Politics & Government
Police Commission Candidates Debate Prostitution, New Station
The election is Nov. 5.
Tuesday's municipal election in Portsmouth will feature three Police Commission candidates vying for two spots on the board.
The candidates are John Russo, Gerry Howe and Brenna Cavanaugh. Russo and Howe are incumbents.
The trio on Tuesday participated in a forum hosted by Citizens for Voter Education. Here are excerpts from the candidates' speeches:
Gerry Howe
"We have a problem with prostitution in Portsmouth."
Brenna Cavanaugh
"The Geraldine Webber case has overshadowed the remarkable work our police officers do everyday ... I'm running to repair the relationship between the police department and the community."
John Russo
"We are going to be needing a new police station soon ... We've been here for 22 years. It never really was conducive to a real police station."
Tuesday's election will also feature two candidates for one seat on the Fire Commission. Below is an excerpt from candidate Richard Gamester's speech at the forum (the other candidate, Jennifer Mosher-Matthes, did not attend):
"It's time for the city and the towns surrounding to collaborate ... It needs to be talked about. (Regionalization) is a combination of product and talent to save money."
Tuesday's election will also feature City Council and School Board races. Get up to speed with our voter guide.
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