MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Wednesday, Kevin Cavanaugh became the third candidate to file their candidacy to become Manchester’s next mayor.
“I feel great, I feel this groundswell of support from friends, family and people from around the city, I’m overwhelmed,” he said on Wednesday. “I can’t wait to see this go all the way through November and win.”
A former state senator and incumbent alderman from Ward 1, Cavanaugh sees homelessness and public safety as the key issues the city currently faces. On the matter of public safety, he noted statistics cited by outgoing Mayor Joyce Craig stated by the Manchester Police Department that violent crime in the city overall is down 38 percent. He also praised initiatives by Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg such as the Shot Spotter program, the addition of 33 new police officers over the last two years and a recent contract negotiation with Axon regarding body-worn cameras, tasers and digital evidence management systems.
Regarding homeless and housing costs, he noted the 2,000 units currently planned or under construction in the city, but said that more must be done.
“I think we need to partner the city with developers and contractors to develop properties and make them affordable and develop more multi-use properties,” he said.
Cavanaugh also sees education as a key issue, particularly in regard to helping provide services to residents through providing jobs to graduating local students.
“When you look at every department (in city government), we’re down employees. When I came out of high school in Manchester graduating from public schools,” he said. “I was ready to go into the workforce and I want every kid to graduate from these schools whether you want to go into four-year school, a trade school or go straight into the workforce, we have to help our kids get to that point and I think that will help with our vacancies.”
Cavanaugh joins Jay Ruais and Will Stewart in the race, June Trisiciani is also expected to file before the signup period closes on Friday.
