MaggieHassanforGovernorAnnouncement RemarksAsPrepared October25,2011,10:30AM ManchesterCommunityCollege Manchester,NH First,Iwanttothankmyfamilyforbeingherewithmethismorning.Tomyhusband TomandourchildrenBenandMegyoursupporthasmeanttheworldtomeandI couldnotimaginestandingheretodaywithoutthethreeofyou.Mymother,Peggy Wood,isalsowithusthismorningmythankstoherandmylatefatherforraising ourfamilyinsuchawarmandlovinghousehold. IalsowanttothankManchesterCommunityCollegeforwelcomingusheretoday andfortheincrediblyimportantworkeveryoneheredoes:MCCisaplacewhere individualscanchartanewcourseforthemselvesandwherehardworkand commitmentpaysoff.Ithighlightswhatisbestaboutourstate.

e. Simplyput,thingshavenotbeeneasyformanyinNewHampshireoverthelastfew years. Ifweourselveshavenotbeenhithardbythedownturnintheeconomy,wehave friendsandneighborswhohave.Manyhavelosttheirjobs.Othershavehadtoget bywithless.Somefamilieshavebeenforcedintoforeclosureandlosttheirhomes. Therecessionhasdramaticallyimpactedfamilieslives,diminishedtheirlifesavings, theirabilitytoretire,theirabilitytopayfortheirchildrentogotocollege. Timesarehard. Istandbeforeyoutodayfortworeasons.First,toannouncethatIamofficiallya candidateforGovernorofthestateofNewHampshire. Andsecond,tosaythatNewHampshirewillrisetomeetthechallengeswefaceand succeed.BecauseGraniteStatersdon'tgiveup.Wedon'twalkawayfromany challenge.Andwedon'tturnourbackonourfamilies,ourfriends,andour neighbors.Likeafamily,wepulltogetherbelievingineachotherandinourselves. WewillkeepNewHampshiremovingforward. Mostofyouknowmefrommyworkinthestatesenate.Butmypubliclifestarted fromaverypersonalplace,manyyearsago,workingtoovercomechallengesour familyandfamilieslikeoursfaced. Asyoucanseetoday,oursonBenhasseverephysicalchallenges.Benis23anda highschoolgraduate.Heissmartandempatheticandhislaughterfueledbya wickedsenseofhumorfillsourhome.Heisascapable,inhisownway,ofteasing andlovinghisyoungersisterasanyolderbrotheris.And,asaresult,Meghas

learnedthatdisabilitiesdontchangecertainfundamentalthingsshebemoansand lovesherbrotherasanyyoungersisterwould. AsBenknows,manypeoplehavequestionsabouttheextentofhisphysical disabilities.Benunderstandseverythinggoingonaroundusrightnow,butcannot dothethingsthatmostofustakeforgrantedwalking,talking,eating,orusinga computer.Buthecommunicatesinhisownwayfacialexpressions,raisinghis handsornoddinghisheadandheisoneofthemostdeterminedandpatient peopleyouwillevermeet.And,Ishouldadd,thatBenssisterMegis,inherown rightaremarkableyoungwomanwhosehorizonshavebeenexpandedevenasshe hasworkedhardtohelpherbigbrother. AsBengrew,TomandIcametounderstandthathewouldneedmorehelpthanwe couldprovideinorderforhimlearn,socialize,andbeincluded.Andwerealized thatitwouldbeuptoustoadvocateforhimandforourfamily. AsweworkedtoincludeBen,hisworldexpandedandsodidours,ascaregivers andprofessionalsencouragedhimtoplay,learn,andlaugh. IwillneverforgetthesenseofwonderandgratitudeTomandIfelttwentyyears agowhenaschoolbuspulledintoourdrivewayandpickedupBenforhisfirstday ofpreschool.AllIcouldthinkaboutwasthat,hadBenbeenbornageneration earlier,wewouldhavebeenurgedtoputhiminaninstitution.Instead,thanksto theadvocacyoffamiliesandindividuals,Benwasgoingtoschool.Hewasgoingto havefriends.ToTomandme,thiswasamiracle. OurexperiencewithBenaswellasmybackgroundasalawyerledmeto advocateforfamilieslikeoursatthelocalandstatelevels.And,asourstatebegan tograpplewiththechallengeofnewschoolfundingrequirements,thenGovernor JeanneShaheenaskedmetoserveontheAdvisoryCommitteetotheAdequacyin EducationandFinanceCommission.MyroleontheCommitteewastorepresent parentsofchildrenattendingpublicschoolsintheschoolfundingprocess.This experienceledtomydecisiontorunforandmyserviceintheStateSenate. Tomsandmychallengesasyoung,firsttimeparents,oftenseemedoverwhelming. Buttheywerentinsurmountable.Wesucceededbecauseweworkedhardevery day,becausethosearoundusadvocatedforusandhelpedus,andbecauseNew Hampshirehelpedcreatetheopportunitiesthatallowedustokeepourfamilyintact andallowedTomandmetoworktochartourown,independentcourse. NewHampshirefamiliescanandwillsucceedinovercomingthesetroubledtimes andthechallengesweface.Butwemustensuretheyhavetheopportunitiesthey needtosolvetheproblemstheyfacetodayandtoworktowardabetterfuture.We havetosettherightprioritiesandfocusonthethingsthatgivepeopleasimplehand upandhelpthemsolvetheirownproblems.

