Seabrook Select Board candidate Theresa Kyle
Name: Theresa Kyle
Education: Doctorate in Law, Bachelor’s Degree
Occupation: Retired
Political or civic experience highlights: Seabrook Board of Selectmen, Planning Board and Budget Committee
What are your top three priorities if elected?: Finances and taxes. We need to prioritize spending and limit budgetary growth. Our last tax agreement with NextEra was a good one for the town, but it was reached late in the process and hurt us in 2023. We need to get NextEra agreements done much sooner. Fiscal discipline needs to be applied to schools also.
Ensuring public safety by providing our Police, Fire and Department of Public Works with the necessary resources for first-rate service to the community. Make sure NextEra is not able to diminish safety protocols governed by the NRC.
The welfare of our elderly, disabled and veterans is a top priority. I will continue to oppose attempts being suggested by some to curtail or eliminate tax exemptions for these citizens. We should not be placing additional burdens on those who have contributed so much to our community and nation.
What is the biggest challenge the town is facing and how would you address it?: The biggest challenge facing Seabrook is financial. Seabrook has many financial bright spots, including a vibrant business sector and a single taxpayer, NextEra, who provided over 30% of all tax revenue collected in 2022. Despite these advantages, there are major challenges ahead. The vibrant commercial activity also brings additional public safety challenges requiring the town to spend additional resources. NextEra, while a major taxpayer, has seen their annual tax payments vary year-to-year depending on the energy market. Those fluctuations have created difficult challenges for the rest of the Seabrook taxpayers. We need to get NextEra tax agreements finalized earlier, and set realistic growth targets for the municipal budget as well as highlighting the need for fiscal restraint on the school side. My goal is to create an affordable Seabrook for all of our residents.
What else should voters know about you?: I am very dedicated to Seabrook, its residents and our workforce. I have lived here for over 27 years on a full-time basis and three years on a part-time basis: a total of approximately 30-plus years. I have joined and participated in social/charitable organizations, e.g., Seabrook Happy Seniors, Lions Club, American Legion Auxiliary and currently as president of the Seabrook Women’s Club, a position I have held for over 10 years. I have said many times, to know your community, you must participate in your community, especially if you want to run for political office. I have done that and will continue to do so.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seabrook Select Board candidate Theresa Kyle
