Rep. Richard Littlefield: Time for Hosmer to step aside for mayor who will clean up city's core issues

To The Daily Sun,

I was a panelist for Dawn Johnson during the mayoral debate.

I made a blanket statement to open up the night without ever asking a question.

I made that blanket statement because Mayor Andrew Hosmer needed to know that his constituents want results on affordable housing and a lot less of the lip service he pays to Laconia's core problems.

I went into the evening planning to do so and completely understand the difference between a statement and a question.

I also know that Mayor Hosmer moon-walked away from questions like where did $1.7 million go, why it didn't make its way back to taxpayers? And when asked if he would denounce partisan gerrymandering going on in his party.

Mayor Hosmer is a great union lobbyist and salesman who speaks eloquently while trying to push his wares.

Unfortunately on property tax relief he simply didn't tell the truth.

That money went into Laconia's general fund that pays for city functions, salaries and benefits.

He also tried to spin my gerrymandering question by saying that I was linking the city council to gerrymandering.

I didn't. I asked him to reassure residents that they wouldn't see gerrymandered wards if the council was tasked with redrawing lines. He did not.

I know it's a thing now to accuse freshman representatives of just not knowing or being willfully misleading.

It's not my thing.

In closing here's what I do know.

Nothing stopped the Laconia City Council and mayor from providing tax relief that was provided by the state and county.

Nothing is stopping Mayor Hosmer from advocating for better educations.

Nothing is stopping Mayor Hosmer from making real, substantive progress in taking care of his constituents on the street.

If he isn't going to crack down and start cleaning up core issues, he should step aside for somebody who will.

Like Dawn Johnson.

Rep. Richard Littlefield

Laconia