Jonathan D. Arsenault, Democrat

Residence: Laconia

Experience: "I am a near lifelong New Hampshire citizen and activist who was raised in the Laconia School District. My mother Beth Arsenault and grandmother Judie Reever spent their lives dedicated to our states students and communities. I hope to do all that I can to support the schools and programs in our state that helped to raise me and my classmates. While helping our county to do all that it can to meet the moment and continue to make New Hampshire a better home for all of us, and take who choose to spend their lives here."

Position on issues

Broad-based sales tax: "No, New Hampshire's choice to not have a broad-based income tax is an advantage that helps bring businesses and tourism to our state that granite staters and visitors have come to expect. While this requires us to be more creative in funding for our state, changing this would undermine what it means to live and operate in NH."

Broad-based income tax: "No, New Hampshire's choice to not have a broad-based income tax is an advantage that helps bring businesses and tourism to our state that granite staters and visitors have come to expect. While this requires us to be more creative in funding for our state, changing this would undermine what it means to live and operate in NH."

Business tax decrease: "We should do all that we can to find means of bringing in more funding without driving away or hurting small businesses across our state."

Capital gains tax: "We should be looking into all means of raising funding for our state and should not be cutting the taxes of the wealthiest individuals who are already capable of paying their fair share."

Minimum wage increase: "Yes, New Hampshire has lagged behind many other states in the U.S. While wages have risen for nearly all workers across the state to meet modern standards, out of respect for workers in the Granite State, we should raise the minimum wage to represent that standard, were already meeting those new standards and our laws should reflect that."

Encourage local zoning changes for housing development: "Yes, we were currently facing a housing crisis and like many other states we are failing to address the lack of housing here in NH. We are facing a shortage of nearly 60,000 homes in our state and it is driving up housing costs, and putting the weight of our property taxes on a fraction of our citizens while many other struggle to find affordable housing if they can find any at all.

"Onerous zoning laws only serve to cut off dearly needed development when we should be doing all we can to meet the moment and cut into this housing shortage."

Increase funding for child care providers: "More and more families across the Granite State are working households where both parents are working and out of the house for much of their day. We should be supporting our community by providing the best care at affordable prices to help uplift all granite staters to work and raise their families here in NH."

Majority of public school funding through local property taxes: "No, we are currently facing a housing crisis and education vouchers are raising property taxes for families here in New Hampshire. The state should be doing more to provide more funding per student for all school districts across our state. Smaller communities are facing a crisis of rising property taxes while the state fails to provide the best education possible in all corners of NH."

"Education Freedom Account" program: "No, Education Freedom Accounts are largely paying for families to send their students to private schools that they could already afford before the program was founded. This is syphoning funds for public schools that provide education to a majority of students across our state. Vouchers are taking funds for our students and giving more funding to the privileged few who are accepted into these private schools who are more than capable of funding themselves. It is also puttIng more weight rising property taxes that many granite staters are already struggling to afford."

Marijuana legalization with home-growing, no sales: "Unsure, I support legalizing marijuana and catching up with the rest of our neighbors in New England, first and foremost. I support legalized home grow but will support whatever legislation we can bring to the floor to get it done. Marijuana sales could be a great financial boon to our state sand State run stores could be a method to help bring more funding to our state."

Marijuana legalization with private sales: "Unsure, I support whatever is needed in order to get legalization passed."

Marijuana legalization with state-run stores: "While I support legalization by whatever method we can get to the floor, raising funds through marijuana sales under a system that we have already built for liquor sales in our state could help alleviate our dependence on other methods of taxation in NH."

Repeal ban on abortion after 24 weeks: "Yes we should have no limits on the ability to get an abortion here in the Granite State."

Guarantee right to abortion before 24 weeks: "Yes, we should have no limits on the ability to get an abortion here in the Granite State."

Ban abortion during 2nd trimester: "No, we should have no limits on the ability to get an abortion here in the Granite State."

Ban abortion during 1st trimester: "No, we should have no limits on the ability to get an abortion here in the Granite State."

Protection for interstate travel related to gender, abortion: "Yes, we should place no limits on abortion in NH. We should be protecting the right to an abortion across the country, but we should not change our standards to limits placed on citizens in other states."

Stricter gun laws: "Yes, we need more red flag laws to protect our citizens from those who have shown themselves prone to violence towards others or in their home."

Require local immigration enforcement: "We should provide whatever enforcement is required by federal law and to meet the standards needed to maintain security at our border."

Climate change action: "We should do all we can to expand our energy portfolio and drive down energy prices in our state. That means funding solar and wind project to help meet our 25% renewable energy portfolio to protect our environment and help drive down energy prices across the state."

Expand net metering opportunities: "Absolutely, net metering helps more Granite Staters but in to their own energy solutions provide more energy back to our grid to supplement our energy to our local power grid. We should absolutely do all we can to repay those who make the jump to solar energy and provide back to their own communities."

Conditional, affidavit ballots for new voters: "Absolutely, every citizen should be able to vote with as few barriers as possible. Affidavits allow people to vote no matter their situation and the state is more than capable of confirming these affidavits following the election."