Hi, I'm Dick Thackston
Thank-you very much for taking the time and having interest in this race. Your participation - simply by checking out this site - is what ensures democracy. Democracy dies alone in the dark and in fear not in the cleansing light of day and righteous candor of a New Hampshire Town Meeting.
It is my mission to be an advocate for our towns, Fitzwilliam and Troy as well as the Monadnock Region. Our District, Cheshire 12, is composed of two small towns similar in many ways with a shared history and seperate in many ways due to taxation and time. The corrosive affect of poor tax policy can be seen nowhere more clearly than the stress between Fitzwilliam & Troy over School District Taxtion. I believe that all too often our Towns and Region have been lost in the shuffle in Concord and my goal is to change that as much as possible. To effect change that's long lasting, that people want to see, is to effect that change from within by participation. Participation is what makes New Hampshire's Citizen Legislature work. My votes will always be guided by four guiding principals: Why is this legislation necessary? In the long run who is hurt and who benefits by this legisation? Would the community be better able to handle this matter on a local or individual basis? Fear of loss is a greater motivator than the expectation of gain; I will not be motived by fear.
I have lived in Troy since August 4, 1991. The neighborhood I lived in for most of that time is Bowkerville, (really it's on the map), and the homes in Bowkerville are about equally divided between Troy and Fitzwilliam. Many homes pay taxes in both towns. I live in Troy Village on Russell Avenue now but my mother, son and ex-wife all still live in Bowkerville in the same house. I think living in Bowkerville, knowing the people, seeing the tax bills, seeing the businesses and industry change gives me a unique perspective on the Cheshire 12 Legislative District.
The district is composed of Troy & Fitzwilliam only and if you've lived in Bowkerville actually you've lived in both towns. When our house caught on fire on Christmas Eve '92 (?) both towns responded, when my Mom had a medical events Fitzwilliam one time; Troy another. The truth is the two towns work well together but I digress...I raised a family since moving to the area, two girls and a boy...I had one wife and then I didn't...I built a business, first I worked for my Father-In-Law, we got alone well, I learned a lot, but we agreed to disagree and I went out on my own; I always thought he was pleased with my success or at least that I didn't have to borrow money from him.
I served the Town of Troy for several terms over twenty years on the Monadnock Regional School District much of which I served as Chairman. (I noted with some surprise when I was in Swanzey recently, that the forty year old "Temporary" classrooms I worked to have removed from MRHS for most of my time are finally gone.)...I served the Town of Troy as Moderator responsible for counting votes and running Town Meeting, Troy uses a Town Meeting for local government...I am currently serving in my Second term as a Troy Selectman and am the Chairman. Since shortly after joining the Troy Select Board I started live streaming the Select Board meetings on Facebook unedited, (see group In session Cheshire County Public Meetings and Forums); I am constantly amazed at the large number of people that check into our meetings but I'm glad they do...
This information is supposed to tell you "about" me so I should probably add that I was raised primarily in New Jersey...I am descended on several sides from people who fought in the Revolution: Henry Littel at the Battle of Springfield, New Jersey; James Thackston came with Washington to Massachussetts after Lexington & Concord several Calavry actions of note joined the Society of Cincinnati at Washington's invitation after the war...and various other characters through American History a New York City Alderman, a Confedrate Mailman that ran a Ferro Wheel after the War, a couple of true "Horatio Alger" stories of men and women who lifed themselves up by their own bootstraps to provide for their families and survive the vicisstudes of fate...for education I went to regular old public schools, James Caldwell School in Springfield, New Jersey - Central Jr. High School in Parsppany New Jersey - what was then called George Washington University School of Government & Business Administration, Washington, DC and I graduated from Goerge Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. That's about it about me.