PAC Update - Post Election

November 8, 2004

Our recently formed Political Action Committee (PAC) has been busy serving the interests of the NHRSTA. We focused on the state’s senate races as well as the gubernatorial race. You may recall that our goal was to support those candidates who have supported us in the past and also to identify those candidates most likely to work with us in the future. Working with Denis Parker, our lobbyist, we identified 9 campaigns.

With the election over, 7 of the 9 Senate candidates that we supported were victorious. Those senate candidates included: Dick Green, Sylvia Larsen, Iris Estabrook, Robert Clegg, Lou D’Allesandro, Tom Eaton, Peter Burling, Mark Fernald and Dave Gelinas. Mark Fernald lost his race and Dave Gelinas’s is being recounted. As we all know John Lynch won the gubernatorial election!

Kit Marshal has been working with our lobbyist, Denis Parker, keeping our focus on our 2 key issues: COLA’s and health care. We are watching for the make-up of the new Fiscal Committee, which will be announced in December. However, the current situation of Speaker Chandler and the investigation into his fundraising may have serious consequences. Speaker Chandler has been a friend to law enforcement. Should he step down, it will impact all committee assignments in the House.

Our PAC is just one of dozens. To learn more about all of the registered PAC’s and the money spent on candidates as well as the candidates themselves, go to the following web site: http://www.sos.nh.gov/political%20page.htm . You can see the most recent filings by the PAC’s and candidates for this election. The site has several downloadable viewers to assist you in viewing these documents.

Please keep in mind that our work as an association is far from done. Our organization needs support from the entire membership if we are to succeed. We have had few volunteers come forward to serve as county coordinators. We envision the county coordinators as being a key component of our overall strategy. They must be able to identify key members of their county’s delegation and be able to reach out to them to promote our causes. If you are interested in helping out, please let us know as soon as possible.

Finally, the Executive Board will be moving to establish several standing committees. They include a Membership Committee to be active in increasing our membership, a By Laws Committee to review the by-laws and recommending possible changes, a Memorabilia Committee to explore if we should create and sell our own memorabilia and a Newsletter Committee to possibly start a quarterly newsletter to both inform and even entertain our members. These committees will create lots of opportunity for participation. Don’t be shy. This organization belongs to all of us. Take a risk and volunteer to participate.

Thank you for your support!
Chairman Roland Lamy