Sen. Clark, Rep. Kaen Meet with Lee Selectmen

(Sen. Clark addresses Newmarket’s school board in a March 2015 file photo)

(Lee, NH-NhPoliticalWire) The discussion was wide-ranging and frank, covering subjects from the proposed state budget’s impact on local government to gambling to the state’s transportation needs.

Sen. Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth) represents six towns including Lee and makes a practice of meeting with local elected as often as her and their schedules allow. Rep. Kaen, first elected in 1994 to represent Lee in the House, is also a realtor working in the area. The Lee Select Board includes Chairwoman Carole Dennis, Scott Bugbee, and John LaCourse.

“There is no substitute for talking to the people who take on the job of managing the towns, especially when it comes to the impact of the state budget on local services,” Clark said. “It really makes the problems the House budget downshifts to the towns very real.”

The Republican-dominated New Hampshire House passed a budget last month that includes deep cuts to state contributions to a number of local funds, including transportation. Lee officials urged Clark, a member of the much more closely contested Senate, to revisit the local contributions when the Senate begins consideration of the budget in the coming weeks.

Representative Naida Kaen, also a Democrat, voted against the House Budget.