NH election 2022: Pare, Staude running for District 16 seat to represent Dover Ward 3
Democrat Gail Pare of Dover is running against Republican Sally Staude of Dover for the Strafford Counlty District 16 state seat in the New Hampshire House, which represents Dover Ward 3.
Gail Pare
Hometown: Dover
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
This a personal and medical issue that evokes great religious and political zeal on both sides. Because it is both personal and medical, a lawmaking body should not restrict the outcomes of such a decision. The current New Hampshire law does allow abortions to proceed up to 24 weeks into a pregnancy. Since we cannot affect the federal debate, we should, as state reps, avoid a “Culture War” within New Hampshire and make arguments with facts - not emotions or hearsay. We cannot say we value small government while simultaneously being present in every doctor’s office. In the short term, we should work toward incremental changes to better match public sentiment. Longer term we must work toward comprehensive abortion rights legislation necessary to codify these rights in New Hampshire law. A New Hampshire version of the Roe decision should become law. That law must include protecting doctors who perform abortions from legal challenge.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
We must recognize that many of these issues are national and even international in scope; but that doesn’t mean we can’t create New Hampshire solutions to help ourselves. First and foremost, we must acknowledge the reality of climate change, and our need to create local, renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind. This invests New Hampshire dollars into our own state, and allows us to manage our own energy destiny - which helps bring all costs under control. Housing affordability and labor shortages are intertwined. We need to simultaneously increase our housing supply while moving to a living minimum wage - which by definition will ensure the housing supply is used. Increasing housing supply isn’t always popular, but we must be honest with ourselves: if we need more workers, they need somewhere to live. It is important to understand the difference between genuine labor shortages - which can and do happen, particularly in jobs with specific skills - and when workers are simply choosing to take higher-paying jobs elsewhere. Returning to an era of in-state schools such as UNH being a great economic option for New Hampshire’s high school graduates, coupled with strong support for career technical centers throughout the state can and will build a 21st-century workforce that will help address the former issue. Paying people what they’re worth - and acknowledging they need food and shelter as part of that - will address the latter.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
It is the responsibility of state government to pass laws that work for people, that protect the right to vote and access to the ballot box, and that provide for the general welfare of all. I will work in collaboration with others to set aside that which divides us and to bring out the best that supports all of us; hearing and discussing different points of view respectfully is foundational to our democracy. The committees of the New Hampshire state Legislature must be places where discussion is open and fair, at times with compromise from all sides to get the best results for the citizens of New Hampshire.
Sally Staude
Hometown: Dover
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
The legislature in every state should listen to their constituents, and do the will of the people. In New Hampshire, the current law already allows for special circumstances to be exempt from the 24-week/6-month abortion limit.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
America was energy independent until two years ago - we even had sufficient energy to sell to other countries. There is no reason why our supply has been reduced to the level that has resulted in the current prices. The cost of fuel and electricity is hurting all New Hampshire citizens, especially the elderly and the poor. Our housing costs are made worse by increasing regulations, which drive up the cost of building affordable housing. We are losing many of our younger generation, as they cannot afford to stay in NH and work here.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
Seventy-nine percent of the Democrats in the NH House have voted for an income tax four or more times in a recent one-year period; 99% of the House Democrats have voted at least once for an income tax! Given our state's current budget status and the financial hardship of NH citizens, it would be tragic for the Democrats to continue to push for even higher taxes!
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: NH election 2022: Pare, Staude running for District 16 in Dover Ward 3
