Stephen Craig Pierce

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?

"Expanded parental options need to address the cost for lower income families to participate in school choice. With EFA's, many middle income and lower income families can participate in school choice. This program further empowers a better school setting for the student."

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?

"The individual does not force the vast majority to change. The majority prefer a safe and comfortable isolation with privacy. Most people are more comfortable with a same gender setting in bathrooms/locker rooms."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the first trimester (e.g. after 6 weeks gestation)?

"Society has a place at the table with regard to the abortion question. Individual control and choice remain primary in the ongoing discussion of when and when not to abort. Choice does have an end point (with medical exceptions) at 24 weeks in New Hampshire. It is a workable balance."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the second trimester (e.g. after 15 weeks gestation)?

"Society has a place at the table with regard to the abortion question. Individual control and choice remain primary in the ongoing discussion of when and when not to abort. Choice does have an end point (with medical exceptions) at 24 weeks in New Hampshire. It is a workable balance."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should NH add an income tax on earned income?

"Local taxing equals local control. Allowing state level taxes (Income/Sales) removes control from the local level. Taxes collected at the state level is not flow back to the town before the state expends these moneys for state level services. Whatever tax money is revenue shared to the town, the selectboard may expend some of the money before applying the balance as an offset to property taxes. Local control is wholly removed from control of the new taxes."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?

"Measured, incremental reductions. Specific to additional business tax money flowing into the state treasury due to business growth. The reduction further enhances New Hampshire competitive edge at attracting new businesses to our state and confirms New Hampshire supports a predictable tax profile for business enterprise."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should the state do more to encourage municipalities to remove zoning barriers to housing development?

"I stand against local zoning/building/development be implemented or mandated beyond the town level. The town/city is best prepared to determine when to change/adjust/modify zoning and building guidelines. We must be a local control state where each town/city makes the changes as needed. Local knowledge supersedes 'one size fits all' zoning/building changes."

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?

"Safe, cost effective, reliable, and technically mature. Small reactors are less complicated. The complexity of a nuclear reactor grows exponentially as size doubles. Smaller reactors have more location options as they require lower amounts of cooling water."

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?

"New metering is in a growth mode and is a new arena for consumers. I do not want larger entities to take undo advantage (game the system) as net metering becomes more common place. I do not want consumers to pay a price who are not in a position to 'net meter' power back to the electrical grid. I remain optimistic of net metering but careful that the consumer will benefit."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire restore funding for the Office of the Child Advocate?

"Many family resources are available to guide best options for children in complex domestic situations."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire guarantee the right to access abortion before 24 weeks?

"Society has a place at the table with regard to the abortion question. Individual control and choice remain primary in the ongoing discussion of when and when not to abort. Choice does have an end point (with medical exceptions) at 24 weeks in New Hampshire. It is a workable balance."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire reinstate the interest and dividends tax?

"New Hampshire has made great strides positioning the state as a desirable location for business. Our tax structure has become very competitive with Texas, Tennessee, Nevada, and Florida to attract business activity. Furthermore, retirees that have earnings from 401K and IRA investments will pay a tax on the earnings. The 401K and IRA earnings are retirement money for many people. Any retiree receiving a government or company pension will not pay a tax on the pension. It is proven that 97% of the NH people receive interest or dividends below $20,000.00 per year. Hardly a large sum for a retiree. Only 3% of NH people have interest or dividends above $200,000.00 per year."

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 taxation equals local control. Once money is taxed at the state level, it may or may not return (revenue sharing) to the town. The town government may or may not use the revenue sharing to lower property taxes. Too many entities beyond the taxpayer have control; no guarantee the taxpayer receives a property tax reduction similar to the amount paid in taxed wages or sales taxes."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by allowing home-growing and private use without sales?

"Maine's experiment with expanded marijuana laws has proven a nightmare situation. The control, monitoring, enforcement, and accountability have escaped the capabilities of the designated government authorities. People can be cunning, guile, and brazen in a semi-rural or rural environment. New Hampshire is well served to tread cautiously and heed the problems Maine is dealing with during these times."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by licensing growers and private retail locations?

"Maine's experiment with expanded marijuana laws has proven a nightmare situation. The control, monitoring, enforcement, and accountability have escaped the capabilities of the designated government authorities. People can be cunning, guile, and brazen in a semi-rural or rural environment. New Hampshire is well served to tread cautiously and heed the problems Maine is dealing with during these times."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by establishing state-run cannabis stores?

"Maine's experiment with expanded marijuana laws has proven a nightmare situation. The control, monitoring, enforcement, and accountability have escaped the capabilities of the designated government authorities. People can be cunning, guile, and brazen in a semi-rural or rural environment. New Hampshire is well served to tread cautiously and heed the problems Maine is dealing with during these times."

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?

"The vote is sacred. It is not to be squandered with those who profess to not have ID. We need ID to get a job, loan, license, enter into a contract, marry, and be buried. An ID does not hamper anyone from voting; it ensures the voter has the right to vote."

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?

"Stepped process. 10% is fine; larger percentage in the future. Parental options should allow flexible decisions for parent/student education. The student and the students education are paramount. The 'educational system' does not earn protections by limiting parental/student options."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should New Hampshire repeal the ban on abortion after 24 weeks gestation?

"Society has a place at the table with regard to the abortion question. Individual control and choice remain primary in the ongoing discussion of when and when not to abort. Choice does have an end point (with medical exceptions) at 24 weeks in New Hampshire. It is a workable balance."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should state law cap how much local school districts can increase their budget each year?

"Wages and Benefits are the largest cost in school budgets. They are predictable and can be relied upon to be accurate in the immediate future years. School can control increases to match CPI with very little problem."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026

Should NH pass stricter gun control laws?

"The 2nd Amendment is purposeful and needed. People using guns, not the guns, are the problem. Many more crimes against people are by means other than guns. Guns have been highlighted as "dangerous" when other weapons - knives, blunt instruments, hands, etc - play a much larger roll in injury."