In Her Own Words . . .

​​​​Ms. Rivard has returned both her Primary and General Election questionnaires, but was not able to attend the District 5 pre-primary candidate forum due to a previous engagement.

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Citizens for Belknap ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​General Election Questionnaire

Lisa Rivard 2026

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1.  Give three examples of waste you would cut in our NH state or county government.

 Funding:

• Vouchers: The state could spend more than $60 million on school vouchers this year. 

• Bring back the income limit to reduce this amount, and tighten what counts as educational spending so these funds go to actual curriculum, not luxuries like ski lessons.

 

Administrative Bloat:

·    Outdated Information Technology and Software: State and county offices sometimes pay high ongoing maintenance fees for aging computer programs and systems, as well as fees for unused/unneeded/overlapping digital tools, licenses and subscriptions. Regular tech audits help reduce these compounding costs.

 

Facilities:

• Belknap County Nursing Home: Our nursing home has enough empty beds for everyone on its waiting list but cannot fill them because around 30 staff positions are vacant. The county has to retain expensive contracted nursing services instead of paying competitive wages to our own staff. We need a recruitment and retention plan to balance this out.

•  A youth detention center seven times the necessary size. The Sununu Youth Services Center has held fewer than 20 residents for years, in a 140+ bed building that costs around $13 million a year to operate.

•  Underutilized Real Estate and Facilities: State and county governments sometimes own or rent physical buildings that sit partially vacant due to increased remote work and shifting agency needs. Old, inefficient facilities are harder to heat, cool, and repair, draining operational funds that could be saved or redirected.

 

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.

Yes, New Hampshire needs to explore additional revenue options other than income tax and sales taxes, because the alternative is even higher property taxes.

 

3.  Do you support having an AI data center located in Belknap County?  Explain. 

No, Belknap County's economy depends on clean lakes, quiet nights and affordable power, and a large AI data center puts pressure on all three.

 

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, but ideally outreach and prevention should extend to Gilford, Gilmanton and every other town, not just have those towns help cover the costs. People could get help with rent, utilities or a mental health crisis where they live, before they lose their housing and end up in Laconia. The unhoused in small towns are real but harder to see, because people sleep in cars or on a friend's couch. Catching it early is cheaper and more humane than paying for it later in a shelter, hospital or jail.

 

5. Should Belknap County towns heavily impacted by out-of-state visitors receive a  higher share of Rooms & Meal tax revenue?

Yes. Right now, towns get 30% of rooms and meals revenue, divided by population, which works out to about $100 a resident. Restore at least the 40% the state promised to towns when the tax was created in 1967.

 

6. By 2030, what would be your vision for education, and its method of funding?

 By 2030, the state should be paying its full share of education, including special education, administrative costs and transportation. Concord should stop trying to redefine its obligations in attempts to push these costs onto local property taxpayers. Vouchers should have an income limit and real spending accountability, while decisions about curriculum and budgets should stay with local school boards. These funds are managed through a third party in NY that takes fees which means less money that goes to students or their schools. Savings from limiting vouchers should go back into public school aid, but meeting the state's full obligation will also take new revenue sources, rather than higher property taxes.

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Citizens for Belknap Primary Questionnaire 
Lisa Rivard 2026

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?
My family moved here in 1985 when I was a child. I have lived in other towns and states
and have always returned to Belknap County. My family is here, my friends are here, my
heart is here.

2. Why are you running, and what is the most important legislative issue you hope to
tackle in the next legislative term?
I am running because too much of what happens in Concord is driven by ideology
instead of listening to the people who live here. My priority is protecting local control by
keeping decisions about our schools, land, and services in the hands of our
communities. Too often, policies are pushed from the top down without enough respect
for what works best for each town.

3. What do you see are the biggest needs or issues in Belknap County, and what would
you do to fill that need?
Young people want to stay here because they love our communities and want to raise
their families here. To make that possible, we need more good-paying career
opportunities and more affordable starter homes. I would like to see the state provide
more tools, not more mandates, that allows each community to decide what works best
for them.

4. What distinguishes you from the other candidates running in your district?
I am naturally drawn to understanding complex problems rather than looking for easy
answers. My education and professional experience have taught me to look at issues
from multiple perspectives, examine evidence, and listen carefully before reaching
conclusions. That is the approach l will take in Concord: listening first to the people of
our district, not to party talking points, and working toward practical solutions that
strengthen our communities. I believe the best solutions come from the people closest
to the problems, not from ideology or one-size-fits-all politics.

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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? 

