Name: Sue Homola
Town: Hollis
Current Occupation: Hazard Mitigation Plan Writer/Editor
Education: Bachelor of Science/Arizona State University, Master’s Degree/University of Oklahoma
Background: 7-year Air Force Meteorologist, 24-year military spouse, mother of four, freelance writer (magazine/speechwriting), and Red Cross Military Caseworker
Why I am running for State Representative:
My family and I moved here after serving 24 years in the military. I decided to run for office in 2020 because I was concerned about the direction the 2019-2020 legislature was steering New Hampshire. During that legislative session, I was surprised by the attempts to levy an income tax, increase business taxes, and to reduce local control. It is clear from the November 2020 state-level election results that increased taxation was not something New Hampshire voters wanted either. Although I had not considered running for an elected position before, I recognized that our system of government is built upon citizen participation. If I wanted change, I knew I had to participate. Since being elected, it has been my honor to represent Hollis and serve our citizens. Although we have accomplished a lot legislatively over these past two years, there is more work to be done. That is why I am running for another term.
As a State Representative, I have worked hard to tackle our state’s obstacles with the same tenacity I applied to every challenge I faced in the military, and I always strive to represent Hollis with integrity. I’ve spent my adult life serving my nation, my family, and each military and my local community I have been a part of during our time in the Air Force, and I am truly humbled to have the opportunity to give back to Hollis.
Issues to Watch
In addition to the rising cost of energy and skyrocketing inflation that is affecting every state across our nation, there are three issues that deserve our time, oversight, and attention:
1. Keeping NH Income/Sales tax-free and ensuring our NH Advantage remains strong.
As many families in New Hampshire, and many others across the country, are trying to adapt to the runaway consumer costs of the past year, keeping our state income/sales tax-free and business-friendly is one of the biggest priorities I hear from constituents. They understand that a functioning state economy translates into a functioning economy for their families. Equally important is the voter’s desire to keep the NH Advantage strong. New Hampshire stands alone in the northeast for having one of the most robust business environments. During the 2019-2020 legislative session, there was an effort made to increase a broad range of taxes and increase business taxes at a time when businesses were struggling with lockdowns. This was a source of contention between Governor Sununu and the NH House during that time, which is reflected in the links below:
The NH State House has come a long way in just a short two years. We’ve reduced the Business Enterprise tax rate to 0.55% and increased the filing threshold. This helps both large and small businesses pay less in taxes, and invest more in their businesses and their employees. Adjusting the business tax threshold has resulted in over 30,000 small businesses being exempted from tax filings. This is something businesses needed as they came out of COVID. In addition, over the past two years,reading new, we’ve reduced the Business Profits Tax rate from 7.7% to 7.5%. While this is not a large reduction, it is a step in the right direction. We need to continue to move towards further reducing this percentage so businesses can view New Hampshire as a place they can thrive.
Another way the 2021-2022 legislature has aimed to lower taxes is by voting to phase out the Interest and Dividends tax. This is something that impacts many seniors who rely on their investments for income. The link below explains the tax reductions that have occurred recently. These positive steps we have taken over the 2021-2022 legislative session are something voters have been asking for, and we should continue to explore ways to help New Hampshire’s residents, and our economy, flourish.
https://arbcpa.com/new-hampshire-legislation-reduces-corporate-taxes-eliminates-personal-income-tax/
2. The crisis at the Southern Border.
Although we are many miles away from the humanitarian and security crisis that has been happening on our U.S. Southern border for well over a year, its impact can be felt in some of our most vulnerable communities. This is an important issue because our nation has seen an explosion of drug trafficking, including a well-developed network of illegal drug distribution that has made its way into the northeast U.S and into our state. This increase in distribution means that more drugs are making their way onto our streets, our neighborhoods, and into the hands of our much-loved family members, some of whom may already be struggling with addiction. It is important to note that in New Hampshire we continue to struggle with a drug epidemic. Drug overdoses in Nashua and Manchester alone increased by 110% in 2021, when compared to overdose rates in 2020. In addition to increased fentanyl in our communities, methamphetamine has been pouring into our state since 2021 and it is overwhelming our emergency personnel. This past summer I detailed this information in a Union Leader Op-Ed titled, Why the Southern Border Matters to New Hampshire. The situation at the Southern border has been out of control for well over a year, and we need our federal delegation to advocate for a solution to this crisis.
3. The Electoral College and First in the Nation Primary.
These two topics have garnered a sizeable amount of discussion in the press over these past two years, although it has also been dwarfed by so many other issues going on. Here is why this is something to keep an eye on The Electoral College is what guarantees smaller states like New Hampshire have a say in presidential elections, and it guarantees that our voices are not muted by large population centers like those in California or New York. Over the past two years, some elected federal and state New Hampshire representatives have stated the Electoral College System is outdated and should be replaced. This is very concerning given the importance of the Electoral College, as it ensures our citizens have a critical voice in national elections.
In recent years, another effort to undercut the Electoral College has been proposed with the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. This is a compact that states can adopt to ensure that whichever presidential candidate is determined to have won the popular vote is elected president. In 2020, a bill to adopt this compact was introduced into the NH State House (HB541), but it was rejected. Adopting this compact would force New Hampshire to ignore its own voters, (no matter how they voted), and force us to give away our Electoral College votes to the candidate that was deemed to have won the most popular votes. Compact states must also accept vote totals from other states even if they are known to be incomplete or inaccurate. Any discussion about adopting the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact here in New Hampshire should be viewed with caution.
Another looming decision to watch is whether or not The Democratic National Committee will choose to support New Hampshire as the First in the Nation primary state. This was debated this past year, but a final decision was delayed, in part, to its potential for political fallout in the upcoming midterm elections. The First in the Nation Primary is historically and economically relevant to our state, and this issue should be watched closely after the November election.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/30/dnc-primary-states/
Contact: Susan.Homola@leg.state.nh.us
Website: SueforHollis.com
Facebook: @SueforHollis