2026 QUESTIONS FOR BELKNAP CANDIDATES

for State Representative

 

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 was raised in Belknap County and chose to return after traveling widely to pursue a satisfying career and to raise a family.

 
2.  Why are you running, and what is the most important legislative issue you hope to tackle the next legislative term? 
I chose to run rather than complain about recent developments in my state without doing anything to change the current trajectory. I also wanted to model civic engagement for my kids. There are several critical issues facing families in Center Harbor and New Hampton. Building on my experience working in healthcare,

making healthcare more affordable and more available for
hardworking families will be my first priority. I will also work with
my fellow representatives to address the high cost of living and
protecting our public schools.
 
3.               What do you see are the biggest needs or issues in
Belknap County, and what would you do to fill that need? 
Belknap County has been under assault from Free Staters who
have taken over the county Republican party and proved
themselves unwilling to work cooperatively to address residents’
concerns. I would work tirelessly with fellow legislators to ensure
citizens’ needs are met and to restore a rational approach to
solving problems.
 
4.               What distinguishes you from the other candidates
running in your district?
Our District 1 incumbent has supported the Free Stater Agenda of
cutting taxes for the ultra-wealthy and giant corporations and
passing the costs on to property taxpayers. He received an “A”
rating from the NH Liberty Alliance. As a State Representative, I
would represent my constituents’ values and interests, not an
extreme partisan agenda.

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? 

We need a County Jail that can safely house and help rehabilitate
prisoners. It must protect corrections workers and the public. We
also have to make decisions that keep costs low for taxpayers
over the long term, not just until the next election. I will work with
the County Commissioners, County staff, and independent
experts to develop an appropriate plan. Any facility built in the
1890 will likely need significant investment. I will fight for
transparency and accountability from the County Delegation so
that all citizens understand the challenges and can give input to
the process.
 
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? 
I believe that good public schools are critical to attract businesses
and young families and grow our economy. As the mother of two
young children in public school, I believe our students need more
than an adequate education and will fight for funding and services
that our local school boards need. I will protect local control
because town residents are the best defense for efficient, quality
education.
 
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?
Our county nursing home provides a basic standard of care to
seniors who have lived, worked, and raised families here. When

beds are available but senior citizens are put on a waitlist, they
and their hard-working families pay the costs. Our senior citizens
and their families deserve our respect and care. I will work with
fellow legislators to secure appropriate funding and to find ways to
recruit and incentivize skilled staffers.
 
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?
Leasing and selling such facilities to private companies has not
worked well in many communities where services have declined
rather than flourished. The county has shown that it can manage
both, as long as the County Delegation focuses on reasonable,
practical decisions instead of pushing a radical political agenda.
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?
Drug use is not an issue that can be easily resolved once
manifest given its roots in mental health issues. In addition to
effective treatment programs, we need to address these root
causes via education, employment and community engagement.
 
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 am committed to do the work to represent all of my constituents
in Center Harbor and New Hampton. I am fortunate to have an
employer that will allow me the necessary time to do so,
 
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?
Although I favor strong borders, I have no confidence that ICE is
using taxpayer dollars to enforce our laws appropriately. Unless
the agency can be reformed, I do not support the Sheriff’s
Department supporting ICE operations nor do the voters I have
canvassed.
 
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?
Answered above at Question #8

 

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 would work with fellow legislators to develop creative ways to
incentivize communities to adjust zoning if necessary, in a manner
supported by residents, to develop affordable housing and further
expand the ability of homeowners to rent accessory dwellings as
such. Rather than increase property taxes to support government
provided housing, there should be a way to reward homeowners
as well as their towns or innovative, cost-effective, local housing
initiatives.
 
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?
In Belknap County in particular, clean lakes and waterways are
critical to our economy and our way of life. County, State and
nonprofit conservation entities need to work together to maximize
the resources brought to bear in order to fight pollution, and
individual towns can help that effort as well.
 
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?

The money lost is well documented and the downshift evident.
It is my hope that instead of certain legislators assuming wasteful
spending by public schools warrants reductions in taxation, a
more realistic assessment of school budgets can be made.
 
16.            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? 
Better, more transparent communication between members of the
delegation and their constituents is a key element of a functioning
representative democracy. The County Delegation should listen to
the County Commissioners, County staff, and members of the
public—not just party leadership. Meeting on a regular schedule is
an important aspect of accountability to citizens. Voters expect
those meetings to be run professionally and with respect.