Published August 24, 2016 in the Union Leader
Jim Adams for Council: Our pick to restore accountability
EDITORIAL
New Hampshire taxpayers would be well served with Jim Adams on the Executive Council.
The Pittsfield Republican is seeking to replace Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas on the obscure, but important, panel that approves state appointments and contracts.
Pappas has been a rubber stamp for Gov. Maggie Hassan, stocking state agencies with Hassan’s picks and approving questionable contracts.
Adams would restore accountability to the council, no matter who voters choose as New Hampshire’s next governor.
Adams is a U.S. Navy veteran, and chairman of Granite State Taxpayers. But his chief qualification for the job is his experience as chief of staff for the U.S. Postal Service. During six years in that post, Adams helped save $14 billion, instituted zero-based budgeting, and tackled the Postal Service’s unacknowledged pension liabilities.
Closer to home, he oversaw postal operations across New Hampshire and Vermont, managing 7,000 employees and a billion dollar annual budget.
His opponent in the Sept. 13 Republican primary, Joe Kelly Levassuer, is well-known to Manchester voters. His knack for picking petty feuds might liven up Executive Council meetings, but would produce more heat than light.
Adams is a jovial problem solver with a sharp eye for government waste. His experience is perfectly suited to the Executive Council. We urge Republican voters from Londonderry to Loudon to Lee to vote for Jim Adams.