Carry Spier, Nashua State Representative Candidate

Carry Spier

Age (as of Election Day)

75

Position sought (including district number if applicable)

Ward 3 State Representative

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Husband Danny Mills, married 34 years.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Degrees in Electrical Engineering (Rensselaer), Computer Science (State University of NY at Stonybrook), Systems Engineering (Johns Hopkins University)

Occupation

Systems Engineering Manager, Military Aerospace, 53 years, retired

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

I am a first-time candidate

Campaign website

NashuaWard3Dems.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Over the past several years, our elected officials have passed the first abortion ban in the history of NH, have tied us to fossil fuels with no plan to distribute renewable energy, marginalized the LGBTQ community, and defunded public education in favor of religious schools. I have decided it is time for me to participate in the fight to get back our rights and strengthen our community by looking for forward thinking solutions to economic problems. We need to stop the rule of special interest groups that are strangling our legislature.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There are three issues most pressing to Nashua: (1) unfair property tax structure surrounding public education, (2) ties to fossil fuels, (3) NH refusal to codify the right to abortion. I plan on supporting and pushing for the NH Fair Funding initiative which seeks to change the way our schools are funded. This should lower Nashua taxes while making towns like Waterville Valley and Newington pay their fair share. I also plan to apply for application to the Science, Technology and Energy House Standing Committee which works on, among other things, the energy plans for the state. Finally, I will work tirelessly with others to ensure that women's bodily autonomy is codified in law.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The opposing candidates seem to want to gut the government and our public education system regardless of consequence while strongly imposing their religious beliefs on others. They don't seem to realize that the collective efforts of government provide for the high standards of our communities and well-being. Our economic future, and ability of our children to prosper depends on working together and respecting each individual.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I am not a challenger. I am taking the place of Trish Klee who retired (and who did an excellent job by the way).

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I believe that NH is plagued with environmental issues such as city dump placement, asphalt manufacturing placement, plastics, water quality, etc as well climate impacts because of the use of fossil fuels. There are a number for forward thinking groups in NH working on innovative solutions to these problems. I would work to codify them into law. Voting restrictions have been implemented. These laws must be reversed. Maybe what should be listed as most important is the lack of affordable housing. The NH population is aging. Young people are moving out because in many cases wages are both low, and housing too expensive. If we don't fix this problem our overall economy will suffer. I also believe that efforts should be made to make health care more accessible to the elderly.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Good legislators listen to the members of the community and look for solutions to problems. With more than 50 years as an engineering leader, I have been trained for this very important aspect of the job. I know how to formulate ideas, get them on paper, and work with others to drive toward implementation. As for the environment, for the past 25 years my husband and I have traveled the world filming endangered large animals. I have talked to local people and seen what efforts have been made in other countries. It is amazing to me that people in a country like Madagascar have more climate awareness than some people in the US do.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be stubborn. No problem is fixed on the first try. You just have to keep trying.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?