To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the letter from Todd Puterbaugh responding to Stan Freda that was published on July 13, 2011. Although Mr. Puterbaugh entitled his letter "Setting the Record Straight," his letter, unfortunately, contains many inaccuracies and is not "straight."

In the Special Election to replace Marty Harty in the Legislature representing Strafford District Three, Todd Puterbaugh's wife, Honey, is one candidate. She is running as a Republican. Bob Perry is the Democrat. Bob Perry has lived in Strafford, New Hampshire for over 39 years.

Todd Puterbaugh, in his letter and Honey Puterbaugh, on her campaign website, both say that they moved here in 2006 to be closer to family. But Todd does not say in his letter, and Honey does not say on her campaign website that in 2006 she signed the Free State Pledge to be part of the political movement of Libertarians coming to New Hampshire to tell us how to run our state. They signed a pledge "I will move to New Hampshire by 12/31/2008 where I will work to bring about a society in which government's maximum role is protecting life, liberty and property." That does not sound like someone moving to New Hampshire to be close to family. And it does not say "if you happen to be moving to New Hampshire, please agree to do this" as Mr Puterbaugh says in his letter. The people who sign this pledge are promising to come here with the purpose to make New Hampshire over into their version of a Libertarian paradise. This pledge appears on the web at www.pledgebank.com/First1000.

Mr. Puterbaugh, in his letter, and Honey Puterbaugh's website mention her experience "growing up" in New Hampshire, but did she? The description on her website could be of someone with a vacation home in Chocorua. Where did she go to high school? Where did she go to elementary school? What was the city or town her parents lived in in New Hampshire when she was growing up? Where were they registered to vote? Where did they register their cars? Where did she actually grow up? Todd Puterbaugh doesn't answer these questions and neither does Ms. Puterbaugh's website.

Bob Perry, by contrast, lived and worked in New Hampshire for over 30 years before he ran for public office. He raised his family and lived the New Hampshire life before seeking public office. He knew what New Hampshire is before he went to Concord to help preserve the best of our state.

Mr. Puterbaugh says that the pledge which he and his wife signed is a restatement of the founding principles of this country and as stated in Article II and III of the New Hampshire Constitution. That is not true. Our Constitution expresses the opposite of the Libertarian philosophy. Article II describes the natural rights of people, including enjoying life, and the equality of rights under law which "shall not be denied." Article III says that when people enter into society they surrender some of their natural rights, in order to ensure the protection of others. If that society does not then protect other people, your surrender is void. Article III says: " we are all in this together," the opposite of the Libertarian philosophy.

Mr. Puterbaugh's comments about Bob Perry are as inaccurate as the rest of his statements. The four years that Bob was in the Legislature expenditures grew more slowly than they had at any time in the last 20 years. The Legislature got a handle on expenditures without slashing services or pushing the costs of government onto the local property tax payers.

If Ms. Puterbaugh is proud of the Free State movement, then why does she hide her connection from the people in District 3? Her pledge says, among other things, that the government should "not provide for people." Todd says private charity should do it, not government. The rest of that statement is that government will do nothing if private charity is not enough to help people. She is not saying things as baldly or as brutally as Marty Harty said them, but she is saying that the government should not help take care of people. That is not the New Hampshire tradition. Our oldest laws say that cities and towns have a duty to take care of those in need. The current Legislature is proposing a Constitutional amendment to change that. Maybe that's one of the early steps in "taking over New Hampshire" to make it into the place the Free Staters want it to be, instead of the place it is and has been.

I don't want that to happen. I don't think most people in District 3 want that to happen. Please vote for Bob Perry on Aug. 9.

Emmanuel Krasner

Farmington