Catherine Mulholland, Democrat

Resides: Grafton

Experience: NH House of Representatives (2004-2010, 2012-2014); Semi-Retired Financial Consultant

Email: cmulholland134@gmail.com

Positions on Issues

Broad-based sales tax: "Against"

Broad-based income tax: "with a constitutional amendment to make it a progressive not a flat rate tax with a high low end exemption and provided that the revenues contributes significantly towards K-12 funding and significant relief to the property tax"

Capital gains tax: "In conjunction with Federal capital gains so that the state portion ends up as a deduction from Federal taxes"

Business tax decrease: "Only in combination with other forms of state revenue"

Cigarette tax increase: "Undecided"

Road usage fee: "Undecided"

Minimum wage increase: "The cost of living has escalated to such a degree that the current average effective minimum wage has lagged behind the amount of money required to maintain a decent lifestyle"

Tax incentives for affordable housing: "The rise in homelessness correlates with the increase in mental illness, drug addition and crime. Provide affordable housing and you attack the heart of these other massive social and physical problems"

NH business subsidies and tax credits: "Undecided"

Student debt repayment for certain industries: "It sounds very nice, but why would one discriminate against students who are having difficulty in repaying loans because they are not in such industries, this is the wrong approach. As long as our public schools provide such poor education that college is a necessity for certain occupations. We need to rethink the entire education conundrum"

Per-pupil school funding increase: "As long as the status quo exists local school districts need all the revenue they can get, with the proviso that poor school districts, which are easily identified, receive amounts in proportion to the requirements for achieving educational adequacy"

Tax revenue for private and home schooling: "The constitutional guarantee of a 'free' basic education should not be undermined by personal choices that families make. Everyone is free to choose what education they provide for their children but not fiscally at the expense of the common good"

Statewide, mandatory family and medical leave: "This is not a topic for dispute. Everyone, with few exceptions will at some time in their live require leave for family or medical reasons. Those who resent their tax dollars being spent on a public good are a constant thorn in the side of any progressive policy."

Private, opt-in family and medical leave: "Governor Sununu has a clever way of appearing to be supportive of constituents' interests, ultimately he favors the private sector over the public good."

Abortion ban after 24 weeks: "If obstacles to abortion during the first trimester were not so prevailing this question would be moot."

Marijuana legalization: The notion that marijuana is a gateway to harder substances is a myth, Legalization of marijuana would lower the costs of law enforcement and our prison populations and provide an additional source of state revenue from taxation. like tobacco,

Stricter gun laws: "Responsible gun ownership would not be impacted by stricter gun control laws. The object of such legislation is to keep guns out of the hands of those who are unfit, and consequently a threat to society.. You would think that the vocal objections reflect a terrible fear of being unfit!"

Increased access to police misconduct reports: "Recent developments nationwide have brought this issue into sharp focus, With all due respect to law enforcement, there should be no silent brotherhood that protects against malefactors,"

Net metering expansion: "There is no doubt about the dangers of fossil fuels. We should do everything possible to promote reduction in their usage. Time is running out."

Extending renewable energy portfolio standard: "For"

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: "For"

Emergency power restrictions: "I need to hear the arguments"

Mail-in voting: "Anything to make full public participation is a plus. I would prefer to see adoption of the Australian model where voting is compulsory and failure to vote is accompanied with a fine. In a democracy rights are balanced with responsibilities, failure to vote means opting out, Voting by mail as a permanent option and hopefully this introduction of ranking voting helps all citizens to exercise that responsibility"