Dr. Peter Somssich, Portsmouth State Representative Candidate

Dr. Peter Somssich

Age (as of Election Day)

70

Position Sought

State Representative District 27

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

Wife, Kathleen Pohlman Somssich, 2 Children-adults

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education

No.

Occupation

My previous employment was with Sylvania Lighting as materials scientist for almost 34 years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Currently State Rep Dis.27, NH Off-Shore Wind Task force,
Portsmouth election official

Campaign website

www.psomssichnh.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I serve on the ST&E committee and hope to see significant progress in the area of renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation and energy independence, I also hope to contribute to a transportation effort for more EV and Hydrogen powered cars. But would also like to see a livable wage and expanded healthcare for all.

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

Like all NH residents, the virus pandemic and its economic consequences are the most important areas of concern at this time. This will have a significant impact on NH's finances in the coming years. I want to prevent any abandonment by the State of its commitment to our communities for school and infrastructure funding, as well as the downshifting of costs to communities resulting in higher property taxes. We shall need to find new sources of revenue to avoid this happening, and I am open to any plans as long as they are fair and adequate to fund our state's needs. In District 27 specifically, there is continued concern about NH not fulfilling its legal obligations to implement sound barriers on Rt.95 with serious impacts both for health and the value of properties in Portsmouth neighborhoods. Another concern is the Rt.1 upgrade project and its traffic impact on areas in Portsmouth. Also, the contaminated water issues(PFOS) surrounding the Pease Tradeport have still not been fully addressed by the Air Force. Finally, the projected additional traffic burden on Rt.33 as the result of the expansion of production at LONZA (at Pease) appears to be downplayed by all concerned, but needs attention.

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

Currently, I am unopposed for this position. However, I welcome more discussion from voters regarding what direction or priorities NH should have.

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

I am an incumbent

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

I oppose more downshifting of cost by NH to our communities resulting in higher property taxes. NH as a state is currently seriously underfunded and we need to face realities, especially at times like these. We need to plan for our future, now, in the areas of workforce retention, transportation, and a renewable and green energy future. I am a strong supporter of Planned Parenthood, wish to see a living wage be mandated in NH, and every worker should have the option of enrolling in a Family Medical Leave insurance program, regardless of their workplace. I support strong gun violence prevention measures, more investments in NH infrastructure (rail and buses) and more Family Friendly policies. Our state has great opportunities to become energy independent using renewable, energy resources (off-shore wind, solar, hydro and biomass) and can significantly increase our energy efficiency.

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

I am proud to have sponsored a cyber security bill to prevent NH from using Russian-made software. Also, I am glad to have voted to abolish the death penalty in NH. I continue to advocate for a more fair system of funding our highway and bridge maintenance budgets, and to fully capture all of the energy benefits that NH offers in our state.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

Don't be paralyzed by analysis. The ST&E committee often is presented with complicated and technical bills. However, instead of rejecting new ideas, we need to identify valuable steps that we can support today, so we can make progress, not just in technical areas, but also in the workplace and in the legal domain.

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

Voters always have the last word with regard to who should represent them. I try as best as I can to listen to voter input, however, the final decision comes down to me, and I have to justify my vote. If voters disagree with how I am representing them, I respect their decision to support a different candidate.