NASHUA – Exactly one week from today, city voters will select candidates to serve on the Nashua Board of Aldermen.

In Ward 4, two candidates have come forward seeking to represent the ward, as Arthur Craffey is challenging current Alderman Tom Lopez.

Lopez

Lopez hopes to continue serving the residents of Ward 4 because there is more work to be done. One of the reasons he first ran was because he wanted to improve affordable housing options, in addition to stabilizing what he believed was a collapsing infrastructure for low income and affordable housing.

Another key issue for him is the opioid crisis, especially being someone with direct experience during his time as a social worker.

“Now, I’m looking at the reduction of safe supports, a reduction in federal supports with regard to homelessness and mental health and suicide prevention,” Lopez said. “I’m seeing less and less support being given, and seeing our nonprofit organizations being strained. I feel like I have a role to play with my experience and my background.”

Additionally, Lopez believes city officials should be mindful about deferred maintenance. He views this in terms of both physical infrastructure, as well as the city’s workforce.

Lopez said he believes the city should consider investing more in the public school system. He said there are not enough teachers and counselors, for example.

However, for the city’s greatest asset, Lopez said: “We have extremely creative, educated and dynamic people.”

Craffey

Craffey said he is running for a number of reasons, but said the BOA needs a change in leadership. When he was on the board previously from 2009 to 2013, he said officials adhered to the spending cap. However, the limit since been ruled unenforceable by the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

Nonetheless, Craffey wants to make sure the taxes stay low, and wants to make sure officials focus on what he calls the three basics:

• Public safety,

• Infrastructure,

• Education.

“I want to keep the taxes low and right now, this board as it is comprised, do not do that,” Craffey said. “I want to be the cap.”

Moreover, Craffey said he lives in area of his ward where sidewalks are an ongoing problem.

“Infrastructure other than downtown needs to be taken care,” Craffey said. “Nashua is more than just downtown.”

For him, the city’s history and the resources that are available are Nashua’s greatest assets. He said the city has great resources for tech startup companies, economic revitalization zones and more.

Additionally, he said members of the Board of Education and Board of Aldermen must work together to modernize schools, which he hopes will be a bright star in Nashua’s future.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206, or at aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.

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