The Union Leader - Six Candidates Weigh in on War, Economy

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The Union Leader - Six Candidates Weigh in on War, Economy

Chris Dornin

In a forum at Temple Adath Yeshurun, the candidates for governor, the 1st District Congressional seat and U.S. Senate clashed yesterday over two Middle East wars, the larger war on terrorism, the financial crisis, soaring budget deficits, burgeoning taxes, rising unemployment and the high costs of health care, government services, energy and education. All agreed the combined challenges are daunting.

State Sen. Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, promised a hiring freeze and an across-the-board 10 percent cut in appropriations to balance the budget if he is elected governor. The challenger blamed Democratic incumbent John Lynch for a record 17 percent budget hike, an unprecedented $80 million transportation bond and a projected $600 million deficit, counting an extra $100 million per year to pay for education.

"The next two years will require a governor who can just say no and not be beholden to special interests," Kenney said.

Lynch countered that the state has a low unemployment rate, a low tax burden and a strong rainy day fund to deal with the slump.

"We faced a $300 million deficit when I started," Lynch said. "We eliminated it without a broad-based tax. The next two years will be difficult. We face an unprecedented downturn in the national and global economies."

The dialogue between incumbent Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, D-Dover, and GOP challenger Jeb Bradley of Wolfeboro turned as negative as their dueling media ads, with each accusing the other of false statements.

"Carol is all in favor of raising taxes," said Bradley, a former two-term congressman. "She can't propose a single budget cut, and we face the largest deficit in history."

Shea-Porter said Bradley's Congress inherited a huge surplus in 2002.

"You left with the greatest deficit in history," she told him. Bradley accused her of voting for an even bigger shortfall herself.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. John Sununu, R-Waterville Valley, and Democratic challenger Jeanne Shaheen of Madbury, the former governor, stuck to the issues in a high-road debate unlike their attack ads. Sununu took credit for supporting a troop surge in Iraq that has stabilized the country and given it a chance to create a stable democracy.

Shaheen said she backed the Iraq War in 2002 because she believed the Bush administration claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

"That was not the case," she said. "Now we need to set a firm date for withdrawal so we can focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban are resurgent."

Sununu said Shaheen called for a withdrawal 18 months ago when it would have left chaos.

"That would have been dangerous for Israel and all of our allies in the region," he said.

Shaheen said the surge hasn't produced political stability yet.

"Even the Bush administration has acknowledged we need timetables for withdrawal," she said. "It has to be done as safely and securely as possible."

Both agreed Iran must never obtain nuclear weapons.

All six candidates favored building the state's renewable energy industry to create jobs, protect the environment and lessen the impact of the Wall Street meltdown. Lynch and Kenney, however, disagreed about the merits of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative the legislature and Lynch approved last term. Kenney said the program requires utilities to buy expensive CO2 emission allowances, a cost they must pass along to ratepayers.

"Public Service will be asking soon for a rate increase," Kenney said. "BAE Systems and Sylvania question if they can still exist here in New Hampshire."

Lynch said New Hampshire faces higher energy costs from RGGI in the short term, even if it opts out of the 10-state program.

"An independent UNH study found it will create hundreds of jobs and decrease costs to ratepayers in the long run," Lynch said. "If we don't participate, we'll incur all of the costs and none of the benefits."

The program lets the state sell millions of allowances a year into a regional auction and use the proceeds to boost energy conservation.

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