Joseph D. Kenney

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire add tax incentives for affordable housing development?

"This should be driven by the private market as mush as possible."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire increase subsidies and tax credits for business investment?

"Tax credits to some extent already exists in Coos County for businesses and through other means such as Opportunity Zones."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire add a tax on capital gains?

"Against"

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire increase the tax on cigarettes?

"We need to understand our borders states and how they increase or decrease their cigarette taxes in order to remain competitive for tax revenues."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire add restrictions to the governor's powers during a state of emergency?

"The purpose of a Chief Executive is for him or her to govern in times of crisis and work with his or her state commissioners and federal officials. The legislature needs to be informed by the Governor but the Executive Branch needs to take the lead."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire create a statewide family and medical leave program, paid for with a percentage of employee wages, with no opt-out?

"Against family and medical leave insurance program, which would be run by the state department of employment security. Employers would pay 0.5% of wages per employee as premium payments. Employees could take up to twelve weeks of leave and receive 60% of their pay after paying into the program for at least six months. The bill does not allow anyone to opt-out of the program. In essence, it is a broadbase tax."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Do you support Gov. Sununu's proposal to allow employers and employees to opt-in to a private, paid family and medical leave insurance plan, based on a pool of state employees, excluding coverage for personal illness?

"For"

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should NH legalize the recreational use of marijuana?

"Against"

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire increase the size of solar panel installations that may participate in net energy metering?

"It needs to be cost effective and driven by the private sector with some public partnerships."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire ban abortion after 24 weeks gestation, with exceptions for cases of rape/incest and health complications?

"For"

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire increase public access to reports of police misconduct?

"For"

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire continue to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which requires utilities to purchase allowances for every ton of carbon they emit?

"This has a difficult program to calculate the economic benefit to the state of New Hampshire. Also, there is a question whether or not New Hampshire citizens were the main reason for any poor air quality and that this was being brought into the state via western states. We need to breathe clean air but our economic burden is being driven by other states."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire create a road usage fee?

"The NH Executive Council is responsible for toll increases. It is important for the US Congress to pass an infrastructure bill in order to help the states."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire increase the base amount of per-pupil funding it provides to local school districts?

"For towns and cities that have high property taxes, the state should continue the education funding aid program to assist these communities. School enrollment in recent years has been on the decline so there needs to be a reevaluation of the cost of education but it should be locally based for the most part."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire allocate tax revenues for private and home schooling costs?

"Home schooling alleviates a tax burden in regards to transportation and school supplies. COVID-19 has taught us that distance learning can work and it should be available for all types of situations."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should New Hampshire provide student loan debt repayment programs for workers in industries with labor shortages?

"Anytime there are program that create incentives for young workers to relieve them of their student debt while also creating an opportunity for career progression is a good thing."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should there be a higher threshold for the size of state contracts that must be reviewed by the Executive Council (currently $10,000)?

"The NH Executive Councilor needs to maintain tight control over agency contracts and to provide transparency for the general public."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Should a nominee’s political beliefs be an important factor when deciding on an appointment?

"One should try to appoint someone based on their qualifications, experience and peer review, not on their political beliefs."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020

Would you vote for Attorney General Gordon MacDonald to be chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court?

"Mr. McDonald was highly qualified for the position on the State Supreme Court. He was a victim of Washington style partisan politics, which is not needed in NH."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?

"I believe rooms and meals taxes could be lowered. Phasing out the Interest and Dividend taxes would be beneficial."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Do you support state contracts with faith-based organizations?

"The Council has approved faith-based contracts in the past that are non-profits who can provide a service that the state cannot."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Do you support state contracts with Planned Parenthood?

"I have supported many other family planning services associated with health care clinics that do not provide abortions. Planned Parenthood does abortion services and therefore our federal and state laws prohibit public funding to organization who provide abortion services."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should NH pass stricter gun control laws?

"New Hampshire needs to enforce what is currently on the books for gun laws."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should NH add an income tax on earned income?

"Against"

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Do you support the option of mail-in ballots for all voters, not just absentees?

"New Hampshire is a small state, citizens should be able to go to polls and vote. It's a good time to reconnect with ones community and to see democracy in action. Understandably, some citizens cannot vote in person because of health, military service, or other reasons so the system allows them to vote absentee ballot."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should New Hampshire raise the minimum wage?

"Let the market forces dictate wages. No one is making minimum wage. I support NH's current law which states when the federal minimum wage increases our state minimum wage increases at the same time on par with the federal level."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Do you support the option of mail-in ballots for all voters, not just absentees?

"All contracts should be put out to bid. It's the American way!"

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should New Hampshire extend the renewable portfolio standard past 2025, requiring public utilities to obtain more than 25% of electricity from renewable energy sources?

"It is unlikely that New Hampshire will obtain it renewable portfolio standard by 2025. When the law went into effect in 2007, the year 2025 looked like a possibility. Time has proven more infrastructure and investment is needed. I support an extension."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should NH add a broad-based sales tax?

"Against"

2022