The new year always brings a sense of hope, renewal, and of course, resolutions.

For me, one of those resolutions is to express my heartfelt gratitude to the voters of Senate District 9 for entrusting me once again to represent them in Concord. I truly enjoyed meeting so many people, whether at your front door, in candidate forums or at community events. Your well wishes, support, encouragement and kind words remind me daily why New Hampshire is such a special place to call home and why it's so important we fight to protect what makes our state so special.

As we look at 2025, we know there will be many new challenges and opportunities ahead. Crafting a balanced budget will be a top priority. We need to live within our means while prioritizing the needs that matter most. Firstly, I believe it is vitally important that we maintain our income- and sales tax-free status. It’s no accident that New Hampshire leads the nation in so many economic categories, and that starts by ensuring we maintain our no income and no sales tax status.

It is also critical that we fight for property tax relief. As a steadfast advocate for property tax relief, we should not increase property taxes on select towns to pay for education funding. It needs to be noted that in the previous budget, we increased education funding by $169 million, which will grow by another 31% over 10  years.

We need to prioritize property tax relief and pursue innovative solutions, such as SB99, which I authored in 2021. That legislation dedicated 30% of Rooms and Meals Tax revenue to our cities and towns. For my hometown of Bedford, this resulted in a doubling of funding, providing over $1 million in new dollars annually. The other 13 towns in my district have seen a similar doubling of funding, collectively seeing a 99% funding increase.

Infrastructure investment remains another priority. My 2023 legislation secured $15 million for water and sewer projects, which are critical to fostering affordable housing solutions across the state. While budgets are tight, I will work to maximize federal Medicaid matching funds and explore opportunities to expand charitable gaming. Not only would expanded gaming enhance state revenue, but it would also provide additional resources for our valuable charities and the work that they do.

Supporting families remains close to my heart. I have championed efforts to provide more resources for young mothers and introduced "Momnibus 2.0," a comprehensive bill aimed at helping young mothers return to the workforce while ensuring the health, safety and well-being of their families.

Public safety is another legislative priority for me. The challenges posed by open borders demand action. I remain committed to ending sanctuary policies that are a magnet for illegal immigration. We need only look to our neighbor, Massachusetts, which spent over $1 billion in taxpayer funds housing illegal immigrants and witnessed devastating crimes committed by individuals in the country unlawfully.

Here in New Hampshire, we must prioritize funding for law enforcement at our northern border. Following my visit there last May, I am even more resolved to support initiatives that prevent illegal entry, drug smuggling, human trafficking, and potential terrorist threats. I also look forward to working alongside Gov. Kelly Ayotte to strengthen our bail laws.

In our schools, parents deserve transparency regarding what is happening in their kids' classrooms. We must pass a parents' bill of rights. I also introduced a bill prohibiting cellphones in classrooms, ensuring students focus on learning.

On the health care front, I am thrilled to see the Insurance Department implement my “prior-authorization” reform. Too many individuals have faced unacceptable delays or denials in receiving critical health care. Under my legislation, insurance companies are held to strict timelines for decision-making, and the Insurance Department now has enhanced oversight to ensure compliance. I will continue monitoring this closely to guarantee that patients can access the care they’ve paid for.

It is a tremendous honor to serve in the New Hampshire Senate. With the capable leadership of Senate President Sharon Carson, I am eager to work with all 23 of my colleagues to address the issues that matter most to you.

My door is always open. I remain committed to listening, solving problems and always, always working for you. I love hearing from you and look forward to attending as many community events as possible. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at 603-271-1403

Thank you once again for giving me the opportunity to serve our wonderful state.

Republican state Sen. Denise Ricciardi represents Greenfield, Jaffrey, Lyndeborough, Sharon and Temple.