Epilogue for an election

Thursday, 13 January 2011 17:21 |

Written by Matt Kanner

New Hampshire’s new legislature has begun its work for 2011, assessing hundreds of proposed bills and examining myriad issues as they prepare to craft a new biennial budget. With Republicans gaining a majority in the 400-member House of Representatives and 24-member Senate, dozens upon dozens of new faces have displaced past legislators, many of whom spent years serving their constituents.

But many of the Democrats who were ousted in the election last November intend to remain active in politics, and their peers say their past accomplishments should not be forgotten. On Friday, Jan. 21, an Appreciation Party will be held at the Gas Light Co. in Portsmouth to honor former U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, as well as state Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, Executive Councilor Bev Hollingworth and others who recently left office. The Wire reached out and asked them to reflect on their time in Concord and look ahead to what they’ll do now.

Maggie Hassan of Exeter

(lost her seat in the N.H. Senate to opponent Russell Prescott)

How long did you serve in the N.H. Legislature? Six years

What do you consider your proudest accomplishment? We made a lot of progress for working families and for the business community, and it was a team effort. Among the bills we passed was the increase in minimum wage, creation of the research and development tax credit, reinstatement of the job training grants, the NH Working program and numerous changes to our laws governing health insurance that make insurance companies more accountable, provide protections to health care consumers, and banned the practice of discriminating against businesses with sick or injured workers. We passed comprehensive environmental legislation for our shoreland and to reduce carbon emissions and pass climate change. We also passed critical legislation to begin addressing health care costs. On the education front, we developed a constitutional funding formula for education, made public kindergarten available for every 5-year-old in the state, reduced the drop-out rate significantly, increased funding for community colleges, and updated critical anti-bullying legislation. I was also grateful for the opportunity to chair the Great Bay Estuary Commission and the resulting legislation I sponsored to create the Southeast Watershed Alliance to protect our natural resources and drinking water. Also, on a more local level, we found a way to fund significant improvements to Hampton Beach, helped protect automobile dealers in a changing economy through the Auto Dealers’ Bill of Rights, and passed SB5 that prohibits our bordering states from forcing N.H. businesses to collect the bordering state’s sales tax.

What do you consider your greatest regret or missed opportunity? We missed an opportunity to require campaign funding disclosures by corporations after the Citizens United case was decided in the winter of 2010; a bill passed the Senate but failed in the House. And I wish we had had more of an opportunity to talk together as a state about the need to reduce health care costs and make the financing of health care more transparent.

What was the most challenging aspect of serving in the N.H. House/Senate? Finding enough time to talk to constituents, colleagues, and stakeholders to build consensus about initiatives, especially during an economic crisis where constantly changing conditions make it necessary to introduce new initiatives or changes to proposals with very little lead time. The schedule in the Senate in particular is very challenging because there are only 24 senators and very limited staffing.

What was the most rewarding aspect? Regular people call or come to talk to you or show up at hearings and ask you to help them, make proposals for improving the state, or just tell you what their lives are like. When average citizens take time to participate in the process, you are reminded that N.H. is the best place in the world, and our democracy is remarkable.

Do you think the state is dramatically different now than when you first took office? I think the recession has taken its toll on us, but I don’t think the character of the state has changed—N.H. people are still vigorous and pragmatic participants in their communities and civic life, still care for and help their neighbors with a volunteer spirit second to none, and still value their freedom and independence above all.

What should be the new Legislature’s top priorities? Investing in job creation, creating a balanced budget for the next biennium while still finding ways to invest in the things that will help us grow our economy and reduce unemployment, and prevent downshifting to local property taxpayers.

What are your plans now? Not sure yet. It’s my youngest child’s last year at home before college, so I’m enjoying time with her.

Will you remain involved in state politics? Yes.

Do you expect to run for political office again some day? Don’t know.

Bev Hollingworth of Hampton

(lost her seat on the Executive Council to opponent Christopher Sununu)

How long did you serve? Served five terms in the House of Representatives, five terms in the Senate (one as Senate president), two terms as Executive Councilor

What do you consider your proudest accomplishment? Modeling the first in the nation vaccine program that I believe has been part of the reason we in New Hampshire are one of the healthiest states in the nation; patient bill of rights; terminal care; HMO accountability; requiring all public funded schools to adhere to Title 9; medication bridge program with free prescription drugs for those who need services; Healthy Kids program; unique college savings plan, and many others.

