” actually mean? A house cannot sustainably sell for less than it costs to build. Destroying the rural character of Belknap County by packing in enough housing to force prices down would be asinine, and it would not even lower the cost of construction. Unless the cost of land, labor, and building materials comes down, the price of new housing physically cannot come down with it.
Decades of federal monetary policy, inflation, rising construction costs, and government interference deserve far more blame than a lack of apartment buildings. We should reduce unnecessary restrictions and allow landowners greater freedom to build accessory dwelling units or whatever housing their families reasonably need. However, development in Belknap County should reflect the character of Belknap County, not resemble Fairfield County, Connecticut, or the North Shore of Massachusetts.
14. Without clean lakes and rivers, the Belknap County tourism economy would be in jeopardy. Should the county financially support pollution control and water quality monitoring programs? Why or why not?
First, identify what is actually polluting our lakes and rivers and who or what is responsible. I would support targeted monitoring where there is a clear problem, then hold the polluter accountable rather than handing taxpayers an open-ended bill.
15. Do you agree that the tax reduction for State revenue streams (Business Enterprise Tax, Rooms & Meals, Income & Dividends Tax, et. al), resulted in downshifted costs to Belknap county and local schools, and increased local property taxes? Why or why not?
I do not know without reviewing the data. If tax reductions resulted in costs being shifted to counties and local schools, that should be addressed directly rather than used as an excuse to restore every tax. Moving toward lower taxes is necessary, but spending and mandates must also be reduced so the same costs are not simply transferred to local property taxpayers.
15. Would you favor reforming the Delegation’s meeting format? Should the Delegation conduct monthly meetings? Would you increase public input opportunities? Continue with Roberts’ Rules?
No. The Delegation should meet when there is actual business to conduct, not simply to fill a monthly calendar. Public input should be available, and Robert’s Rules should continue to provide an orderly process without creating more meetings, procedure, or government for its own sake.
