Claudia Y. Istel
Historical Details
Position on Issues
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
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?
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire ban abortion after 24 weeks gestation, with exceptions for cases of rape/incest and health complications?
"I'm pro-life and pro-choice. I respect life before and after birth, so pre-natal care is important. I trust women to make choices about their reproductive health without government interference. The reason for needing an abortion is heart-rending. Good sex education and affordable, accessible birth control reduce abortions."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018
"Probably everyone knows at least one person who has been a victim of the opioid crisis. The addicted and their families and communities - and our prisons - need programs that address this issue."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the first trimester (e.g. after 6 weeks gestation)?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the second trimester (e.g. after 15 weeks gestation)?
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should NH add an income tax on earned income?
"For decades taking the pledge against an income or sales tax has been viewed as supporting the NH way. An income tax is not popular, but neither is passing on expenses to the municipalities which then have to raise property taxes."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should NH add a broad-based sales tax?
"A sales tax is a regressive tax. Low wage workers will pay a larger percentage of their income on a sales tax than more affluent earners will. Any tax adds a layer of administration that will eat into the revenues."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?
"Decreasing business taxes doesn't always improve the state's economy. The state currently relies heavily on business taxes for a large portion of its revenue. The big question is always how to provide a balance between the strain of local property taxes and the need for state revenue sources."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire add a tax on capital gains?
"Again, any tax is viewed with skepticism. This is a tax on unearned income and could allow small investors to be exempt from taxes on some portion of their capital gains income."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire increase the tax on cigarettes?
"The percentage of Granite Staters who smoke is below the national percentage. Raising the cigarette tax to increase revenue may just encourage more people to quit smoking, which is probably even better for overall well-being of our state."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire government do more to address climate change?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support giving voters who register without ID on Election Day a ballot that only counts if they return identifying documents to the state before a deadline?
Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire add restrictions to the governor's powers during a state of emergency?
"Undecided"
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should the state do more to encourage municipalities to remove zoning barriers to housing development?
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
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?
When asked a similar question on the 2020 Citizens Count survey Istel wrote, "NH is behind all the New England states in solar panel installations. Encouraging home owners to be more energy efficient, reducing their greenhouse gas emissions is to everyone's benefit. Net energy metering encourages investment in solar power."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire extend the renewable portfolio standard past 2025, requiring public utilities to obtain more than 25% of electricity from renewable energy sources?
"Climate change threatens our environment and every aspect of our health, well-being, and economy. We need to make changes now to ensure that we will have a livable planet for the future."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire guarantee the right to access abortion before 24 weeks?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should the state increase funding for child care providers?
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire increase public access to reports of police misconduct?
"Misconduct by anyone who serves the public is an abuse of public trust. Police, with their position of authority and possession of weapons - and the great numbers of police caused deaths in recent years - are being particularly scrutinized now. Public trust relies on transparency."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Do you support the option of mail-in ballots for all voters, not just absentees?
"Voting should be easy, and no one should be prevented from voting because of their health, work schedule, etc."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support New Hampshire’s current system of public school funding, with about two-thirds of total funding coming from local property taxes?
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should NH legalize the recreational use of marijuana?
"Legalizing recreational use of marijuana will lead to fewer court cases and jail time. Having an effective way of determining impairment to prevent driving under the influence is important for public safety."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by allowing home-growing and private use without sales?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by licensing growers and private retail locations?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by establishing state-run cannabis stores?
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018
"The cost of good health insurance is one of the biggest issue of people in this district, but the solutions are more federal than state issues. Medicaid expansion was renewed in NH this year."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire raise the minimum wage?
"NH relies on the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr. which has not been raised in nine years and is barely a poverty wage for a full-time worker. Our neighboring states have minimum wages over $3/hr. more than NH. Full-time workers should not have to rely on public assistance to make ends meet."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire increase the size of solar panel installations that may participate in net energy metering?
"NH is behind all the New England states in solar panel installations. Encouraging home owners to be more energy efficient, reducing their greenhouse gas emissions is to everyone's benefit. Net energy metering encourages investment in solar power."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire increase subsidies and tax credits for business investment?
"Often subsidies and tax credits benefit the businesses and not the communities. Around the country there are cases where the perceived municipal benefit has been completely eroded by the costs to the municipality, borne by the tax payers."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire increase the base amount of per-pupil funding it provides to local school districts?
"The state amount for an adequate education is less than $4000/student, yet frugal Granite Staters will bear high property taxes to fund three times and more that amount to educate the children in their communities. The cost of an adequate education is much higher than the state's amount."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Do you support Gov. Sununu's proposal to allow employers and employees to opt-in to a private, paid family and medical leave insurance plan, based on a pool of state employees, excluding coverage for personal illness?
"This plan doesn't cover all the employees who need this benefit. Almost every worker will need this benefit at some point, often unexpectedly. Having a voluntary program will leave many workers without benefits when they need them most."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire add legal protections for residents of other states who travel here for health care related to abortion or gender transition?
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire continue to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which requires utilities to purchase allowances for every ton of carbon they emit?
"For"
For| Read My Position
"I will advocate for ... protecting our natural resources to have a clean environment for the health of our citizens, to promote renewable energy, and to support natural resources and agricultural businesses and tourism."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire repeal the ban on abortion after 24 weeks gestation?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH require local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement?
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire create a road usage fee?
"The concept of a road usage fee is to increase revenues from the drivers of high mileage, hybrid, and electric vehicles that are paying less or nothing in gas taxes. It's fair that everyone who uses roads contributes to their maintenance, but this needs to be balanced with not penalizing drivers for their energy efficient choices."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire create a statewide family and medical leave program, paid for with a percentage of employee wages, with no opt-out?
"A small payment by everyone into a fund that employers can use to pay workers on leave benefits the health and well-being of workers and their families and relieves financial stress in the midst of so much other worry and stress. It helps employers hold on to valued employees."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should NH pass stricter gun control laws?
"The goal is gun violence prevention. Universal background checks, waiting periods, and gun safety training can help with this. Hunting is a part of the NH culture, and there are people who feel that a gun is important for their safety."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire provide student loan debt repayment programs for workers in industries with labor shortages?
"Student debt in NH is among the highest in the nation. Both young and older adults saddled with huge amounts of student debt cannot fully participate as purchasers of vehicles and homes to boost our economy. Debt forgiveness can bring needed educators, medical workers, and others to areas with labor shortages."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire add tax incentives for affordable housing development?
"The cost of housing is prohibitive for many Granite Staters who must pay more than the recommended 1/3 of their income for housing. New housing development should include affordable housing and at the same time not be an undue burden on the munipality because of unrealized revenue because of steep tax incentives."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2020
Should New Hampshire allocate tax revenues for private and home schooling costs?
"Public funds from taxes should fund public schools."
