Jeffrey F. Kessler
Overview
Newport Selectman (2007 - present); Commissioner, Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission (2009 - present); Member, Newport Zoning Board of Adjustment; former Member, Newport School Board; Former Technology Coordinator, Newport School District
BS Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University (1977)
PO Box 1018
Newport, NH
United States
History
Position on Issues
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support the “Education Freedom Account” program, which gives students access to the per-pupil share of state school funding to spend on private school or home school expenses?
"Public education money is for education in public schools. A student needing a voucher program education support should come from a public school. Since public education funds are used, public governing should authorize the funds and program."Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire’s anti-discrimination law allow segregation based on biological sex in some settings, such as bathrooms and locker rooms?
"Is this a solution in search of a problem?"Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the first trimester (e.g. after 6 weeks gestation)?
"Against"Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the second trimester (e.g. after 15 weeks gestation)?
"Against"Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should NH add an income tax on earned income?
"In looking to have the state assume more of its responsibility under the NH Constitution to fund public education and reduce the burden on the local property tax, all options should be considered before being rejected. Andru Volinsky's 3-3 Tax Savings Plan may be a bad plan. But solely relying on local property taxes is also bad."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?
"Business tax reductions have cost NH between $800M and $1.2B in revenue during the past decade. Data shows that past cuts have not increased NH businesses enough to cover the lost revenue. This reduction of state revenue reduces state services available to local communities."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should the state do more to encourage municipalities to remove zoning barriers to housing development?
"Zoning changes need to be considered from the needs of our future residents, not the environment our we grew up in."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire do more to encourage the development of nuclear power, including small modular reactors (SMR), in the state?
"Nuclear is great for your constant, steady, reliable source of power. However, any new plant, even your SMR. Is at least 10 years into the future and at an unknown cost. Short term, offshore wind is there for the taking and cost can be easily estimated."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support legislation to expand the net energy metering system capacity cap from 1 MW to 5 MW for all residential and commercial customers in New Hampshire?
"Expanding the net metering capacity could provide economic support to industries concerned about NH's high electricity rates into the future."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire restore funding for the Office of the Child Advocate?
"For"For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire guarantee the right to access abortion before 24 weeks?
"For"For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire reinstate the interest and dividends tax?
"This 100-year-old tax was bringing in $150M plus in revenue for the state. About 90% of NH's residents do not have enough savings to need to pay this tax. The state made up for this reduction in income by reducing services for citizens and passing state responsibilities and cost onto local property taxes."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support New Hampshire’s current system of public school funding, with about two-thirds of total funding coming from local property taxes?
"NH is not meeting its constitutional obligation to adequately fund public schools. The state needs to accept its responsibility and determine the best method of funding public schools to relieve the pressure on the local property tax."Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by allowing home-growing and private use without sales?
"The state can regulate and tax it. Concerns exist over impaired drivers, but how do other states address this and how does NH address impaired medical marijuana users?"Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by licensing growers and private retail locations?
"The state can regulate and tax it. Concerns exist over impaired drivers, but how do other states address this and how does NH address impaired medical marijuana users?"For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by establishing state-run cannabis stores?
"The state can regulate and tax it. Concerns exist over impaired drivers, but how do other states address this and how does NH address impaired medical marijuana users?"Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire require new voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, when registering to vote?
"I have worked at the polls for years. The citizenship proof is new and can deter a citizen that is registering on election day and does not have a passport and their birth certificate does not match their current name."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire allow at least 10% of students in each school district to enroll in a different public school, regardless of where they live?
"Open enrollment as proposed allowed students to move to another school and take a community's public school tax dollars to a different district. The state should invest in struggling communities to bring all public schools to a common set of programs and opportunities."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire repeal the ban on abortion after 24 weeks gestation?
"For"Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should state law cap how much local school districts can increase their budget each year?
"School districts have had the opportunity to vote for tax caps for years. Imposing the question on the November ballot fails to address the reason for higher property taxes, downshifting of costs from the state."Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should NH pass stricter gun control laws?
"I did not support the effort to permit firearms on UNH campuses. Looking at two states allowing firearms on campuses, Wyoming and Texas, both permit concealed carry with Texas requiring a conceal carry permit."
