June Trisciani
Running forMayor
in 2023
Running as Non-Partisan Election
A fourth-generation Manchester native, June Trisciani was raised by the Queen City and has spent her career fighting for families like her own – first as an educator, then a small business owner, and now as Alderman At-Large. June knows what it’s like when Manchester is thriving. She grew up in a hardworking blue-collar family with her grandparents working in the mills. June and her three siblings benefited from Manchester’s public education along with an overflowing community of support when her family needed it most. Today, June is fighting to ensure Manchester can provide those same opportunities for everyone, including: a revitalized economy with good jobs and dignified wages, a world-class education that includes vocational training, affordable housing and a path to homeownership, and safe and inclusive communities. She knows that no matter what hard times Manchester goes through, our city always comes back stronger. As Mayor, we know June will deliver real results for all of us.
Alderman at-large; Chair of the Planning Board and also served on Manchester’s Heritage Commission (both appointed, not elected positions).
Current jobSince 2008, June has been working as an interior designer and owns j. ellen Design, a residential and commercial interior design firm.
June has taught public high school and has served as an adjunct faculty member at the NH Institute of Art. June has also held executive level positions in the software industry managing large operating budgets and running world wide teams. Fifteen years ago, she opened j. ellen Design, a residential and commercial interior design firm. June has experience leading large diverse, collaborative teams and bringing innovative ideas to the table that will be sustainable and beneficial to our community.
Time lived in NHJune is a lifelong resident of Manchester.
June attended Green Acres, St. Joseph's Junior High and Manchester Memorial High School. She has an undergraduate degree in Business/Computer Education and a Master's in Business Education from NH College/Southern NH University. June also has received an Interior Design Certificate from the New Hampshire Institute of Art.
Best way to contact candidatejune@junetrisciani.org
603.502.7800
WebsiteJune Trisciani for Mayor
Why are you running for this office?
I was born and raised in Manchester in a family that valued community service. I am a former public school teacher, software company executive, small business owner, and one of your Aldermen At-Large. I am running for Mayor to continue to build Manchester into the thriving community it is becoming. Manchester is a great place to live and work but there is still work to do. As Alderman At-Large I am out in the community every day talking to folks about their concerns and challenges while working to address their needs. We are at a critical juncture, one where we get to choose what we want our city’s future to look like. Today, Manchester faces some tough challenges:
- Housing is expensive and for various reasons many of our fellow citizens are unhoused
- Our streets are not as safe as we’d like, and
- We need to keep moving our schools forward.
As Mayor, I will work to level the playing field because every member of our community deserves access to a good job that pays a living wage, a path to homeownership and a safe community to call home. I have the experience to lead diverse, collaborative teams and bring innovative ideas to the table that will be sustainable and beneficial to our community.
What qualifies you as the best candidate for this office?
What candidates running for office in Manchester for races other than your own do you support?
I remain focused on my race at the moment and feel that it is important for the voters to research each candidate and draw their own conclusion based on which candidate aligns best with their interests and concerns.
What are your thoughts on and plans on addressing homelessness?
Homelessness is not simply a problem, these are real people who need our assistance. It is not safe for anyone to be living on our streets. We need to address these issues. We also need to ensure that everyone has safe access to public parks, sidewalks and community spaces. As Alderman At-Large, I am tackling the issues of homelessness head-on and with urgency, by joining with other community members – from business leaders to housing advocates to mental health professionals and our faith-based community in creating a homelessness task force. This task force is working to bring creative, long-term, solutions to an urgent problem. Our recent work included adding an engagement center to the shelter. This will help us better navigate the challenges of those living on our streets and provide a path out of homelessness. This will make a real difference for folks across Manchester.
What are your thoughts on housing costs and plans on addressing those concerns?
Too many people who want to live, work, and raise their families in Manchester are being priced out. As Planning Board chair, I worked with developers to bring housing to Manchester and will continue to work to address our challenges to make housing more affordable for our young people, who our city is currently leaving behind. We must find better ways to fund and utilize our affordable housing trust to incentivize workforce and affordable housing development. I will remain engaged with Planning & Community Development as we re-evaluate our current zoning ordinances to align with our master plan.
What are your thoughts on and plans regarding crime and public safety?
