Name: David Watters
Party: Democratic
Office you are seeking: NH Senate candidate
District: 4, Barrington, Dover, Rollinsford and Somersworth
Education: A.B. Dartmouth College, 1972; Ph.D. Brown University, 1979
Occupation: Retired
Political or civic experience highlights: Two terms, NH House, 2008-12; six terms, NH Senate, 2012-present; Chair, New Hampshire Commission on Offshore Wind and Port Development; Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs; Governor's Commission on the Humane Treatment of Animals; Chair, Commission on Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Board of Directors: New Hampshire Humanities; New Hampshire Historical Society; Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire; Robert Frost Farm; Pontine Movement Theater; Corporator, Canterbury Shaker Village.
What are your top three priorities if elected?: Jobs and economic development through workforce training, CTEs, and a modern transportation system, and particularly in the area of renewable energy development, including offshore wind energy.Community development, including affordable housing and public safety.Protecting our freedoms, including reproductive rights, voting, public education, LGBTQ+ rights, and economic opportunity.
What would you do to address the housing crisis in NH? Please be specific.: I have worked in Concord to provide state support for affordable housing, and New Hampshire needs to increase its direct investment as well as provide tax incentives, reform zoning and planning to enable greater density and variety of housing types, streamline and reduce regulation to shorten development approval process and reviews, such as environmental reviews, by state agencies, further the incentives for municipalities through the recently passed "Homenibus" legislation; have NH apply for a waiver so that Medicaid funds can be used for recovery housing; provide incentives for transitional housing; support the proposal for a regional solution for homelessness by rehabilitating and repurposing the Strafford County nursing home once a new facility is approved, expand the geographical areas in which a municipality can extablish a TIF district.
Do you support NH's school voucher program, known as education freedom accounts? Why or why not?: No. When first proposed as a very limited program, there was some merit for providing an option for some children, which already existed as an option in statute. The current program drains away funding needed for public schools to send to religious schools and to support families whose children are a private schools. The original limits on income have been all but eliminated, so the support now is going to families at high incomes, and there is no ongoing means testing. The schools are exempt from reporting on the use of state funds, which has led to cases of fraud and the sudden closure of some schools. The schools are not required to adopt basic state standards. Without transparency and with budgets out of control, this program needs to be investigated and reformed.
Do you support changes to abortion law in NH? Why or why not?: I strongly support establishing in New Hampshire statute an affirmative right for New Hampshire citizens to make reproductive health care decisions, including abortion.
Do you support changes to gun laws in NH? Why or why not?: I support commonsense gun laws, including background checks, red flag laws, closing gun show loopholes, ensuring New Hampshire reports to the federal system individuals who have been adjudicated as danger to themselves and others and thus banned by federal law from purchasing firearms, and establishing safe school zones. These are all consistent with support for Second Amendment and NH Amendment 2-a rights.
Do you support the NH law banning transgender girls from playing on girls school sports teams? Why or why not?: No. It is important to support LGBTQ+ students and to enable transgender students to participate fully in all school activities. Having been in the Senate for the debates on such bans, which have been found unconstitutional in various states and with New Hampshire's bill under a stay due to its likelihood of being found unconstitutional, it is clear that this kind of legislation is part of a broader effort for several years to attack LGBTQ+ individuals, without presenting any evidence in hearings or in debate that those transgender students who are participating on New Hampshire school teams should be prevented from doing so.
Do you feel NH lawmakers need to address immigration and border security? If yes, what would you do?: New Hampshire should support Federal policies that will reform the immigration system, including reforming the pathway to citizenship, as appropriate, settling the policy on "Dreamers," and enhancing border security, all of which are included in the proposed bipartisan bill in Congress. New Hampshire law enforcement should continue its partnership with Federal authorities to stop the flow of fentanyl and other drugs to the state. Given the great workforce shortage in our state, New Hampshire should support programs that allow immigrants and asylum seekers a way to be employed. We should ease the visa process for temporary and seasonal workers needed by the tourist industry and agriculture, and we should join all of our neighboring states in providing a method to get a driver's license, as our police departments support, to promote safe driving. New Hampshire needs to be a welcoming state for immigrants, as they are the future of our workforce, economy, and vibrant communities. For example, District 4 is the home of 3-4,000 Indonesian Americans, with about 7,000 total in Strafford County, and this community is an important part of our future.
What else should voters know about you?: It is an honor to represent the people of Barrington, Dover, Rollinsford, and Somersworth in Concord. I strongly believe in bipartisan work to get things done to help improve the lives of families and communities. We can put aside partisan politics and divisiveness to find common ground. Having taught for 43 years, with 39 years at the University of New Hampshire, I know how important education is for young people to realize their dreams, so I will always support public schools. New Hampshire has a wonderful environment, with great recreational opportunities, so it is vitally important that we have clean water and a clean and healthy environment. It's the people that make this a great place to live, so I will always put people before politics. Together, we can build a thriving economy, good schools, affordable housing, and safe communities. It's what people expect of elected officials, and democracy works when government serves the people.
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: NH Senate candidate 2024: David Watters, District 4
Local News
Comments / 0