John Larochelle
Running for: NH House Strafford County District 07
Completed our 2026 State Candidate Survey
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?
"Education Freedom Accounts could draw funds away from public education. Eligibility for these funds should come with an income limit. Public education is required to be transparent and accountable. If we are going to fund Freedom Accounts, we should require the same level of transparency and accountability. I don't think this is in place with the current program."Other| 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?
"In private settings, let the participants decide. In public settings where there are individual compartments and biological gender is not obvious, and there is no perceived threat, do not regulate."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the first trimester (e.g. after 6 weeks gestation)?
"I am pro life and pro individual liberty. This makes abortion a dilemma for me. The fundamental problem is unwanted conception. I favor addressing that. Many countries have much lower rates of abortion than the US. They typically use sound education on reproduction and provide easily accessible facilities for family planning. Women bear the brunt of the abortion issue. Include men in the responsibility for unwanted conception."Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the second trimester (e.g. after 15 weeks gestation)?
"I am pro life and pro individual liberty. This makes abortion a dilemma for me. The fundamental problem is unwanted conception. I favor addressing that. Many countries have much lower rates of abortion than the US. They typically use sound education on reproduction and provide easily accessible facilities for family planning. Women bear the brunt of the abortion issue. Include men in the responsibility for unwanted conception."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should NH add an income tax on earned income?
"We need a new approach to fund public services. The current system puts an great burden on some of the people who can least afford it. Homes, like food, are basic needs. The current system of taxing home values taxes a basic need regardless of ability to pay. The current supply and demand situation for workforce housing has driven the assessed values of "starter homes" far beyond what young families can afford. We need a system that considers the ability to contribute."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?
"Like the dividends and interest tax, the tax applies to profits above a threshold, around $100,000. I would consider raising the threshold to reduce the impact on small businesses. I would only consider reducing the tax if it reduced our competitive position in attracting and growing businesses."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should the state do more to encourage municipalities to remove zoning barriers to housing development?
"The State could provide incentives to encourage municipalities to create more workforce and affordable housing. I want to keep local control of zoning. The City of Rochester is very active in pursuing additional housing."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?
"The Seabrook Nuclear power plant is able to supply all of New Hampshire's electric power needs. However, it is part of the ISO New England power grid and provides the majority of its power to other states. Nuclear power technology has evolved to design power plants that can be safe and practical. The problem is the up front cost of construction and regulations inhibiting construction. Once built and operating they provide power at a competitive price without emitting greenhouse gasses. SMRs may address some of the issues that inhibit construction."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?
"I favor distributed energy resources like net energy metering subject to the ability of the electric grid to be able to adsorb it in a way that reduces the cost of electricity in NH."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire restore funding for the Office of the Child Advocate?
"As a society we are all responsible for the well-being of all our children. It is obvious that many children are not getting the needed support to become happy well functioning adults. Not adequately funding support for children will cost us more in the long run."Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire guarantee the right to access abortion before 24 weeks?
"I am pro life and pro individual liberty. This makes abortion a dilemma for me. The fundamental problem is unwanted conception. I favor addressing that. Many countries have much lower rates of abortion than the US. They typically use sound education on reproduction and provide easily accessible facilities for family planning. Women bear the brunt of the abortion issue. Include men in the responsibility for unwanted conception."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire reinstate the interest and dividends tax?
"This tax is paid by people who have a greater ability to contribute. Working class people rarely pay this tax because they are struggling to make ends meet and have little left over to invest. The former tax applied to income over a threshold amount and had exemption (like excluding income and dividends from retirement accounts like 401Ks and IRAs)."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?
"Local schools need more funding from state and national levels. All students should get an education that lets them realize their potential and pursue their career goals. The quality of education should not be dependent on valuation of the homes in their local municipality."For| 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 'drug' that cost the greatest personal and societal harm is alcohol. Prohibition was a failure. I advocate against the use or marijuana as it is documented that it can be harmful. It is less harmful than alcohol and perhaps tobacco. If it remains illegal in NH, people will still have easy access to it from surrounding states and NH will have less control on its sale and use. NH is also losing potential tax revenue to adjacent states."For| 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 'drug' that cost the greatest personal and societal harm is alcohol. Prohibition was a failure. I advocate against the use or marijuana as it is documented that it can be harmful. It is less harmful than alcohol and perhaps tobacco. If it remains illegal in NH, people will still have easy access to it from surrounding states and NH will have less control on its sale and use. NH is also losing potential tax revenue to adjacent states."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 'drug' that cost the greatest personal and societal harm is alcohol. Prohibition was a failure. I advocate against the use or marijuana as it is documented that it can be harmful. It is less harmful than alcohol and perhaps tobacco. If it remains illegal in NH, people will still have easy access to it from surrounding states and NH will have less control on its sale and use. NH is also losing potential tax revenue to adjacent states."Other| 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?
"Ideally, voters should have valid government identification like a drivers license, REAL ID, state ID or passport to verify their identity, and qualify them to vote. Such documents are hard to counterfeit and are useful in many other transactions. The State should provide readily accessible locations to easily acquire these documents. These documents would be useful to the individual for preventing identity theft. On the other hand, I have observed our polls in person (served once as a moderator at the polls in Ward 3) and I think the current system works fairly well."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?
"I advocate for individual freedoms and choice. But, I am for local control of education. My concern is that open enrolment would reduce funding to local schools with a potential downward spiral of the quality of education as students left and took funding to other schools. We need to provide for students who have special needs and if that can not be done locally, then the students should be provided with alternate educational opportunities."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire repeal the ban on abortion after 24 weeks gestation?
"I am pro life and pro individual liberty. This makes abortion a dilemma for me. The fundamental problem is unwanted conception. I favor addressing that. Many countries have much lower rates of abortion than the US. They typically use sound education on reproduction and provide easily accessible facilities for family planning. Women bear the brunt of the abortion issue. Include men in the responsibility for unwanted conception."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should state law cap how much local school districts can increase their budget each year?
"We do not need the State taking away local control of education and setting limits on school spending. Rochester has adopted a City wide tax cap that includes the schools."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should NH pass stricter gun control laws?
"I favor the NH Constitution provision that guarantees that persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, and their property. However, there need to be "guard rails" around this right. For example, persons convicted of violent crimes or have mental health issues that predispose them to violence should not be eligible to have arms. We need to address the root cause of violence. Banning guns will not keep them out of the hands of people with homicidal intent. We have witnessed many cases where knives and motor vehicles can be used to cause harm. My approach is to advocate for mental health and identifying persons who are not feeling part of a community."
