GOP hopeful slams Lynch
By BEN BULKELEY, Staff Writer
Monday, August 18, 2008 5:32 PM
CLAREMONT -- State Sen. Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, made a trip to the Upper Valley on Thursday, touting his record as a fiscal conservative, leader and veteran. Kenney, the Republican candidate for Governor, will face incumbent John Lynch this November.
Kenney said he will focus on transportation, health care, and veterans' issues as he moves forward with his campaign. He also sees the need for a fiscal conservative in Concord.
"What we've done for over a year is circulate around New Hampshire, talking about how we see New Hampshire changing. Our campaign theme is 'Let's keep New Hampshire, New Hampshire.' We're one broad based-tax away from turning into Massachusetts."
Kenneyhas spent 14 years in the state legislature. He was chairman of the Transportation Committee from 2002-2004, chairman of Executive, Department and Administration Committee from 2002-2004, as well as being on the Health and Human Services Committee for six years.
He also served 28 years for the active reserve Marine Corps, where he was sent on two trips to the Middle East. If elected, he wants to cut government spending.
"Governor Lynch, nice guy that he is, has overspent in state government by almost a half billion dollars. He just can't seem to say no, and he's spending us out of our homes."
"The governor is pushing this thing called the Regional House Gas Initiative, which is going to increase energy costs here in New Hampshire," Kenney said. "It's a special interest piece of legislation, brought up by the University of New Hampshire's Environmental studies. We think it will cause serious damage to businesses around the state of New Hampshire, as well as residential home owners."
"We think that bill should be repealed. The cost of energy is astronomical, not just in New Hampshire, but all around the country. We need a fiscal conservative in the corner office who's going to look out for the best interests of New Hampshire, and prioritize the state government."
Kenney would also like to see sections of New Hampshire government privatized, which he believes would bring in more revenue. He referenced the lack of privatization in corrections, namely the collection of retributions owed to the state.
"We could privatize the collection company to come in and collect up to millions of dollars in revenue for the state of New Hampshire," said Kenney.
Kenney also sees a chance for more statewide revenue if private companies were allowed to advertise on state highways. Kenney would also like to see Cannon Mountain privatized, much the way Sunapee was in 1998, in order to fund state parks.
Kenney has mapped out what he would do if elected.
"We have five points in our platform. Number one is we want to create government efficiency, and stop the spending in the state government. Number two is that we want to have a strong energy policy. Number three is we want a job creation policy," said Kenney. "Number four is full support of a VA medical hospital in Manchester. Number five is we want to maintain the New Hampshire tax advantage."
"From an economic development standpoint we also have five priorities. We want to make sure we market the state of New Hampshire as a business friendly state by putting actual airport announcements encouraging people to come to New Hampshire to do business."
"Number two, we want to set up a business coordinator in the governors office. Number three is we want to privatize Cannon Mountain. Number four is we want to work with the technical colleges to institute the business centers," said Kenney. "Number five would be a rapid-response team, at any time a plant is closing down we want to make sure that there's a house member and a senator on that rapid response team, so they understand that business, and how it affects the local region."
Kenney is also uneasy about the direction he sees New Hampshire going, saying the current leadership has left the state "rudderless," and on the verge of excessive spending that would require an income tax to balance the budget.
"The governor let the educational law walk in to law. Never signed it, never vetoed it, and it's going to cost the state anywhere from $140 to $180 million, depending on who you ask. Any governor that doesn't sign or veto a law of that magnitude is not showing leadership."
"I want to propose a constitutional amendment to resolve the educational funding question once and for all, and to make sure that it's on the ballot for the people of New Hampshire to vote on it."
Kenney also wants to reinstall the Parental Notification Law for teenage abortions, which was repealled in 2005.
"I think parents in the state of New Hampshire should know what their 13-year-old daughter is doing, and if they are confronted with a pregnancy crisis, that they be notified," said Kenney. "And the governor took that away from parents."
"The governor is not taking a leadership role in state government, he's not taking positions," said Kenney. "If he came to a fork in the road, he'd want to take both ways, and that's not leadership."
Ben Bulkeley can be reached at (603) 543-3100 Ext. 105 or by e-mail at bbulkeley@eagletimes.com.
