Jon Hildreth, Democrat

Experience: Former business owner and career executive

Education: Educated in New Hampshire's public school system

Position on issues

Broad-based sales tax: "NH Consumers are already paying a rooms and meals tax in New Hampshire which is a sales tax."

Broad-based income tax: "NH Voters have spoken and are against a broad-based income tax."

Business tax decrease: "I would want to review history and other data and discuss with constituents prior to taking any position on this subject."

Capital gains tax: "I would have to review the history of changes to the federal capital gains tax. Under Gov. Chris Sununu, the tax on dividends and interest for the highest earners was recently repealed. This will have a negative fiscal impact on NH revenue and may force the legislature to look at other taxes."

Minimum wage increase: "New Hampshire has the lowest minimum wage in all of New England. At present, there are employees at minimum wage that are also receiving government assistance, which is essentially subsidizing the corporations that they work for rather than challenging those corporations to pay a living wage."

Encourage local zoning changes for housing development: "Removing guardrails that ensure a continuity within the community can have disastrous effect. Zoning laws exist to maintain the quality of our neighborhoods and way of life. The former State School property will be an important test of our system to ensure that Laconia proceeds with thoughtful development."

Increase funding for child care providers: "The cost of quality child care is crippling to working parents' finances. We should always look to making the lives of parents more affordable so that children be spared from the stresses of financial difficulty."

Majority of public school funding through local property taxes: "Property taxes are much higher in New Hampshire than in neighboring states and this creates another hurdle to home ownership. As education standards are instituted by the state, and responsibility for funding should be a of the state."

"Education Freedom Account" program: "While on the surface one can understand the basic concept of 'I pay taxes, why don't I get funding for my child's private schools?' But a quality education is something that should be afforded all students in the state of New Hampshire. While the proponents say that it gives parents more choice, 90%+ of the $60 million paid in vouchers have gone to parents whose children were already enrolled in private and religious schools. Further, the New York firm that NH has contracted to issue these vouchers has little responsibility to audit and ensure that those receiving funds are qualified."

Marijuana legalization with home-growing, no sales: "The legalization of marijuana in New Hampshire should be a forgone conclusion in our 'Live Free or Die' state. All of our borders have legal cannabis and easy access. But we must be very deliberate in our approach to be certain to control all aspects of the sale and use of marijuana. We must be very careful to keep the product from underage people whose minds are still developing, and control and enforcement will be all-important. The NH Liquor Commission is a perennial best-practice star among the control states and I could see a similar system working well with legal cannabis."

Marijuana legalization with private sales: "The legalization of marijuana in New Hampshire should be a forgone conclusion in our 'Live Free or Die' state. All of our borders have legal cannabis and easy access. But we must be very deliberate in our approach to be certain to control all aspects of the sale and use of marijuana. We must be very careful to keep the product from underage people whose minds are still developing, and control and enforcement will be all-important. The NH Liquor Commission is a perennial best-practice star among the control states and I could see a similar system working well with legal cannabis."

Marijuana legalization with state-run stores: "The legalization of marijuana in New Hampshire should be a forgone conclusion in our 'Live Free or Die' state. All of our borders have legal cannabis and easy access. But we must be very deliberate in our approach to be certain to control all aspects of the sale and use of marijuana. We must be very careful to keep the product from underage people whose minds are still developing, and control and enforcement will be all-important. The NH Liquor Commission is a perennial best-practice star among the control states and I could see a similar system working well with legal cannabis."

Repeal ban on abortion after 24 weeks: "I would support the guidelines set out in Roe v. Wade. I would also support access to needed health care at any time in the pregnancy at where the life of the woman is endangered."

Guarantee right to abortion before 24 weeks: "I would support the guidelines set out in Roe v. Wade. I would also support access to needed health care at any time in the pregnancy at where the life of the woman is endangered."

Ban abortion during 2nd trimester: "I would support the guidelines set out in Roe v. Wade. I would also support access to needed health care at any time in the pregnancy at where the life of the woman is endangered."

Ban abortion during 1st trimester: "I would support the guidelines set out in Roe v. Wade. I would also support access to needed health care at any time in the pregnancy at where the life of the woman is endangered."

Protection for interstate travel related to gender, abortion: "I'm not sure if this is needed as we have laws to protect all citizens. However, if this is what's necessary to ensure a woman's right to her own body, I would favor this protection. I would also vote to protect everyone's right to bodily autonomy."

Stricter gun laws: "As a responsible gun owner, I would support legislation for background checks and red flag laws to ensure that we keep guns away from those that pose a danger to themselves or any other citizen."

Require local immigration enforcement: "We have laws in place to protect all citizens, and I know that these agencies have and will continue to work together."

Climate change action: "We should absolutely be doing all that we can to reduce our carbon footprint as a city and at the state level. With all of the dams in our former mill towns that powered those mills over a century ago there must be some opportunity. And with advances in solar power, we should use every resource at hand to build our grid to produce less pollution and greenhouse gasses."

Expand net metering opportunities: "I would assume that any changes to increase the net metering arrangement must be negotiated with our current regulations with the PUC. I will keep an open mind for consideration of this change."

Conditional, affidavit ballots for new voters: "The current system of affidavits has been successfully used for years and provides proof of eligibility to ensure only those votes are counted. Voting is right that we must protect as vigorously as other rights such as the second amendment."