Debra Altschiller: Before you vote, my final case for support
For the past six years, I have had the honor of serving as a New Hampshire House representative for my hometown of Stratham. In each of my previous campaigns I promised, if elected, to work hard every day helping people navigate state government and vote for public policies that help people. I could not be more grateful to my community for electing me and giving me the opportunity to keep that promise. Today, I once again look to you, to my community, and ask for your vote to represent state Senate District 24 in Concord.
In my service I have worked alongside our neighbors on the Seacoast on regional issues of water quality, farm assistance, and public health challenges. The towns of Senate District 24 — Exeter, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, North Hampton, Rye and Stratham — deserve leadership that honors our past efforts with an eye towards our future. The Seacoast deserves a state senator who can continue making good public policy that helps our communities and sends strong leadership to Concord.
We are facing some enormous challenges in New Hampshire over the next two years. Energy bills have skyrocketed due to the after effects of a global pandemic and a war in Ukraine. While our New England neighbors are busy building out their diversified energy infrastructure, New Hampshire is falling behind due to our complete reliance on fossil fuels. It is time for our elected leaders to stop denying the impacts of climate change and institute policies that lower costs and give Granite State ratepayers control over their energy futures.
Our schools, the heart of our community growth, are under attack. Teachers and administrators being demonized, school board members threatened and our public tax dollars sent out to subsidize private and religious schools. New Hampshire cannot afford the $14 million property tax hike from this failed voucher scheme and we must recognize our schools and our teachers as the partners they are in creating healthy communities.
It has only been four months since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The reproductive healthcare of millions of women has been jeopardized, throwing it to the whims of state legislatures. No legislator should be in the room with a pregnant woman and her doctor, ever. The debate over what week a woman becomes incapable of making the most private, oftentimes heart wrenching decisions about her health during pregnancy is offensive at best and life threatening at worst. The right to reproductive healthcare without government interference is fundamental to our basic human rights and I will never stop fighting to protect those rights.
Four of my six years in the Legislature have been spent as a member of the minority party. I know from experience that working across the aisle to draft and pass policy for the betterment of New Hampshire is a core part of the job of government. I have passed bipartisan bills that have been signed into law in all three of my terms in child protection, water resource protections, and economic growth through fair wages and safer workplaces. But there is so much more to do.
My legislative initiatives, participation in statewide projects and voting record has earned me endorsements and support from multiple groups and organizations. I am honored for recognition from the American Federation of Teachers-NH, AFL-CIO NH, Congresswoman Annie Kuster’s Seat At The Table, Emily’s List, Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, Planned Parenthood Action Fund NH, SEA/SEIU Local 1984, NH Auto Dealers, NH Bankers Association, NH Sierra Club, the National Education Association of NH, and the Professional Firefighters of NH. This support has been earned by working hard as a cooperative partner in the arenas of public health, safety, economic growth and equality.
Many of the letters written in support of my campaign have talked about the passion I bring to my work as a legislator. I remember each day that it’s never about me and it’s always about we the people. It’s about giving voice to the voiceless, making sure that the rights and protections that have always been enjoyed by some are accessible to be enjoyed by all.
To be in the political arena right now takes a thick skin and a backbone of steel. But I didn’t go to Concord to perform political theatre or to play politics with our values. I stay strong by remembering who I’m serving and why I’m there. Today, I ask for your vote because positive change doesn’t happen overnight, but we are making it.
Good change takes persistence, it takes determination, it takes time and sometimes it takes making some good trouble. If you send me back to Concord I’ll continue to fight for us every day.
Debra Altschiller is a state representative and the Democratic candidate for New Hampshire state Senate District 24.
Editor's note: Debra Alschiller is the wife of Howard Altschiller, Seacoast Media Group's executive editor.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Debra Altschiller: My final case for support in NH Senate District 24
