​Proud to have been voted "Windham's Best Local Politician"
​for 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 in Windham Magazine.
Windham
Windham has been my home for twenty-three years.  My husband Rob and I have been busy raising three children here, all educated in Windham schools.  I have been elected to the Windham Planning Board three times and I am currently appointed to the Windham Economic Development Committee, serving as Chair, and to the Windham Housing Authority to bring affordable housing for seniors. In Concord, I serve on the New Hampshire Commission on Aging by appointment of the Governor. Now I ask my fellow Windham residents for your vote September 13th and November 8th for one of the four Windham State Representative seats in Concord.  
"Just as spending money is not always the best fix, neither is every spending cut.  
Spending wisely is the answer.  I want to strengthen what is working, fix what is broken and get rid of what is not needed."  ~ Kristi St. Laurent - candidate

Economy

Windham-specific perspective

Demographics

#30by30

It's all related

 Economy, Demographics (young & old), Education, Energy and more

Windham has much going for it 
Situated at the crossroads of Interstate 93 and State Route 111, Windham is ideally located for business.  We have a highly-skilled and highly-educated workforce.  There are challenges we share with the rest of the region such as high real estate costs for businesses and employees and a limited available workforce.  There are challenges unique in the area, such as limited availability of public water, no sewer service and an abundance of water bodies deserving protection from pollution.
     After over ten years on the Planning Board and serving on the Capital Improvement Committee and the Economic Development Committee I understand these issues well.  I will work with State agencies and the Drinking and Groundwater Trust Fund to ensure that Windham has an approved plan and funding for clean water to address areas of contamination.  This will protect residents and increase potential for desirable business development while reserving available groundwater for the remainder of town not accessible to water lines.

Thirty percent of the New Hampshire population will be over the age of 65 by 2030. 
This needs to become more than cocktail party trivia.  Think of the challenges and opportunities this creates; consider the workforce, housing, medical and social services.  New Hampshire needs to address demographics head-on.  As a member of the NH Commission on Aging, I have learned about the inroads being forged by our public and charitable institutions.  As a State we need to amplify what is working, public or private, and truly listen to what our seniors need.  A shining example is ServiceLink, a clearinghouse of information for seniors and assistance with applications, taxes, etc.  Their budget should not be cut as the number of seniors continues to grow - it should increase.  Their budget has been cut as the calls they answer and people they serve continues to grow.  I will be a strong advocate for successful programs such as ServiceLink to thrive to support our growing older adult population.

No quick fixes

, inLet's start with demographics.  New Hampshire is in the top three for 'oldest' and 'fastest aging' states. This is compounded by decreasing birth rates and one of the highest percentages of high school graduates leaving the state.  Why do they leave?  The high price of higher education (NH is lowest in support to our college and university system), the high housing cost and low availability of rental units (Rockingham County vacancy rates hover just above 1%).  
The loss of young, entry-level people means it is harder to find employees, including for Home Health Agencies and nursing homes serving our seniors.  The graying of the workforce means more retirements for employers to deal with.  Most employers in New Hampshire are small businesses with limited reserves. The high regional energy and real estate costs and a small pool of potential employees all limit their growth.  I will work to see bills pass to support our small businesses, employees, working families and older adults.
Common Sense Leadership in Concord 
It is a job of a legislator to get real results for the people of their district and not get bogged down in ideological battles. The people of Windham deserve a Representative with a common sense, independent, and pragmatic approach to legislating. I will be that Representative.  As I listen to residents, the issues I hear as important to Windham are keeping taxes low and spending them wisely while continuing to grow the NH economy, supporting seniors and veterans and retaining our young people.  These issues are interconnected and must be strengthened both in Windham and throughout the State.