Dean Cascadden Democratic Candidate for the NH House of Representatives for Meredith
Issues: Public Education Environmental Stewardship Property Tax Relief
Dean Cascadden Democratic Candidate for the NH House of Representatives for Meredith
Dean Cascadden Democratic Candidate for the NH House of Representatives for Meredith
Dean Cascadden Democratic Candidate for the NH House of Representatives for Meredith
My life passions are public education, the natural environment and building empowering organizations that run respect and support the diverse people who engage with them. I have been a biology teacher, a middle school principal, a district curriculum director and a superintendent of schools. I have been a husband, a father and now a grandfather. I care deeply about NH and about our future as a state. I have been engaged in local town and school politics and have also worked with state legislative committees to understand and refine bills. I am very concerned about the influence of the Free State Project on NH.
Presently the NH House is not the People’s House. Jason Osbourne the Majority Leader, the NH Liberty Alliance and members of the Free State Project have a republican majority and vote lock step on ideologically driven bills. Policy decisions have been made putting more costs to the local cities and towns, while at the same time failing to address NH’s long standing educational funding issues. Testimony from citizens on bills often is ignored and votes are consistently determined along party lines. This is not good government.
I believe in government. I believe in local control, and the ability of citizens to come together to civilly debate ideas that will promote the general welfare. I believe in public education as a foundation for democracy, and to support our economic growth. I believe our local public schools build community and respect for others when they recognize diversity and deliver services equitably and in inclusive environments. The over reliance on property tax causes strife in and between our communities. We can look at better funding mechanisms for the diverse student pathways without implementing a sales or income tax. It has been done before with other revenue sources that have been reduced in recent years.
I promote environmental stewardship. We need to manage our natural resources for our present economic health and for future generations. Our Lakes, Mountains and natural areas need protection and reliable funding sources for managing multiple users. Common resources need to be managed fairly or they will be destroyed by selfish interests. Laws and policy that balance the competing interests are critical.

Public education with local control and supported by a wide base of funding is the hope and future of our democracy. In recent years, our schools have been over-regulated and underfunded by the Republican controlled legislature.

As president of the Lake Wicwas association and its lake host coordinator, I see that managing our natural resources for recreation, tourism and preservation is critical to our state.
We all own our lakes and mountains and we need to protect them as we use them.

NH funds most of its services off of Property Taxes, user fees and "sin" taxes. A lot of burden has been pushed from Concord to the localities. There are other sources of revenue that can be looked at to provide the governmental services we want.

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