What do you consider your greatest regret or missed opportunity? The greatest regret is that we still have not funded the education of New Hampshire children.

What was the most challenging aspect of serving in the N.H. House/Senate? Presiding over the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Brock and making the process open and transparent for the public. I’m proud of the civility of the Senate during the most difficult times.

What was the most rewarding aspect? The senators of both parties working together to find solutions in the best interest of the people of this state.

Do you think the state is dramatically different now than when you first took office? Yes.

What should be the new Legislature’s top priorities? As always, what is in the best interest of the people of this state: education, environment, and economic health.

What are your plans now? Have not made plans as of yet.

Will you remain involved in state politics? Of course, everyone has a duty to be involved in state, local and federal government. That is the only way democracy can work.

Do you expect to run for political office again some day? Perhaps.

Deanna Rollo of Somersworth

(lost her seat in the N.H. House)

How long did you serve? Three terms (six years).

What do you consider your proudest accomplishment? I think my proudest accomplishment was being part of the Democratic Party that turned this state into the place it is today. We are the best place to raise a family, the safest place in the nation, etc. We passed a responsible budget that protected our most valuable citizens. We were able to define, cost, and develop a system of accountability for a constitutionally adequate education, as mandated by the Supreme Court. We passed legislation to protect our children from bullying. We set up a system that allows foster children an opportunity to apply for a tuition grant to attend our state colleges.

What do you consider your greatest regret or missed opportunity? I really have no regrets. I learned very early that you have to pick your battles, who you can trust and who you can’t trust. Knowledge was my best weapon, and the art of compromise. I also learned that there is always room for improvement.

What was the most challenging aspect of serving in the N.H. House/Senate? The most challenging aspect of serving as a member of the House was educating myself on the issues. I spent a great deal of time attending hearings and researching bills. I understood every vote I cast would have an effect on someone’s life and wanted to make sure I had the information necessary to vote on behalf of the people who elected me.

What was the most rewarding aspect? The most rewarding aspect was helping my constituents resolve issues. Many times, people become overwhelmed with trying to sort through the different departments and state agencies, and they become frustrated with the process. I found it very rewarding to be able to help them.

Do you think the state is dramatically different now than when you first took office? I think the state has changed and definitely for the better. We are now the safest place in the U.S. to raise a family, we have one of the lowest unemployment rates, and every child in N.H. has the opportunity to attend kindergarten. We updated the state law against bullying to protect our children, including a new definition for cyber bulling through electronic devices, including telephones, cellular phones, computer pages, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging and web sites.

What should be the new Legislature’s top priorities? The top priorities for the new Legislature should be to continue to promote jobs in our state, ones that pay a living wage with benefits for the employees and their families. Even though we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S., we still have many citizens that are unemployed or underemployed. Promoting jobs is the only way our state will continue to grow. They should also be working on preparing a responsible balanced budget. And continue the work of the past four years to protect our children and our elderly.

What are your plans now? My plans are to spend more time with my family, do a lot more traveling, and to catch up with old friends.

Will you remain involved in state politics? I will remain involved with state politics. I spent a lot of time helping to make this state a better place to live and I refuse to sit back and let it all evaporate.

Do you expect to run for political office again some day? I have no plans at this time to run for office again. I really love having my life back.

Rose Marie Rogers of Rochester

(lost her seat in the N.H. House)

How long did you serve? Four terms

What do you consider your proudest accomplishment? In the last term I (along with others) stopped an effort to restrict the people’s access to Lake Sunapee for the next 20 years. My contention was that the lake belongs to the people of New Hampshire and not to the moneyed elite and should be reserved for the people of New Hampshire, and they should have access to it.

What do you consider your greatest regret or missed opportunity? That I lost this election along with others making the radical Republican majority possibly in a place to reverse a) a woman’s right to choose and b) the possibility that the radical religious right will reverse marriage equality in this state.

What was the most challenging aspect of serving in the N.H. House/Senate? That depends upon which term. I served under both Republican and Democratic terms. It was challenging during the Republican era to deal with the fixed ideas that men held about women’s equality and freedom, and myths about gay people. These rigid attitudes came mostly from men who had not been much farther than the local post office in their lifetime. I found that the most open-minded men that I enjoyed had traveled, had lived out of the state, had more education or spent a lot of their lives in the military and served all over the world.