When talking to residents, this is a recurring theme. Yes, violent crime is down 38% and this is due in part to the MPD tracking data and the implementation of various technologies; however, until our community members feel safe, these numbers are just that…numbers. We need to do whatever it takes to attract and retain officers. As mayor, I will
- Continue to work in conjunction with Police, Fire, Health and Public Works to foster stronger community partnerships and prioritize how we address our challenges; and
- Support funding for public safety and the implementation of new technology that enables us to track trends and proactively address challenges.
At the present time, our Police Department is working on a strategic plan to better align how we can better provide police services in today’s world. This will include safety priorities, building trust and collaboration and support for community-led solutions. We must also work to improve our roadways and infrastructure. We have many community groups meeting on a regular basis to ensure safety for bicycles and pedestrians in our center city areas and we still fail to make this a priority.
What are your thoughts on and/or plans on addressing concerns about property tax rates?
I respect the tax-cap and as Mayor, I would be legally bound to adhere to the tax cap. As proven in my tenure as Alderman At-Large, I will work to ensure that we are being efficient with taxpayer money. Each budget cycle will bring challenges and we must ensure that we are addressing our needs as a city while exploring public/private partnerships and alternative revenue streams to offset our operating costs. I will work with our elected state representatives to stay up to date on what is happening at the state level and fight to ensure that costs are not being continually downshifted to the city.
What are your thoughts on the city's snow removal and trash pickup services
I commend our Department of Public Works for the work they do. When challenges do happen, they work quickly to resolve them.
What are your thoughts on the city's small business climate?
What are your thoughts on and plans on improving the city's medium and large business climate?
In my first year as Alderman At-Large, we reinstituted the Economic Development Office and I am pleased that we have budgeted for this department moving forward. I currently serve on the Manchester Development Corporation where we are working on a long-term plan to assist businesses who choose to come to Manchester. A strong economy will create better jobs that lead to an increased standard of living for people, and to improve the infrastructure of our community.
What are your thoughts on and plans on improving parks and recreation in the city?
We are currently looking at funding and plans for improvements for Shaheen-Basquil Park as well as upgrades to repair Hunts Pool. We are also making improvements to Cullerot Park to expand an area for recreational use by Northwest Elementary School students and included an addition with community garden space. Our Adopt-A-Park program is growing stronger and I am appreciative to the community groups who are stepping up to help keep our parks safe and clean. We still have work to do and will continue to work with local residents and sports teams to make our parks clean and safe for everyone to use.
What are your thoughts on as well as any plans on improving transportation and infrastructure in the city?
We have to continue to evaluate our transportation system within the city and determine if it is truly meeting the needs of all of our residents. We must also look at expanding transportation across our various communities and into Boston. I will support continued study of a rail system at the state level and also support the updating of the Manchester Bike Master Plan. I am working with various community groups at the present time to ensure that we are addressing infrastructure across the entire city to ensure we are providing affordable public transit options to get people to where they want to go.
What are your thoughts on the current state of the city's civic pride and ideas on how to improve it?
What are your thoughts on School District's relationship to city government?
I appreciate my relationship with the Manchester School District and will continue to work with district administration and Board of School Committee members to ensure I am up-to-date with what is happening in our schools. Communication can always be improved and district administration is working to streamline communication between the District, Board of School Committee and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
What are your thoughts on the city's relationship to state government and other NH cities?
I definitely feel that this could be stronger. I am fortunate to have relationships with many folks working in our state government and will continue to foster strong relationships to ensure we are all pulling in the same direction.
What are your thoughts on the mayor's role in city government?
In my various careers, I have always used open communication and collaboration to get the job done. My own education and experience (6 years teaching public high school, 13 years in the private sector and 15 years as a successful small business owner) has taught me to be a critical thinker and always to look for ways to improve. As Mayor, I will leverage my leadership skills and experience to ensure that all city departments are working together and pulling in the same direction to keep Manchester moving forward. Throughout my career I have continually strengthened my skills in strategic planning, financial management, human resources and team building, knowing that we all must work together to accomplish any goal. I will always be available to have open discussion and consider all sides of any challenge we face. As your mayor, I will work to provide a safe and healthy community for all residents while fostering business development to create additional opportunities for growth that is required to build a prosperous community.
What are your thoughts and plans for the number of public schools needed in Manchester (with breakdown of elementary/middle/high schools in that number?)