The current jail has significant maintenance and safety issues that can't be ignored.
While a new facility has been estimated to cost around $50 million, continuing to
renovate the existing building could also require tens of millions of dollars over the
coming decade while still leaving many underlying issues unresolved. We also need to
consider the risk of exposing the county and taxpayers to liability if known safety and
infrastructure issues are left unaddressed. As a member of the County Delegation, I
would carefully review all available information, including independent assessments and
long-term cost analyses, to determine which option provides the best value, safety, and
accountability for taxpayers.

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 Courts in the ConVal
decision? Why or why not?
Yes. Strong public schools help attract businesses, support working families, and prepare
the next generation of citizens. Our Constitution recognizes that knowledge and learning
are essential to preserving a free government, and I believe the legislature has a
responsibility to ensure every child has access to a quality education while creating a
funding system that is fair, transparent, and reduces the burden on local property
taxpayers.

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?
The county nursing home is an essential service for Belknap County families. If investing
in recruitment and retention allows the nursing home to serve more residents and
recover more of its operating costs, that deserves serious consideration. I would work
with the County Commissioners to understand what is preventing the facility from
operating at full capacity and support practical solutions that improve staffing, reduce
wait times, and make the best use of taxpayer dollars.

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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?
The best solution for the nursing home is to maintain this vital service as in Question 7. I
do not support selling or leasing Gunstock/Belknap Mountain Recreation Area. No
outside entity will ever care about our back yard and our neighbors as much as we do.
We have seen large resort enterprises take over ski areas across the entire state and
rarely benefit the community. Gunstock is a gem in our community and holds a special
place in the hearts of many locals who grew up here.

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?
The opioid crisis is hurting families, straining emergency services, and increasing costs
for our communities. We should support evidence-based treatment, medication-assisted
recovery, and other proven approaches that help people enter recovery and reduce
overdoses. Law enforcement resources should focus on traffickers and serious crime,
while people struggling with addiction should have every opportunity to access
treatment instead of facing unnecessary barriers to recovery.

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?
I commit to meeting or exceeding this attendance standard. Serving as a state
representative is a responsibility entrusted to me by the people of this district, and I
believe showing up is one of the most basic obligations of that service.
One of the reasons I decided to run was seeing how often our district’s representation
was absent when important decisions were being made. If elected, I will treat this
position with the seriousness it deserves — putting the needs of my constituents first,
being present, listening, and doing the work required to represent them well.
I would consider the opportunity to serve a privilege, and I will approach it with humility,
gratitude, and a strong sense of duty.

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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?
No, our law enforcement should be focused on the duties our residents rely on and
addressing the issues we actually face here in Belknap County. Immigration enforcement
is an important national issue, but it is primarily the responsibility of the federal
government. Adding federal immigration responsibilities to local law enforcement
creates additional training requirements, administrative burdens, and costs for county
taxpayers. Those resources are better spent addressing the needs of our own
communities.

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?
See Question 8 answer.

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?

Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our communities, but it is also
a complex problem that will require cooperation between the state, municipalities,
businesses, and residents. The goal should not be a one-size-fits-all approach from
Concord, but a partnership that helps communities create more opportunities for young
families, workers, and seniors to find housing they can afford while preserving the
character of our towns. Communities should decide what works best for them, but it
also means communities need the ability to adapt when housing costs make it difficult
for teachers, first responders, young families, and workers to live where they work. This
could include looking at ways the state can reduce unnecessary barriers to housing
construction, support workforce housing initiatives, and help communities address
infrastructure challenges that limit development.

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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?
I strongly support protecting our lakes and rivers. They are more than just a tourist
attraction, they affect property values, recreation, drinking water, and residents' daily
lives. We should be fostering programs and partnerships with existing expertise, such as
the UNH Cooperative Extension and its Water Quality Analysis Laboratory if they can
support these kinds of efforts.

15. Do you agree that the tax reductions 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 agree these tax reductions create a measurable increase in local property taxes, but I
do not think they are the sole factor for our ever-increasing fiscal problems. We need
careful and practical analysis of the budget, and for Concord to step up and strategically
fill the gaps and create policies that keep the people on fixed incomes, our workforce,
our families, and our veterans from being taxed out of their homes and livelihoods.

16. Would you favor reforming the Delegation’s meeting format? Should the Delegation
conduct monthly meetings? Would you increase public input opportunities? Continue
with Robert’s Rules?
I would be open to reforming the Delegation’s meeting format and conducting monthly
meetings in order to promote public input. The government serves the people, not the
other way around. I do not think Robert’s Rules of Order are specifically a problem, but if
the people are not being heard, then that needs to be corrected.

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