NH election 2022: Gail Pare announces run for Dover Ward 3 (Strafford 16) House seat
My name is Gail Pare and I am announcing my candidacy for Democratic New Hampshire State Representative for Dover Ward 3 (Strafford County District 16). I have lived in the New Hampshire Great Bay area for over 40 years, and my husband and I chose to retire in Dover.
The importance of public service has always been one of my values. I have served in Newington as a library trustee, Historic District Commission chairman, and on the Budget Committee. I was also on the board of the Seacoast Land Trust and the Wentworth-Gardner House Association in Portsmouth for several years. I married a Navy man in 1968 (54 years and going strong!), and we worked hard to instill those values in our children and delight in seeing them extended to our grandchildren.
We chose to retire to Dover because it really is a city on the move — while growth comes with challenges, it also creates an energetic community that is a great place to live. I see vibrant family activities, great public services, and a local economic engine that serves the broader region and state as a whole. My goal is to work in collaboration with our city delegation to manage that growth for everyone’s benefit, and make sure no one is left behind.
As a former student of Oyster River School District and graduate of the University of New Hampshire, I value a strong and healthy education system. That means allowing teachers to do their jobs - including teach all aspects of our history, the lessons we’ve learned, and the fundamentals of civics and democracy. Only by preparing the next generation can we rise to the challenge of making our city, state, and country stronger than ever.
I’ve spent most of my life living on and near the Great Bay. For too long, New Hampshire has resisted addressing the impending impact of climate change. This directly harms the Great Bay, and all the benefits we derive from it. Our failure to diversify and grow our renewable energy usage has resulted in sky-high utility bills that outpace those of all our neighboring states. This is a burden on everyone, and felt all the more keenly by those on fixed income — myself included.
I respect the dignity and worth of every person; I know it’s a value I share with many. We cannot claim to respect an individual’s judgment and value their freedom and privacy without defending every woman’s right to manage her own body as she makes her own life choices.
It is the responsibility of state government to pass laws that work for people, that protect the right to vote and access to the ballot box, and that provide for the general welfare of all. I will work in collaboration with others to set aside that which divides us and to bring out the best that supports all of us; hearing and discussing different points of view respectfully is foundational to our democracy. The committees of the New Hampshire State Legislature must be places where discussion is open and fair, at times with compromise from all sides to get the best results for the citizens of New Hampshire.
I ask for your support and your vote on Nov. 8. I welcome questions and feedback at gl16pare@gmail.com .
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: NH election 2022: Gail Pare announces run for Dover Ward 3 House seat