The best communities start with great schools. I want great schools for our kids and the same opportunities for every child in the Manchester School district, no matter what your address is. As a former public school teacher, I know first hand that a well-maintained and safe physical environment fosters positive attitudes and is directly related to students’ ability to learn, academic achievement, and pro-social behavior. I support upgrading our schools along with maintenance plans that allow us to keep our schools moving forward. For far too long, our schools have been neglected and we need to create equitable and healthy environments for all learners. The current plan is 3 high schools, 4 middle schools and 12 elementary schools. I will continue to review the plan, evaluate funding sources and also look at maintenance costs moving forward. We also need to have more detail on the high school proposals in order to make an informed decision.
What are your thoughts on and plans on Improving grade-level proficiency scores
At the present time, iReady scores are showing improvement. The hard work of our teachers and students are closing the COVID learning gaps. Our schools have created math and humanities labs to help students who require extra assistance to keep them in classes and able to continue moving their education forward while making up for any learning loss that occurred during and after the pandemic. District administration will continue to monitor state scores as they compare to iReady to identify which challenges we may need to overcome.
How would you address student equity?
Manchester employs a full time Chief Equity Office and over the past few years we have increased the number of bi-lingual family liaisons, increased EL staffing and modified the course catalog to look at equity across all levels of learners. District Administration will continue to ensure that as a city, we are providing access to higher learning levels for all as well as providing opportunities for extracurricular opportunities for all. We must continue to look at student equity on the holistic level and not treat it as an afterthought.
What are your thoughts on extra-curricular offerings in Manchester public schools?
As a former teacher, class advisor and DECA advisor, I have seen first hand that when kids are involved in extracurricular activities, whether it be a club or sports, outcomes are better. I continue to support expanded opportunities for extracurricular opportunities for all.
What are your thoughts on per-pupil expenditures/costs per student?
As a former student of Manchester public schools and a former teacher, I’m committed to ensuring every kid has equal access to a quality education. I will fight tooth and nail to adequately fund our schools and stop the downshifting of costs from the state to local communities.
What are your thoughts on or plans on addressing attracting and retaining Manchester School District staff?
As a former teacher, I share folks’ concern about the widely reported teacher shortages across our state, and right here in Manchester. That’s why, in the current budget cycle, we approved the Board of School Committee budget early in the cycle to ensure that the District had what they needed to get out early and attract recent graduates and the best candidates. We must continue to foster a collaborative environment that embraces diversity in our work force and empowers teachers to do their jobs.
What are your thoughts on the Manchester School District's relationship with private schools, charter schools and other school districts that have tuition agreements with Manchester?
The Manchester School District will continue to have tuition agreements with other districts, support special education, adequacy and transportation. Our district administration will continue to evaluate and improve systems that are currently in place while maintaining collaborative relationships to achieve the best outcome for all learners.
What are your thoughts on and plans on addressing school safety?
Classrooms are a place of learning and growing; But when our students don’t feel safe in school, this becomes near impossible. As a Gun Sense Candidate, I will fight to ensure that our schools are safe, and that the Manchester School District Administration will continue to work closely with Manchester Police, Fire & Health Departments along with food services and local hospitals to ensure we are addressing the health and safety needs of all of our learners across all of our schools.
What are your thoughts on and/or plans on addressing remote learning/other uses of technology in education?
We have all seen the impacts of the pandemic on our childrens’ education, and the reality is that we’re still working to catch kids up from COVID learning loss. My priority is to keep kids in school buildings and in front of teachers so we can continue to close the learning gap and work with kids to understand and address their individual needs. I do also understand and recognize that at times we may need to be flexible and use technology and remote learning to augment lessons.
What are your thoughts on or plans on addressing vocational and career-focused educational initiative?
As a former public school business and vocational teacher, I will always fight to retain vocation and career-focused initiatives. Within the district, we have the Manchester School of Technology working on building pathways to provide learning options that include going to work directly after graduation or continuing education with some standards and potential college credits under their belt. Currently, the District is building partnerships with ARMI to expand learning in the BioMed field and understand what are the skills that will be needed at the elementary, middle and high school levels to prepare students who may wish to join this field. Over the summer, several students participated in a program that gave them industry credentials in CPR, first aid and customer service to provide them with the basic skills necessary to enter the workforce. Through career planning tools, we can better understand pathways for each individual learner whether it be direct entry into the workforce, college prep, or a vocational apprenticeship program. Thriving schools contribute to thriving businesses and a thriving community! We must continue to invest in receiving early college credits, fostering career pathways and supporting apprenticeship programs. I am also thrilled to be connecting our local unions with our Office of Youth Services to look at bring the YouthBuild program to our city.
What are your thoughts on as well as plans on addressing issues related to Special Education/IEPs
