Why I’m Running
Portsmouth is a wonderful exciting city with much to offer residents and visitors.
However, we struggle with the affordability necessary to live here. Affordability should
be for all. We need to create a fiscally responsible city affordable to young and old -
both homeowners and renters. It’s reasonable to consider that a renter also pays
taxes through their landlord. The land lord pays directly but I can assure you that
cost is transferred to tenants through their rent payments. All of us pay taxes in one
way or another.
Currently, we have budgets that keep growing in size while our
numbers stay substantially the same. The trend is unsustainable. The same 22,000 plus
residents have paid for the City Council approved budgets though their taxes. The last 4
years the budget has grown by 26 million dollars. The number of residents still remains
below 23,000. The growth rate of approved development projects (most units projected
to be sold or rented at market rate) is a staggering 2,000 + units. Those units are
currently being built or to be built.
Portsmouth is an open, creatively exciting city. The merchants of this city providing
commerce. The restaurants and preforming arts drawing visitors from across the world.
But while they’re here, guests immerse themselves in our history and they shop. Historic
Portsmouth is so very important to our success, but we still need to be open to new
ideas within the historic district. We have long been known as an Eco-municipality. We
have to leave Portsmouth better able to defend against Global Warming. We need to
protect our shores along the Piscataqua from the frequent flooding. We need to insure
responsible management of our supply of clean water. We need to finish upgrading and
separating our infrastructure as we’ve done with Islington Street.
Portsmouth as a city needs services. We obviously need Police and Fire Departments.
The young deserve to have the best education we can provide. We need clean water and
functioning sewer. We need the services of Public Works. The list of services that we pay
for as residents is long. But if you’re young and wanting to move to Portsmouth to live
affordably or you’re older and living on a fixed income in Portsmouth the lopsided
increases of the current budget prevent many from either moving here or staying here.
We need to look at what’s been happening and why. Importantly, a City Councilor
needs to listen to all thoughts and opinions from all parts of the city. All ideas must be
taken into consideration. We need to as councilors, understand that parts of this city are
vastly different from others. They require different services to function. No ward or
location should be considered more important than another. A council is there to create
equality and balance, meeting the needs of all. All nine Councilors should try to find
open consensus for the good of the city.
The list is long but no one person, ward or developer deserves more consideration than
the other. We elect a council of nine. We need those nine to work together bringing
thoughts & ideas out in the open for discussion. We need to all act responsibly, never
forgetting who we work for – the city residents who’s trust and votes gave us the honor
of election to City Council and the responsibility it entails. That’s why I’m running and
asking for your vote. This city matters to me. You matter.