What was the most rewarding aspect? The most rewarding aspect was serving on the Fish & Game Committee. It was less partisan and I became friends with people on both sides of the aisle.

Do you think the state is dramatically different now than when you first took office? I do not think it is dramatically different but I think it is changing. I think the advent of right-wing talk shows is having an impact on older people, making them angrier and more apt to believe everything that is said rather than checking. They are bombarded with lies and they are buying them. They are a lot less happy and more afraid than they have been.

What should be the new Legislature’s top priorities? I know how difficult it was to balance the budget in the last term. I think a reduction of human services, aid to cities and towns, and safety should be left alone. I think emphasis should be placed on protecting the environment and our natural resources for the future. People are not going to come to this state as tourists if these are wasted and developed. I saw where one new legislator would abolish LCHIP because it was a way for people not authorized to squander taxpayers’ money. If we do not plan for the future the state will lose its first-in-the-nation status and just be another mediocre place.

What are your plans now? I have a lot of plans. I will continue to contribute in some way to my city. I may do some teaching of some of the skills I have that are needed. I plan to do a little travel when it pleases me.

Will you remain involved in state politics? Yes, I will be involved in state politics.

Do you expect to run for political office again some day? I may run again but it will depend on my health at the time.

Jim Splaine of Portsmouth

(did not run for reelection to the N.H. House)

How long did you serve? A total of 30 years, my first term in the House began in January 1969, when I was a student at UNH and the youngest House member that year; my first term in the Senate was in 1979, as the youngest State Senate member. House: 24 years; Senate: six years. Plus 12 years on the Portsmouth City Council, six years as assistant mayor, chair of the 1987 Charter Commission (an elected group), and four years on the Portsmouth School Board.

What do you consider your proudest accomplishment? Being primary sponsor of the state’s first smoke detector law in the early 1980s; sole sponsor of the state’s first amusement and carnival ride safety law in the early 1970s; sponsoring the first legislation to adopt Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 1979, and sponsoring or co-sponsoring seven other MLK bills including one that passed in 1999 and was signed by Gov. Jeanne Shaheen; being primary sponsor of a bill abolishing the death penalty in 2000 that passed the House and Senate but was vetoed by Gov. Shaheen; being primary sponsor of the civil unions law in 2007 and gay marriage in 2009; plus being sole sponsor of legislation in 1975 that created our first-in-the-nation presidential primary statute that has been recognized as the law that guarantees New Hampshire’s “first” status since it puts into our law the requirement that our Secretary of State set our primary “seven days or more” ahead of any other primary. The national political parties and other states can’t jump ahead of us since we pay for our elections and under that law we can set our primary when we wish. I think our primary helps American democracy by allowing candidates without great initial national resources to get a launch. Some examples of people who might not have been president if not for our primary include Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Ronald Reagan.

What was the most challenging aspect of serving in the N.H. House/Senate? Not running this past November to be there in the fight to protect marriage equality this year.

What was the most rewarding aspect? Figuring out a strategy to get enough House and Senate members, and the Governor, to say “yes” to civil unions in 2007 and then “yes” to gay marriage two years later. There is nothing more important on this planet than the way we treat one another, and the concept of equality and justice for all should be important to all of us.

Do you think the state is dramatically different now than when you first took office? Surviving all those thousands of trips up and back from Portsmouth and Concord even in the middle of winter and often in dark without hitting anyone or anything or even having a flat tire. Just amazing, and lucky!

What should be the new Legislature’s top priorities? I’ve been in the House or Senate for parts of five decades, so yes, but the issues have remained much the same. So have the challenges, but the opportunities have certainly changed and therein lies our future possibilities.

What are your plans now? Treating our citizens fairly and equally, and working on an economic renaissance for everyone, rich and poor, young and old. To keep watching state and local government, pushing for greater ethics in government, contributing to the cause of maintaining marriage equality, and perhaps running again if I live long enough, and would have the support needed, for the House in 2012.

Will you remain involved in state politics? Yes—I’m not “retired,” just “resting” and renewing my perspective.

Do you expect to run for political office again some day? Perhaps for the House in 2012. We’ll see. Life is an adventure. We’re all in it together.

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