NH election 2022: Racic and Howland running for District 20 state rep seat
Republican Mark Racic is running against Democrat Allan Howland for the District 20 New Hampshire House seat, which represents Dover Ward 4, Durham, Lee and Madbury.
Mark Racic
Hometown: Durham
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?
Nothing. This state and nation are in trouble in so many places for so many reasons that our current law is adequate for the moment while we fight the fires set by an incompetent Federal Administration. The media, including Foster's, by asking this question first, is obsessed with focusing on abortion to incite Democrat voter turnout. For me, abortion is not in the top 25 things that need doing. Our law is the same as Massachusetts with exceptions for the life of the mother. Our current Governor has signaled he will not change the law in either direction. Why should legislators waste limited time addressing an issue not likely to pass? Democrats have been telling voters they want to repeal the third term ban passed last session. I'm happy to say I have more respect for the helpless. Babies are born everyday in America within the last trimester. Medical advancements to save these babies, that would not have survived in decades past, is widespread and successful.
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?
Many of the economic challenges clustered in this question are the result of federal policies and spending. My first recommendation is to replace the NH US Delegation to Congress that voted to spend trillions of unfunded boondoggles, shut down the U.S. oil and gas industry, causing us high prices and national security weakness. New Hampshire could do more for business and encourage labor. Business taxes and regulations could continue to be lowered, letting business focus on the core functions, not regulations and tax accountants. Making the Right to Work law in New Hampshire would encourage new companies to move here as union costs are in some industries hurting global competitiveness. Affordable housing I believe is possible in New Hampshire. If elected, I would ask for assignment to the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee. This committee covers matters concerning state controls on property development. I would seek an inventory of orphan lots and plots of land owned by the state. Many of these bits and pieces once identified could be bid out for development of affordable housing units by private developers. The land could be provided with covenants to provide constraints on construction and affordability. If local towns or cities agree to modified codes and zoning, the state could transfer these developments to the local tax roles for $1.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
I believe the 2021-22 session made some good laws that need protection from roll backs. They eliminated the interest and dividends tax by a five-year phaseout. Elderly citizens in most cases rely on investment income to live in retirement. This tax hurts the elderly; I would protect it from repeal. Elder issues in Strafford County also include a county farm upgrade. The elected legislators to the State House serve as the county legislature and have a say in fiscal county matters. Our nursing facility is dated and all the options are costly. We need to improve care and protect our wallet. I have taken the tax pledge. Last session, they had a $440 million plus surplus. Some of it was returned to the cities and towns, some to the property owners directly in state property tax reductions as well as filling the rainy day fund. More wisdom is needed to continue this trend, but it also demonstrates that income taxes are not necessary. Unfortunately, the Parental Bill of Rights was not passed, and the culture war continues to place the state between parent and child. The state serves us and needs to be reminded of that from time to time. This is such a time. I will support it being passed. I've worked in my church food pantry for 23 years. The need for both temporary and long-term assistance is present. Disabilities, the homeless, elderly, veterans, and unemployed citizens are in need. The state cannot solve every problem, but it can partner with NGOs to help many.
Allan Howland
Hometown: Durham
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?
Family planning is a cornerstone of good public health policy. Providing access to effective contraception as well as prenatal and postpartum care supports women’s ability to plan for their future. Recent refusals to fund Planned Parenthood and newly adopted abortion limits run counter to that goal. Intimate health care decisions do not belong in the legislature, they belong with individuals and their health care providers. Instead, the legislature should concentrate on efforts to support the overall health of families, including contraception, treatment of infertility, daycare, and family leave.
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?
The recent spike in New Hampshire electric rates highlights the need to diversify our energy sources. Fossil fuels are subject to significant price fluctuations and are drivers of the climate crisis. Solar and wind power have become cost-competitive and offer stable future pricing. This issue is key to a strong New Hampshire economy. State policy should encourage investment in renewable energy. The current housing crisis is a significant problem for New Hampshire businesses. It hinders their ability to grow by making it difficult to attract and retain workers. High construction costs, coupled with long expensive planning processes, discourages new development. New Hampshire Municipal Technical Assistant Grants help communities refine their zoning. This helps encourage a more diverse housing stock, and continued funding should be a priority.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
During my time on the Oyster River School Board and the Durham Town Council, I had an opportunity to address a wide variety of community issues. I worked with teachers, parents, and students to increase student opportunities and build support systems to help them succeed. As chair of the Oyster River Finance Committee, I developed transparent and inclusive budget processes required to build community support for school budgets. As chair of the Durham Economic Development Committee, I worked to broaden the community tax base which helped stabilize property tax rates. My goal was to help make Durham an equitable and sustainable community. I would like to have an opportunity to help bring those same ideas and solutions to Concord. I hope to gain your support at the polls Nov. 8th.
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: NH election 2022: Racic and Howland run for District 20 NH House seat
