This morning at 11 via teleconference call, Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta declared his intent to seek the Republican nomination for NH’s 1st Congressional seat presently occupied by Democrat Carol Shea Porter. The Mayor started with a prepared speech, followed by a series of questions from participants of the call. Here is the prepared text as delivered, and I’ll post followups based on several questions later. GraniteGrok asked about illegal immigration, cap & trade, and energy issues, long-term. His answers did not disappoint this conservative Republican… With a strong, winning record as Mayor of New Hampshire’s largest city, Frank Guinta is a candidate that will no doubt be a formidable force in the upcoming race…
Good morning! As has been widely speculated by members of the press corps, I have decided to launch my candidacy to become the next representative for New Hampshire’s First Congressional District.
I have been Mayor of Manchester for two terms now. One of the great things about being Mayor is the connection and sense of community you get from doing this job. No matter how trying the day has been, just looking out the windows at City Hall reminds me how fortunate I am to serve the people of Manchester. I care deeply for this city and her residents, and I have always acted to protect their best interests. That is why my recent decision to not seek re-election was so difficult for me.
I am proud of the work that we’ve accomplished in our city. We’ve proposed four straight balanced budgets that lowered taxes and kept spending substantially beneath the rate of inflation. No easy feat, this was accomplished by reducing the overall number of city workers thru attrition, finding greater efficiencies within departments, and by consolidating government agencies resulting in the reduction of unnecessary expenditures. We also targeted resources to add police officers to our streets and established a crime data tracking system, which significantly increased public safety and cut crime. And we continued the strong policies of economic growth of the past decade by spearheading a new $100M development project, keeping our city the premier one in Northern New England.
My wife Morgan & I are grateful for the responsibilities entrusted in me by Manchester residents. I’ve enjoyed meeting the people of our city in their homes and neighborhoods. I’ve listened to their concerns & I have always done my best to place their interests above all.
I am running for Congress because I think we are at a pivotal moment in America’s history. Our government has become irresponsible. It is broken. Our government has taken on functions it was never intended to perform and that it really does not perform well. This year alone, federal spending will be almost 30 % of the Gross Domestic Product. The budget resolution passed by Congress last month is a $3.55 trillion dollar budget that spends 25% of economic output (historically, it’s been closer to 20%). Companies around the nation are making difficult sacrifices to stay in business and keep people employed. Local governments are cutting spending and furloughing employees in order to keep taxpayers from facing massive tax hikes. Families are making tough budget cutting decisions in order to send their kids to college or just to make ends meet. Why can’t this Congress do the same?
The problem with Washington is that our representation is looking only as far as the next election. The policies that they are implementing today are only short term risks that do not address long term problems nor offer long term solutions. Americans demand leadership in our capitol that is willing to make tough but smart decisions that are in the best interest of the people we represent.
America has always been the land of hope and opportunity, but those virtues are passing away as government is slowly suffocating hope while condemning opportunity to obsolescence. It is time we take back our government and make it work for the people again.
That’s why today, I am announcing my candidacy for the 1st Congressional District of New Hampshire. I want to help restore good government to America, and prosperity to all.
Now I would be happy to take a few of your questions.
Stay tuned…