Citizen - Guinta sounds like a candidate

For not having officially announced his candidacy for governor in this coming November's election, Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta sure sounded like a candidate when he addressed the Belknap County Republicans at their monthly meeting at the Shang Hai restaurant in Laconia.

"It's great to see Republicans energized talking about the possibilities for 2008," said Guinta.

Guinta is in his second term as mayor and outlined his accomplishments, including lowering crime, curbing spending and maintaining an ability to work across party lines to get the job done.

Over the course of his address, Guinta covered several topics including keeping the New Hampshire advantage, parental notification and the 171⁄2 percent spending increase.

The mayor initiated the budget discussion by fielding a question on the property tax issue posed by John Downs, or JD the Barber as he is known in Laconia, who offered a proposal for a property tax cap.

"We don't have a revenue issue in this state, we have a spending problem," said Guinta, laying responsibility at the door of current Democratic governor, John Lynch.

He noted that he would support a property tax cap as he believes it would force whoever is in Concord to spend wisely and for things that are truly needed.

"We've already seen a small part of what the other party will do to this state," warned Guinta. "Someone has to step up."

Whether it will be Guinta who steps to the Republican plate for an at-bat as Governor is something that remains to be seen. When asked about that directly by Rep. Laurie Boyce, R-Alton, Guinta said he was looking at the possibility of running but had yet to make a formal decision.

Guinta also tackled the retirement system issue by saying that he would start by looking at other states and make sure the problem was not used as an excuse to implement a broad based tax system.

"Do you see solutions being brought to the problem, or excuses?" asked Guinta.

Another Republic candidate was present at the evening meeting.  Grant Bosse, who is running for the 2nd District congressional seat preceded Guinta by giving a brief address to county Republicans about his own campaign.

Bosse, who severed as a staff member for Sen. John E. Sununu, is one of four Republican candidates seeking the seat now filled by Paul Hodes.

"Congress is broken and I'd like to fix it," said Bosse, who advocated a return to the core of democracy concerning national defense and economic stability though responsible governmental spending, among other things.

On a personal note, Bosse attributed much of his success and coming to politics to the late House Minority Leader Michael Whalley. Like many Republicans from around the state, both Bosse and Guinta had attend Whalley's funeral last week.