PRESS RELEASE
ICYMI: Cinde Warmington Campaigns In Meredith on 'Cut The Costs' Tour
MANCHESTER, NH — In Case You Missed It, the Laconia Daily Sun highlighted the first stop of Democratic candidate for governor Cinde Warmington’s statewide “Cut the Costs” tour.
In Meredith, Warmington toured the newly renovated Winnipesaukee Belle and spoke with Jared Maraio, general manager of Mount Washington Cruises. Warmington and Maraio discussed the housing crisis, rising gas prices, and New Hampshire’s tourism economy.
As governor, Warmington will be laser-focused on cutting the costs that are crushing families and small businesses, including taking action on Day One to tackle soaring housing prices.
The full story can be found here and below.
The Laconia Daily Sun: Cinde Warmington campaigns in Meredith on 'Cut the Costs' tour
Cinde Warmington heard firsthand last week that concerns top-of-mind ahead of the election — housing, affordability and workforce pipeline — are affecting small businesses, too.
The Democratic candidate for governor made a Lakes Region stop on her “Cut the Costs” tour, at Meredith Town Docks, on Friday afternoon, speaking with Jared Maraio, general manager of Mount Washington Cruises. Warmington and Maraio sat on the top deck of the newly renovated Winnipesaukee Belle, the newest in the Mount Washington Cruises fleet.
Warmington asked Maraio what struggles he is facing running a small business in New Hampshire, and what she could do as governor to help small businesses across the state thrive.
“You don’t know until you get out there and actually talk to people. But certainly, as executive councilor, I was always out in my district, talking to the businesses, talking to the people of our state to find out what is working, what’s broken, and what can we do to help?” Warmington said. “And that’s the job that we need to be focused on. What can we do to help small businesses thrive in our state? Because we need them to thrive.”
Maraio said Mount Washington Cruises had to buy property, in Meredith, to house workers who can't afford to live where they work. During the peak summer season this year, the company had about 120 employees, 18 of them working through a visa program. Maraio said he doesn't want to be a landlord, and would rather invest money into boats and experiences for guests.
“Here on [Lake] Winnipesaukee, there’s a lot of properties that are actually empty a lot of the time to use for rentals. And so that makes it really hard to bring in seasonal workers, because they have no place to stay,” Maraio said.
Warmington discussed with Maraio his struggles as a small business leader, which are directly impacted by the housing crisis in New Hampshire.
“That is a Day 1 priority for me, is making sure that we are doing everything we can and listening to people, like these small business owners who are coming up with their own solutions and hearing what those solutions are,” Warmington said. “From the governor’s office, how can we help small businesses address this really critical problem so they don’t have to be in the landlord business? He wants to keep growing his business, and instead, he’s invested in housing.”
Maraio said Mount Washington Cruises is privileged to have the ability to buying employee housing because they are such a large company, but many small businesses across the state do not have the funds or resources to follow suit.
“Every season has its own challenges. I think that this one we started out with gas price concerns,” Maraio said.
The Winnipesaukee Belle holds 600 gallons of gas, and the M/S Mount Washington holds 5,000, both diesel. Maraio said The Mount is filled up weekly throughout July, and August, at Weirs Beach, and the other vessels then pull fuel from The Mount.
Maraio said this year, they added a $2 surcharge to ticket purchases, and offered lower priced tickets for guests who booked in advance, offering more incentive to do so.
Warmington asked Maraio what a governor can do to ease these struggles, for him and small businesses across the Granite State.
“Maybe more of a comprehensive look at how we’re doing this,” Maraio said. “Tourism is such a vital part of the economy, if you don’t have the workforce to support it," we get put at risk.
Maraio said housing in the state is the greatest challenge, because the Lakes Region and many businesses rely on travelers to stay here, sparking short-term rentals, which simultaneously make it more difficult for workers to find housing. Maraio also serves as president of the Lakes Region Tourism Association, and said there has been a lot of collaboration around these issues at the state level.
Warmington, the only Democrat running in the gubernatorial election, will face the winner of the Republican primary on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Gov. Kelly Ayotte is challenged by Shaun Fife and Robert McClory. Voters will then choose between Warmington and the top Republican candidate in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.