Eagle Tribune - Three Fight to Become NH's Next Governor

News Article

By Doug Ireland

It's been a tight race for governor as three candidates battle to replace Maggie Hassan, who is seeking election to the U.S. Senate.

The close contest is between Republican Chris Sununu of Newfields and Democrat Colin Van Ostern of Concord, both current members of the Governor's Executive Council who have fought over issues such as the funding of Planned Parenthood.

The third candidate is Libertarian Max Abramson of Seabrook. The election is Nov. 8.

Sununu, 41, is the chief executive officer of Waterville Valley Resort. The Salem native and father of three is the son of former governor and White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu and the brother of former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu.

Van Ostern, 37, is a former business manager for Stonyfield and a senior adviser for the College for America at Southern New Hampshire University. He is a father of two.

Max Abramson, who would not disclose his age, is a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. He also served on his town's Budget Committee and Planning Board.

The three candidates were asked to respond to five questions on top issues in the state.

How would you fix New Hampshire's transportation woes?

Abramson: Finish Interstate 93. Remove all taxes, red tape and obstacles to the development of both local and private transit options and van-pool services. We passed House Bill 1697, guaranteeing free-market alternatives like Uber, Lyft, and Arcade City, and reducing the need for private use of and parking for cars.

Sununu: In order to alleviate transportation issues, we need to first address our failing infrastructure. We have more than 150 "red-listed" bridges and crumbling roads in every corner of the state. That's unacceptable. As governor, repairing our infrastructure will be a top priority.

Van Ostern: Work with Democrats and Republicans to fix New Hampshire's roads and bridges, finish the expansion of Interstate 93 and bring passenger rail to the capital corridor with stops in Nashua, the Manchester airport and the Manchester Millyard.

Do you agree with the way education is funded in New Hampshire? If so, why? If not, how would you change it?

Abramson: No, I would expand the education tax credit so that parents, homeowners and businesses could send their property tax dollars directly to any public, private, charter, or trade school or any community college without those funds being eaten up by state bureaucracy or school administration costs.

Sununu: I believe that we need to return the power of education funding in New Hampshire to the Legislature through a constitutional amendment.

Van Ostern: Will ensure our public schools and our teachers have the resources they need to succeed and fully fund the state's education commitments to local communities for the first time in years. New Hampshire cannot afford to refuse fast-growing school districts a proportional increase in state funding for their students. Will also work to increase state funds to fully fund the cost of full-day kindergarten for every New Hampshire child.

Would you ever support an income or sales tax under any circumstances?

Abramson: Absolutely not, under any circumstances. We need to reduce waste, fraud, abuse, bureaucracy, no-bid contracts, subsidies and pork-barrel projects instead.

Sununu: I will always oppose an income and sales tax.

Van Ostern: Opposed to a sales or an income tax and would use all tools available to preserve New Hampshire's low-tax structure and prevent a broad-based state income or sales tax.

How would you keep New Hampshire's young people from leaving the state?

Abramson: We need to make New Hampshire the best place in the Northeast for new businesses and startups. I am an active member of the House Business Caucus, and we are working very hard to simplify and reduce business taxes, regulations, red tape and state mandates, and to reduce electricity, fuel, insurance, and health care costs.

Sununu: The first step in retaining young people in New Hampshire is to attract new businesses into the state. Young people graduating with record-high student debt are leaving for Boston and New York, where they can find high-paying jobs. We need to reverse that trend.

Van Ostern: New Hampshire has the highest in-state tuition and the highest level of student debt in the country. Will fight to cut college costs and make higher education more affordable so more young people can stay and get the skills needed for good-paying jobs here in our state. We also need to maintain our low-tax structure with no sales or income tax and combat the opioid and drug epidemic, which is the greatest threat to our quality of life.

What is your top priority in fighting the heroin epidemic?

Abramson: I was the prime sponsor of Jessie's Law, which would have enabled a Gloucester-style Angel program. The bill would also have enabled best practices in prevention, treatment and recovery support in each county, allowing county delegations to try different approaches.

Sununu: Aggressive prevention education. Programs in our schools have not gone far enough to educate students on the dangers of heroin or parents on the warning signs of substance abuse. It is critical that we get to our kids before the drug dealers do.

Van Ostern:

The only candidate for governor who's endorsed the nonpartisan New Futures plan to combat the epidemic. Central to that plan is boosting resources to combat substance abuse and also fully funding New Hampshire's Alcohol Fund to support prevention, treatment and recovery. Will fight to safeguard and make permanent the bipartisan New Hampshire Health Protection Plan and increase access to prevention, treatment and recovery.

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