Bio
Kathleen, my wife of 45 years, and I moved to the seacoast area in 2013 and our entire immediate family followed us. We now have 4 generations of a diverse family living here and we are all invested in making sure Portsmouth can continue to flourish and be a welcoming home to us and generations to come.Why I’m Running
I've served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment for 4 years and counting. That has given me insights into the challenges our community faces in trying to balance the drive for growth with the desire to preserve our family neighborhoods. Housing affordability is a major concern here due in part to supply and demand pressure. We can relieve some of the pressure by making smart evolutionary improvements to our zoning ordinance - increasing housing stock in the gateway zones along route 1 and near transportation hubs and commercial centers. At the same time, we can ensure our zoning ordinance allows us to maintain the charm of downtown Portsmouth and the neighborhoods that developed in concentric rings around it.
Property taxes also contribute to the un-affordability of housing, especially for long term residents who have seen massive increases in their assessments. What can we do about that? For one thing, we should assess Development Impact Fees on large projects to offset the cost of building supporting infrastructure for public safety, waste treatment, and traffic management. Those costs are currently disproportionately borne by residential tax payers. I will work to pass an ordinance for Development Impact Fees.
We all know that how we divvy up the pie to pay for city spending is only part of the solution to runaway property taxes. The size of the pie is important, too. I will work to be a voice for fiscal restraint on the city council and propose the formation of a citizen's Budget Committee that would serve in an advisory role to the council. The idea here is to increase transparency in our budgeting process and give citizens a direct voice in setting spending levels and priorities.
Finally, I am excited by the prospect of working to create a broader base of high paying jobs in our community. For example, by building on the nascent biotech sector in Portsmouth.
I am a proven leader on corporate boards, in scientific societies, and in civic organizations. I have an abiding philosophy of civic engagement, and CIVIL engagement. I see a very bright future for Portsmouth we continue our progression of physical and cultural growth. Let's make sure it remains a desirable place for future generations to come live, work and play.
I would be pleased to earn your vote on Nov. 4th.