I ran against Rochester Mayor Callaghan, two years later I'm endorsing him: Letters

I ran against Rochester Mayor Callaghan, two years later I'm endorsing him

Oct. 17 − To the Editor:

Two years ago, Paul Callaghan and I both ran for Mayor of Rochester.

He trounced me. Two-to-one and then some. And while Paul and I may have appeared polar opposites - Paul, a lifelong law enforcement officer, and me, a seasoned provocateur - we both ran because we shared a deep respect for and belief in the City of Rochester.

Paul values economic development. Under his stewardship, the downtown alone has attracted $25 million in private investment. Rochester’s job base has also continued to grow at a steady rate in his first term.

Paul values infrastructure. That’s why he worked to secure funding to widen Route 11 - a critical growth corridor for the city - several years earlier than originally planned.

The thing that has surprised me most however, is Paul’s understanding of affordable housing as essential infrastructure and central to economic development. Employers are already having a hard time filling shifts, and a lack of affordable housing is not helping. Not only has Paul vocally supported zoning changes to allow for new housing, but was also a tremendous advocate for using ARPA funding to invest in affordable housing.

I can’t think of a better ambassador to the City of Rochester than Paul at this period of critical growth. He has a true service heart and I have been thoroughly impressed by his first term. I will be voting for two more years of Mayor Callaghan this November.

Palana Belken

Rochester

Portsmouth needs a better city council

Oct.16 − To the Editor:

While I consider myself a progressive Democrat, local elections are usually not about partisan issues. Party affiliation can be a help to voters, but more important is the quality of the candidate and their willingness to ask hard questions and make hard decisions.

In recent elections, a political action group (Progress Portsmouth), endorsed candidates that were favorable to a developer that has sued our city for millions of dollars. It is important that voters ask for candidate’s definition of progressive. I certainly hope that former mayor Steve Marchand stays out of this election, considering his 2021 campaign violations, and because he does not live here anymore.

The current council has been weak and ineffective regarding the entire McIntyre project resulting in significant costs to taxpayers. At the same time, they often remained silent instead of asking important questions during council deliberations (leaving the public in the dark).

I am planning to vote for candidates who put residents first, not businesses and developers. Our zoning laws are there for good reasons, and variances should not be awarded, just because a developer wants to increase their profit (not a real hardship).

The candidates that I plan to endorse should have these top 3 issues:  maintaining our good city services, keeping our tax rate increases reasonable (thereby affordable), and support restrictions on new development. They also need to involve our neighborhoods more in decision-making.

That is why I am planning to vote for some of the former Beckstedt 5 including Rick Becksted. I am also considering current city councilors who can stand up to aggressive developers and who do not delegate city policy to the city manager, but set those policies. Finally, I am also considering some of the new candidates to give the council some fresh ideas.

Regardless of your political view, please do not rely on social media alone to decide on a candidate, and be suspicious of mailer sources you do not recognize. Attend candidate forums either in person or by Zoom, and check out the questions and answers provided by the candidates to media outlets, e.g. Seacoastonline etc.

Peter Somssich (former Portsmouth Democratic Chair)

Portsmouth

No Labels? No thanks.

Oct. 16 − To the Editor:

No Labels says it is not a political party, even though it is on the ballot in at least eleven states, and as the “No Labels Party”, it is drafting candidates and plans on having a convention. If it is listed as a party, why not admit to being one?  Simple – No-Labels is a 501 (c) (4) which does not want to disclose its donors and, so long as it is not a “political party”, it does not have to. Intrepid reporters revealed that one of No Labels long-time supporters is none other than Harlan Crow, who recently made news for financing expensive trips for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

The No Labels Party claims that President Biden is no better than former President Trump. However, it was not Biden, but Trump who has called for “termination of the Constitution”, falsely claimed our voting system is “rigged”, and attacked the pillars of our democracy in the fashion of authoritarians of the past. Why these attacks on Biden? No Labels Chief Strategist, Ryan Clancy, has discussed plans for a “contingent election”, where no candidate receives 270 electoral votes, throwing the presidential election into a House ruled by Republicans who appear unable to support anyone other than Trump.

Voters should not be fooled by a non-party party that seeks to disenfranchise us.

Lorraine L. Hansen

Rollinsford

Focus on President Biden's accomplishments, not his age

Oct. 16 − To the Editor:

I’m sick of the media obsession with President Biden’s age and not his remarkable accomplishments. With only a 50-50 “majority” in the Senate and a narrow House majority, the President achieved more in less than a single term than presidents have normally managed in two full terms. A letter isn’t long enough to summarize Biden’s many achievements.

The long overdue Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the largest investment in transportation infrastructure since the building of the Interstates in the 1950s. It also expands access to broadband internet and to clean drinking water.

The Inflation Reduction Act allows Medicare for the first time to negotiate the price of prescription drugs. It caps the monthly cost of insulin for seniors at $35, to end Big Pharma’s profiteering on the backs of seniors. It also invests in combating climate change through supporting solar and wind energy, electric vehicles, etc. The Department of Energy estimates it will both drive clean energy generation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly.

The CHIPS & Science Act invests in scientific research and increased domestic manufacturing of microchips, so we don’t have to depend on China. We all remember what happened during the pandemic when car manufacturers couldn’t import enough chips.

Biden’s age and decades of experience in Congress and as Vice President are an advantage. Age and experience give him foreign and domestic policy expertise, and the tools to get stuff done for Americans—as he’s demonstrated, repeatedly. I’m looking forward to a second Biden term.

Susan Mayer

Lee

Maine residents should vote 'yes' on Question 3

Oct. 16 − To the Editor:

We have to stop. We have to reject the status quo. When will we say enough is enough and as the citizens of this state, wake up, and put an end to the foreign milking where others take the cream. Utilities are a natural monopoly, the safest business one could ever involve themselves in. So safe in fact that the investor-owned utilities in our state have attracted ownership from the City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the Qatar Investment Authority, and the Central Bank of Norway; all state and government owned entities.When Brenda in Brewer pays her Versant bill, she's helping with the city's expenses and helping to keep taxes low, only problem is that city isn't Brewer it's Calgary. When Tom in Norway, Maine pays his CMP bill he's helping fund a public bus drivers pension in the Kingdom of Norway, far across the Atlantic.And then there's Qatar, an authoritarian absolute monarchy with a record so checkered we would need another page. Search Qatar's record on human rights, women’s rights, their financial support of Hamas and many other terrorist organizations, and ask yourself: Is this what I want to support? Well right now you already are, to the tune of millions of dollars per year. Let's keep our money in this state, in this country.When I go to sleep at night, I sleep like a rock. I already voted Yes on 3, and you should too.Ira Hayes

Berwick, Maine

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: I ran against Mayor Callaghan, 2 years later, I endorse him: Letters