ThatswhyIbelievetogetherwecan: CreatethebestworkforceinAmerica.Theplaintruthisthatinthemodern, globaleconomy,businessesthrivewheretheworkforceisthestrongest.Let'sinvest ineducationsothateverychildinNewHampshirethatwantstogotocollegecando so.Let'sinvestinvocationalandtechnicalprograms,communitycolleges, apprenticeships,jobtrainingandjobretraining.Let'sfosteraclimateforbusinesses tocometoNewHampshireandstayinNewHampshire.Let'sbeclearthat investmentscreatejobsandcreatingjobsmustbeourpriority. Befiscallydisciplined.DuringmysixyearsintheStateSenate,Iworkedwith GovernorJohnLynchtobalancethebudgetandkeepourtaxeslow.Afiscallysound stategovernmentisessentialtoagoodeconomy.ThatswhyIwillpledgetoveto anysalesorincometaxandcommittoabalancedbudgetthatinvestsinour priorities. Leadthenationininnovationbothintheprivateandpublicsector.Small businessandnewtechnologiesaretheengineofeconomicgrowth.Wewillcreatean environmentwherestartups,hightechandbiotechcompanieswanttobeinNew Hampshirebecauseofthequalityofourworkforce,thequalityofourlifeandthe rightpolicies.AndweneedtofollowJohnLynchspathtomakesurethat governmentcontinuestodomorewithlessbymodernizingouroperationsand developingnewstrategiestotackleourproblems. Butinordertodothis,wewillneedtowinthenextelection. Rightnow,inConcord,SpeakerOBrien'slegislaturehasturneditsbackonthe peopleofNewHampshire.Ithasembarkedonanideologicallydrivenagendathat failstocreateanyopportunityforNewHampshirefamilies. Atatimewhenourstatehashadtomakedeepbudgetcutsthislegislatureslashed thetobaccotax. SpeakerOBrienandhisfollowersrepealedtheminimumwageandhavedemonized publicemployeesgoingsofarastocallthem"thugs."Thesepublicemployeesare thepeoplewhokeepourcommunitiessafeaspoliceofficersorfirefighters,teach ourchildrenatourschools,orworkonourhighways,roadsandbridges.Thisisn't thewaytotreatourneighborswhoprovideessentialservices. Insteadofinvestinginourfutureourpubliccolleges,universitiesandcommunity collegesthisgroupofextremistswhonowdominateourStateHouseenactedthe largestfundingcuttoauniversitysystemofanystateinthecountry.Insteadof caringforthosewhoneedourhelp,thislegislaturehasleftevenourmostneedyand infirmtofendforthemselves. AndwithoutthesteadyhandofGovernorJohnLynchatthehelm,thiscouldbejust

thebeginningasOvideLamontagnehassaidrecentlythathewouldbea"radically different"governorthanJohnLynch. OvideLamontagneandSpeakerObrienpushanextremistagendathatmovesus backwards,dividesusandsaystoeveryonethatthingsaresobad,youreonyour ownfromnowon. ButthatisnottheNewHampshireIraisedmyfamilyin.ThatisnottheNew HampshireIwantmychildrentoraisetheirfamiliesin.That'ssimplynottheNew Hampshireweallknowandlove. IamrunningforGovernorbecausewecanovercomethechallengesweface.Wecan buildaneconomythatwillleadthenationandprovideforourfamilies.Wewill succeedintheyearstocome,notbygoingbackwardsalone,butbygoingforward together.IamannouncingmycandidacyforGovernortodaytoleadtheway. ###