Gregg Hough: Opponent's 'achievements' are nothing to be boasting about

To The Daily Sun,

Transparency is an important plank in my platform in running for Laconia City Council. I believe as representative in city government it is paramount that the people one works for know what they stand for, what their ethics are, and ultimately what they vote for and why. My opponent in five years in office literally has no information footprint. No social media, no direct messaging in the paper, he is a ghost. He put out one letter to the editor over a month ago and has remained silent since.

He boasts in his letter to the editor, “as chair of the Finance Committee, we maintained our city budget to be within the tax cap,” This is not a skillful feat; it’s required by law. He also boasts, “in some years even reduced the tax rate for the residents of Laconia.” What he again conveniently omits is although the rate may have gone down the tax that we all paid went dramatically up. This is due to policies he and the old boys club endorse.

He boasts of forming and being chair of the appointment subcommittee. A committee that screens people applying for committee work to make sure of their competence. A committee that includes Bruce Cheney and Mark Haynes, two people who appointed Bob Soucy to the city council five years ago. Coincidently, they in consort with our former mayor placed Charlie St. Clair on no less than five committees, including the planning board, and the master plan steering committee. Yes, the same Charlie St. Clair that they considered using city funds of $700,000 to purchase his building, named 1st Laconia Citizen of the Year, and subsequently interim mayor of Laconia. It is really time for a change.

Gregg Hough

Laconia