On Nov. 2, we will be having our nonpartisan municipal elections. Everyone should know we do nonpartisan, so we can avoid a primary, saving the city money.

We all know it’s not nonpartisan. For any opponent of the party in power, it’s “nonpartisan.” If you are currently registered as a Republican candidate, you say things like “the government should be nonpartisan,” or “I am an independent thinker or a free thinker,” as my opponent did despite having a Donald Trump sign in his yard in the last election.

Other candidates claim they are independent, but are registered as Republicans – oops! The truly declared Independents in this race also lean with the Republican talking points and have taken Republican ballots in the past. They all throw this out there to scheme voters into thinking they are for true change. In the end, it’s the same partisanship as ever.

Alderwoman Lu is an on-paper Democrat only (also married to a police commissioner, by the way). She just withdrew from the race and supported all the Republican candidates. Why? Because she is not a real Democrat, it must be a scheme to help Republicans.

Even with the police commission question, they claim it’s not about partisanship, but the Republicans are all supporting it, the Democrats are the ones who are split. Anyone can say what they want, but once you are elected, you better be ready to throw the party themes out and work for all the people.

Sidewalks and roads serve all parties and also non-voters. Some candidates mention the PAC – it’s already being built – or the city mask mandate – that was over many months ago. Why are we looking back except to learn from it? Nashua must move forward.

We need affordable housing, commuter rail, small businesses that have enough employees, less vacant buildings and storefronts and more city revenue. Candidates for all races on the Republican or Independent side welcome less property taxes, but they don’t say what to cut. They call city hall corrupt and spending wasteful, but again what should they cut?

The state impacted property tax rates in this budget by funding state pensions at 100%, instead of industry-wide standards of 80%. They also allowed for monies that go to our public education system to go to parochial and private schools, something never done in the past. In order to keep essential services like fire, police and public health funded in a city this size, taxes had to go up.

I don’t like the increase, either. My property taxes are awful. But people don’t want a sales tax, so the money has to come from somewhere. One Republican woman at a budget meeting was upset that they budgeted for police overtime. One of the Republican talking points always is how they support the police more than the Democrats do – untrue, by the way. This does not sound like support. Overtime is important, the police do not have a 9-to-5 job. Things happen that they cannot control. Cut OT, and you cut a functioning police force.

Because of what happened with the cuts to public education, the budget had to be increased. It is criminal that some schools that have tuition from its students also get state money. Public schools provide services that cost money that other private schools don’t have the burden of supporting.

My opponent has gone on record as saying he does not support the public education system, he wants his tax money back for his portion, and will not send his children to public schools.

These are some reasons for this tax burden.

My goal will be to do what we can to reduce costs while keeping essential services functioning at a high level. This community has been in shock for two years, and it’s time to come out of it.

This election will help move it along. I tend to be financially conservative, but with a wide eye on social justice and community strength. We will have to come together. We need to push hate out of the city, including the neo-Nazis and the Proud Boys.

My opponent appears to be a very nice guy. I have no personal issues with him, but those groups would support him and not me, even if he disavows them. No matter what happens, I hope to work with him. I don’t mention his name – not a Herculean effort to find it – because I don’t disagree with him, just some of his policies.

That’s what we need to get better at, being able to disagree without it turning into crazy vitriol toward people. I think he would work hard, too; we are both political neophytes. I am not running against him, I am running for Ward 8.

My career has been about listening to people and leading employees and customers with compassion for 25 years, working collaboratively and with diverse populations, much like a smaller city. I think all cities in this country can do better with underprivileged populations and its minority citizens, Nashua is not different. I think it’s important that we do better. Diversity and inclusion is something that will continue to make us stronger. It’s important to me. I will work hard for Ward 8 and everyone in this city. I ask you for your vote on Nov. 2. Please vote Thibeault!

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