Issues

HEATHER’S PRIORITIES FOR MANCHESTER

Heather is running for NH State Representative to fight for fully funded public schools, housing people can afford, lower costs, healthcare access, workers’ rights, and voting rights for every eligible voter.

Education Affordability Housing Healthcare Workers Democracy
Education

Fund Our Public Schools

Protect and promote public education for students of all levels.

Here’s The Facts!

  • NH enrolls 160,000 public school students across the state: This accounts for 90% of all students across the state and 494 school districts.
  • NH is 3rd in Local Funding Per Student: Granite State homeowners cover an average cost of $16,373 per student, 48% higher than what the state provides at only $7,321 per student.
  • NH’s sends 96.7% of its EFA dollars to private schooling: Only 343 of 10,510 Education Freedom Account recipients left a public school district last year, meaning the majority of taxpayers revenue is funneled from public to private and religious education.

Here’s The Plan!

  • Demand the state of NH to fulfill its constitutional obligation to adequately fund education for every child, no matter their zip code.
  • Repeal SB 295’s voucher program, stopping the shifting of public tax dollars to private educations and back to public schools.
  • Support a universal school breakfast and lunch program for all students, providing students with the nutrition they need and giving families much needed financial relief.
  • Fight for more classroom funding so teachers do not have to make up the cost of classroom supplies out of pocket.
Affordability

Lower Costs for Working Families

Stop shifting state costs onto Manchester families.

Here’s The Facts!

  • Property taxes keep rising: Local property taxes paid to New Hampshire cities, towns, counties, and school districts reached $4.73 billion in 2025, up 47.5% from 2016 before inflation.
  • NH depends heavily on property taxes: About 63% of all state and local tax revenue comes from property taxes raised and retained locally.
  • Local taxpayers carry school funding: Local taxes account for more than 70% of education spending in New Hampshire.

Here’s The Plan!

  • Fight state downshifting that pushes costs onto Manchester families and local property taxpayers.
  • Support fair state funding for public schools, housing, healthcare, and basic local services.
  • Back policies that lower everyday costs for working families, including school meals, childcare support, utility relief, and housing stability.
  • Oppose state budgets that cut public services while leaving cities and towns to pick up the tab.
Housing

Make Housing Affordable in Manchester

Help people afford to stay in the city they call home.

Here’s The Facts!

  • Home prices are out of reach: In 2025, the median single-family home price in New Hampshire reached $565,000.
  • Most families cannot afford the median home: A household would need about $182,000 a year to afford the median-priced single-family home in New Hampshire.
  • Renters have few options: Only 4% of renter households in New Hampshire can afford the median-priced single-family home.

Here’s The Plan!

  • Support more affordable housing, workforce housing, and starter homes.
  • Back renter stability, homelessness prevention, and policies that help people stay housed.
  • Support local development that serves residents, not just investors.
  • Remove barriers that make it harder to build the kinds of homes Manchester families need.
Healthcare

Care When People Need It

Make healthcare, mental health care, and recovery easier to access.

Here’s The Facts!

  • Too many people still lack coverage: About 4.5% of New Hampshire residents were uninsured in 2024.
  • Recovery care still has major gaps: In 2022 and 2023, nearly three out of four New Hampshire adults who needed substance use treatment did not get it.
  • Opioids are still taking lives: In 2024, about 287 Granite Staters died from drug-related causes, and opioids were involved in 83.6% of those deaths.

Here’s The Plan!

  • Protect Medicaid Expansion and the healthcare coverage working families rely on.
  • Invest in mental health care, addiction treatment, recovery services, and harm reduction.
  • Support reproductive healthcare and protect access to care without political interference.
  • Lower cost barriers so people can get primary care, behavioral healthcare, and treatment before a crisis gets worse.
Workers

Respect the People Who Keep New Hampshire Running

Support fair wages, paid leave, and safer workplaces.

Here’s The Facts!

  • New Hampshire still uses the federal minimum wage: The state minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
  • Paid leave is still too limited: New Hampshire’s paid family and medical leave program is voluntary, which means too many workers are still left out.
  • New parent leave is unpaid: New Hampshire’s parental medical leave law gives eligible workers up to 25 hours of unpaid leave for childbirth, postpartum, or infant medical appointments.

Here’s The Plan!

  • Support a living wage so full-time work pays enough to live.
  • Fight for paid family and medical leave that working people can actually use.
  • Protect workers’ rights, safe working conditions, and the right to organize.
  • Support local small businesses that treat workers fairly and keep money in the community.
Democracy

Protect the Right to Vote

Defend clear, accessible voting for every eligible voter.

Here’s The Facts!

  • Voters need clear rules: Registered voters in New Hampshire must show proof of identification at the polls.
  • Election Day registration matters: Eligible New Hampshire voters can register at the polls on Election Day.
  • Voting rights are under pressure: A federal court struck down New Hampshire’s 2024 proof-of-citizenship voter registration law in 2026 after finding it unconstitutional.

Here’s The Plan!

  • Protect same-day voter registration and clear access to the ballot.
  • Support voter education so Manchester residents know where to vote, what to bring, and how state elections affect daily life.
  • Make state government easier to understand, follow, and contact.
  • Answer constituents, explain votes, and bring Manchester concerns directly to Concord.

Power to the People

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