Support car-free Market Square in Portsmouth: Letters

Support car-free Market Square

Nov. 2 — To the Editor:

In reaction to the recently published opinions by candidates for Portsmouth City Council on possible limitations for motor vehicles downtown, might I point out that Portsmouth is very similar to Burlington, Vermont (how are we different might I ask?) in that streets run horizontally to Congress and Daniel Streets just as streets cut across Church Street in Burlington.

These cross streets allow for traffic and deliveries via back doors or limited access in Burlington as they would in Portsmouth. Additionally, driver-free European cities are not all "alpine villages in the Alps" as wrongly stated by a council candidate; Vienna, Austria's Kartner Strasse used to allow cars and was a main thoroughfare yet now is vehicle free (limited access for delivery vehicles) and hosts a massive pedestrian shopping, dining, entertainment area. Over and over in European cities, they've embraced limiting cars to improve pedestrian and dining experiences, create kiosk businesses and allow for vetted entertainment options.

Imagine a pedestrian-only Market Square, closed to traffic at State and Pleasant, Daniel and Market Square, Bow and Market, and Congress and Maplewood. Replace the current roadway with broad paver bricks; allow restaurants to create wider dining spaces (no ugly jersey barriers or idling traffic next to diners) and businesses to create outdoor areas if they wish.

During the winter months, like in Montreal, firepits and heated outdoor kiosks for business allows for festive holiday options. No need exists to make State Street two-way — why? Our roads already allow for a natural flow around the downtown area which is utilized on Market Square Day. With both parking garages up and running and satellite parking, we could become a true 'green' city, encouraging biking, scootering, and walking while allowing many more people into the pedestrian-friendly downtown.

I'm tired of reading about 'losing parking revenue' — where are the statistics and data to support such comments? How much revenue, exactly, is generated from the perhaps 30 potentially lost spots in a given day, or week? Why can't folks think outside the box? Change is difficult but the potential for a revitalized, vehicle-free, pedestrian- and diner-friendly downtown far outweighs the weak arguments against keeping the vehicle status quo.

Kathryn Brandin

Portsmouth

U.S. House Republicans held captive by extremist minority. Vote them out.

Nov. 11 — To the Editor:

After the election of the new speaker of the House the House voted to support Israel by over 400 votes. This was not a vote to support Israel financially. It was just to say they were on Israel’s side. The vote to back Israel financially was different. The GOP insisted on tying aid to Israel with keeping America’s biggest tax cheats from getting audited. That vote passed without Democratic support.

This vote was followed by a bill slashing the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by 39%. They slashed the National Park Services budget by 13% and reduced the salaries of the EPA administrator, the director of the Bureau of Land Management, and the Secretary of the Interior to $1 each.

These actions show the extremist minority of the House GOP’s disdain for government and governing. There are GOP members who do want to govern but are unwilling to stand up to this minority. Instead, they vote for these bills and hope the bipartisan Senate’s versions are the ones that become law. Their cowardice is allowing the extremists to hold their party hostage.

There is only one solution to save the country. That is for the voters to hand the GOP a big enough loss in 2024 that the GOP becomes tired of losing and decides to run candidates who want Congress and the government to work.

Walter Hamilton

Portsmouth

Writers who support Biden are delusional. Foster's is biased.

Nov. 9 — To the Editor:

In response to Michael Behrendt’s letter dated 9 Nov., I would like to know in what country or universe does Mr. Behrendt live. This country is a mess from both domestic and foreign policy points of view, points of which are quite apparent with no need to argue here. The only thing that needs to be said is that this downward turn down the slippery slope began when Biden took office. Behrendt described Biden as being old, yet strong, smart and decent and wants to help all Americans. Your description is laughable along with the fact that, presently, 73% of the American people think this country is moving in the wrong direction. He also stated that Biden doesn’t get credit for any of his accomplishments so one must ask just what has he accomplished. I can tell you of his many failures, but I do fall short when attempting to list his accomplishments and thats because there aren’t any.

In today’s edition of Foster’s Daily Democrat, Democrat being the key word here, there are two letters, to include Mr. Behrendt’s, that disparage Trump and/or the Republican Party while, at the same time, none giving an opposing view. How typical of this paper where everything points left. Proper journalism has been dead for years at this left-leaning media outlet.

Dan Hurley

Dover

Thank you to the voters of Ward 4 in Somersworth. I look forward to serving on City Council.

Nov. 8 — To the Editor:

I am thrilled to say that last night, I won my race!

Election Day was relatively good weather for November, and we had a great time at the polls, greeting voters, singing, dancing, answering questions on the issues — and we even saw a gorgeous double rainbow after a brief rain squall:

Thank you to each and every one of you who supported this campaign — and, of course, to the voters of Ward 4 for electing me as their next councilor!

I am looking forward to serving again on council, and am so energized and optimistic about the team I’ll be working with to make great things happen in Somersworth.

Councilor-Elect Crystal Paradis-Catanzaro

Somersworth

Election results from Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky offer hope

Nov. 8 — To the Editor:

Recently my eighth-grade granddaughter queried, "Why can't narcissistic people be prevented from holding public office?" Maybe, just maybe we have arrived at a moment when historic figures like Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Sam Bankman-Fried have revealed their self-aggrandizing toxicity. The election results in Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky suggest to me that once again tenacious and purposeful grassroot efforts are on a trajectory to combat power-obsessed individuals who pretend to be interested in the public good.

At the core of the American experiment in representative democracy is the notion of the common good. Our republic rests on communities-whether urban or rural-coming together to elect leaders who are committed to some form of the public or common good. In recent years, we seem to have elevated pathologically self-centered demagogues; unless we the voters turn away from narcissistic manipulators, we and our democracy are doomed. So, as a grandmother of four granddaughters and as a longtime civic activist, I am encouraged by the results in Virginia, Kentucky and especially Ohio because it makes me hopeful that grassroots organizing, notably those focused on reproductive rights matter.

Ronnie Flaschner

Rye

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Support car-free Market Square in Portsmouth: Letters