NH State Representative Steven Smith

On Sunday, October 12th, please join me on Main St. in Charlestown for the Harvest Walk.  This walk benefits the Fall Mountain Food Shelf.  This organization helps ensure that our friends and neighbors don’t go hungry.  Every one dollar raised allows them to get 11 pounds of food.  So, if you only have one dollar, please bring it down.  if you can’t spare anything, I understand.  Maybe you can come walk with us to show support for this worthy cause as we go into the holiday season.  Meet at the Congregational Church at 2PM.

I’ve gotten some pretty upset calls and emails regarding the coming electric company rate increases.  These rate increases are stunning, huge, and came without any warning to the public.  Merry Christmas.  Even more disturbing, I found out the same way you did.  I saw it in the papers.  Thank you Governor Hassan for hanging us lowly local representatives out to dry.

Rate increases don’t just happen.  There is a whole process that goes through the Office of Energy and Planning and the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission.  The NHPUC is composed of three Commissioners appointed by the Governor. The Office of Energy and Planning (OEP) is part of the Executive Department within the Office of the Governor.

Normally, the NH Governor is involved in these proceedings with their appointees and employees, or is at least aware of them.  How this could happen without giving you warning, without coordinating with local officials (like me) knowing that this will cause severe hardship right before the holidays, is a question that needs to be answered.  We have not seen this great a failure in state government in many years.

I know it doesn’t help you get through this hard time, but I am working to figure out a way to make sure that you are never sandbagged like this again.  I heard from someone in Charlestown who found out that the rate increase would be in his very next bill.  That just is not acceptable.

Steve

Busy day campaigning on October 4.  I will be at the Charlestown Transfer Station with Tom Laware from 8AM-11AM.  Then we’re off to the Claremont Chili fest to support our local candidates.  At 5, I’ll be at the Charlestown Senior Center for a turkey dinner.