Deaglan McEachern

Q1. What is the biggest problem Portsmouth is facing, and how would you solve it?

Portsmouth’s biggest challenge is managing growth in a way that benefits those who already live here as well as those who want to join our community. We are fortunate to live in a desirable city that attracts residents and businesses alike. Growth expands our tax base, which is vital when roughly three quarters of our budget comes from property taxes and more than half of our annual spending is driven by contractual salary increases and other fixed costs.

The key is careful planning so residents see the benefits. Unlike the historic downtown, other parts of Portsmouth can support more housing and commercial development without overwhelming existing systems or creating traffic issues.

We should direct growth there, require developers to invest in infrastructure, and ensure new projects add value to surrounding neighborhoods. Done right, growth can strengthen city finances, improve services, and keep Portsmouth livable for the long term.

Q2. Portsmouth’s budget has reached nearly $150 million and its payroll has 260-plus people earning $100 000-plus. As a city councilor, what steps would you take, if any, to address the tax burden on residents?

About 75% of city services are paid for by property taxes, so when residential property values rise faster than commercial as they did after Covid, that burden falls directly on homeowners. To keep taxes predictable and the burden low, we have to manage both sides of the equation: how fast the budget grows and how broadly we share the cost.

This year, we held the line on hiring, adding no new full-time positions. That matters because employee salaries and benefits are the largest part of our budget. At the same time, after Covid we saw residential valuations significantly outpace commercial with huge decreases in office space usage. The commercial side is now rebounding so costs will spread more evenly in future valuations. I’m proud that we continue to lead the state in our senior and disabled property tax relief.

Balanced correctly we can fund schools, police, fire, and public works while keeping Portsmouth affordable. Our focus should be on running our government efficiently and making sure new investment benefits the entire community.

Q3. With affordability being such a challenge in Portsmouth, what would you do to make it more accessible to people with a wide range of incomes?

We need to build on what we have started. Over the past two years, we have made real progress on housing in Portsmouth. We added a higher percentage of new housing than any other city in New Hampshire. For the first time, we funded the city’s housing trust to support long-term affordability. We selected the Portsmouth Housing Authority to develop the city-owned Sherburne site and expanded Gateway zoning to allow affordable housing at both the Christ Church property and the Credit Service project.

Through the McIntyre settlement, the city also secured land that will result in about eighty new affordable housing units. By closing the green space loophole, we now require developers who use density bonuses to contribute to affordability. That change led to the first twenty for-sale affordable homes built in Portsmouth.

The challenge is significant and I see it everyday but I’m optimistic on the progress we are making. We need to keep that momentum going by making sure future projects meet community needs and keep Portsmouth a place where people who work here can also live here.

Q4. The Portsmouth Housing Authority has projected rents for the apartments the agency is building on city-owned land at the former Sherburne School will range from $1,580 for a one-bedroom unit to nearly $2,200 for three bedrooms. Are those rates low enough for working people? If not, what can be done to lower them?

The projected rents are significantly lower than the market for new construction and are priced based on the average monthly salary of our region, but Workforce units still don’t serve everyone that needs a home. Continuing to partner with the Portsmouth Housing Authority allows them to continue to provide strong services to their deeply affordable projects such as Gosling Meadows and Woodbury Manor. Each project that PHA brings online allows it to reinvest in their properties across the community that serve all income levels and resident types from low income, workforce to elderly.

Q5. Should the city commit to using more city-owned land to build truly affordable housing or has Portsmouth done enough?

We should keep using city-owned land when it can make a real difference. Not every parcel is suited for housing, and there are other city needs, but some can be developed to help people who might otherwise be priced out.

We also need to prioritize working with our larger SAU 50 school district, Greenland, Newington, New Castle and Rye. Portsmouth Housing Authority was enacted through the State to serve as a regional housing authority, and we need to continue to look at opportunities to encourage, via our existing infrastructure, our region to take on this challenge with us.

Q6. Should the city reconsider the scope of a potential police station and City Hall renovation and upgrade project with a projected $42 million cost?

We had budgeted $42 million my first year on the council six years ago. When we received project estimates in 2023, it was north of $70 million, and we paused to reassess. Since then, we’ve looked for efficiency and cost savings by better integrating City Hall with the police building it sits within and have been able to bring down costs below the proposed budget from 2021. The goal is to meet the department’s needs while staying within what the city can afford and has earmarked for this project, while driving costs further down.

The priority is functional, efficient buildings that serve the public without overspending. We can save money through phasing, energy-efficient design, and reusing existing space.

Q7. Should Portsmouth do something to encourage development at the McIntyre building site, where the owner says city zoning has made redevelopment difficult?

This will come up as part of the master planning process. During this term, the Council eliminated a loophole that let developers choose between loosely defined “community space” or affordable housing. Some developers have used the new rules to add affordable units in exchange for more density, but most have not, including at the McIntyre site.

I expect the master plan to allow more creative options, like contributing to a housing trust or supporting land swaps. The McIntyre site could be part of that approach if it helps deliver the public benefit that residents want to see from development projects.

Q8. The City Council has put forward ideas to address traffic flow and walkability in high-profile locations like State Street and Congress Street. What is your opinion on these efforts?

They are two very different situations. On Congress Street, the water and sewer infrastructure needs repair. Because the street will undergo major construction to fix the infrastructure, it’s the right time to ask how we put it back together. The Market Square Master Plan included significant community input on balancing outdoor dining, walkability, and parking and the suggested changes are based on this robust planning process.

State Street is a different scenario given there is no planned infrastructure project and no community plan to make any changes. If we test a two-way configuration as a way to ease congestion during construction elsewhere, that makes sense. But it should be tested first, not assumed, and I don’t support funds for a study at this time.

Q9. Should the city begin looking for a site where it can build its third municipal parking garage? If so, what part of the city makes the most sense? If not, how can the city meet its increasing parking demand?

The recent parking utilization study makes a reasonable case for another garage, but before committing to it we should make sure we’ve fully used existing programs that improve access for residents and employees. One way to do this is through resident parking programs that would charge more for non residents, while still providing our existing workforce parking program. This will generate more revenue, and potentially even free more spots.

If we do move forward, I trust the creativity of Portsmouth residents to weigh in on the best location. Any new facility should fit within a broader transportation plan that balances parking with walkability, shuttles, and other ways to get around downtown.

Q10. What else would you like voters to know about you?

I grew up in Portsmouth and live across the street from the house my grandfather built in 1940. I’ve seen Portsmouth grow and continue to believe it is the best place in America to raise a family. I care deeply about this city and the people who make it work. I try to make decisions based on facts and what I believe is in the best interest of our future and to always communicate transparently with residents.

I believe strongly that representatives must provide an open space for discourse and represent a wide range of people and opinions. Throughout my time on the council and as mayor, my door is always open to residents with questions or ideas. Getting to know so many great people in this community is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

Portsmouth is a strong, well-run city because generations before us planned for the future. My job, if reelected, is to keep us moving in the right direction — managing growth responsibly, keeping taxes predictable, and protecting the character that makes this a great place to live.