Lilac
Keyboard
Warrior
Why I'm Running For Mayor
We need to improve communication with the public about city actions and address the strained relationship between the mayor and the press. I will work to build a better relationship with the media and ensure people have accurate information about city actions. I will challenge the city council to be more involved in decision-making and encourage greater citizen input through their councilors. Every comment and concern should be reviewed by a council committee and responded to.
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With the challenges in maintaining city services, we need innovation and community involvement to not only maintain but improve services. I will collaborate with City Councilors, the School Board, Police Commission, Planning Board, and others to address issues like homelessness, high housing costs, property crime, drugs, and job creation.
Safe, Clean, and Affordable Housing for Everyone
The city should work to create truly affordable housing for young families looking to stay in Rochester. Current market prices are unaffordable for our children and grandchildren who have been raised here and would like to stay in our community. As your Mayor I will work to find state and federal resources to assist our community in developing the infrastructure necessary to reduce the overall cost of new housing and apartments. We need to look at locations near the downtown area first, as many young individuals and couples prefer to live near services. Also, we need to address the issue of homelessness. We need to “think outside the box” to increase the number of spaces either in shelters or micro units so we can eliminate homeless encampments on public and private properties. I have been working with county and regional groups to find solutions to our homelessness issues.
Latest Updates - NEW 10/21/25
ON THE ROAD WITH CHUCK
At the New Hampshire Fiscal Ploicy Institute’s annual conference on Affordability. We’re here with over 500 policy leaders from across the state to discuss the cost of housing and medical care in New Hampshire. I’m looking for ideas that could be helpful in meeting the needs of the citizens of Rochester.
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Candidate Profile
Chuck Grassie is a candidate for mayor in Rochester in the 2025 city election.
Here is the candidate's response to a questionnaire from Foster's Daily Democrat:
Age: 73
Education: BS Management and Leadership Granite State College
Occupation: Retired
Political or civic experience highlights: 25 years Rochester City Council, 10+ years Rochester Planning Board, 18 years NH Legislature
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Q & A
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Why are you running? We need to improve communication with the public about city actions and address the strained relationship between the mayor and the press. I will work to build a better relationship with the media and ensure people have accurate information about city events. I will challenge the city council to be more involved in decision-making and encourage greater citizen input through their councilors. Every comment and concern should be reviewed by a council committee and responded to. With the challenges in maintaining city services, we need innovation and community involvement to not only maintain but improve services. I will collaborate with City Councilors, the School Board, Police Commission, Planning Board, and others to address issues like homelessness, high housing costs, property crime, drugs, and job creation.
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Q & A
Do you support the city’s tax cap and for what, if any, reasons would you support going over it? I do support the current tax cap. Unfortunately, the current administration has dug us a huge budget hole by using our “rainy day fund” (the undesignated fund balance) in a way that puts us in a hole before we even can consider next year's budget. Without a large increase in the tax rate we will have to look at significant cuts to the current budget or find a better way to deliver services to our community. By drawing down our fund balance it also puts us in the possible position of paying higher interest rates for future bonded projects. The only reason I would support a cap override would be to save the city from a default. This wouldn’t be needed if the current administration had not used our fund balance to artificially keep taxes low. We need to look at strategic allocations focused on infrastructure and services that benefit the entire community and are sustainable into the future without jeopardizing our fund balance. We must also follow fiscal policies which emphasize openness to ensure trust and responsible management of public funds.
How can Rochester ease the burden on residential property taxpayers? First, we need to look into zoning more property for commercial and industrial activities. Second, we need to make Rochester more attractive to young working-aged families. Greater social and recreational activities, improving our schools, and making our infrastructure more available to new businesses will help increase the value of our commercial-industrial properties. Lastly, we need to reset and broaden the tax base of our community from a residential base to a commercial base. We have been seeing the value of our residential properties rise at a rate far greater than our commercial-industrial properties. This causes the oppressive tax increases we have recently seen.
How can the city further the affordability and availability of housing? Do you support efforts in the state legislature aimed at reducing local control of zoning rules and regulations? I do not support legislative actions to override our local planning board and zoning. I do support a comprehensive relook at our zoning to find ways to reduce the cost of development. If we are truly going to find ways to reduce housing cost we need to think outside the box when it comes to housing. We have a business right here in Rochester who is developing new construction methods for the construction of homes. I have met with them many times and they are working with communities outside of Rochester due to the city’s seeming lack of interest. Tiny homes such as those developed in Dover are a good source of starter homes for young working families. We need to investigate what other communities are doing, work on public/private partnerships, and work with our planners to find and support better ways to meet our future housing needs.
What can Rochester do to attract new small businesses and support the small businesses already in the city? As mayor I will work full-time with our local, small business community to make sure their needs are met. I have worked with more than a few small businesses on traffic issues, I serve on the governmental affairs committee of the local chamber, I communicate regularly with our Main Street program and have met with many other groups in our community in support of their efforts to attract new small businesses to Rochester and help grow our current business community.
Rochester purchased the old Care Pharmacy and nearby properties for more than $3.3 million? Do you agree with this purchase and what should Rochester do with the property it now owns? We had a choice either to let the roof fall in on the building and have another eyesore in our community or make a play to redevelop the site with a private developer to create a greater tax return for our city. I support the decision of the council to improve this site. It is a gateway into our city and in its current condition is not a welcoming site for people and businesses looking to relocate to Rochester. Being able to secure other abutting properties will make it more attractive to any developer looking for a project in Rochester. There are many developers who I have worked with in the past who would love a project like this. Because we made the initial investment in the property, we can have a greater input into how it’s redeveloped. This is one way we can expand our commercial tax base to help control residential property taxes.
The Legislature has empowered cities to create “social districts” where outdoor drinking of alcoholic beverages is allowed. Do you support bringing social districts to Rochester? If we are to attract and keep young working age citizens in our community, we need to provide greater social opportunities for them. This is one possible opportunity we need to look at. There are locations where this would be workable. I’m sure there are local establishments that could take advantage of the opportunity this could present to create a more active and vibrant community.
What else would you like voters to know about you? As a lifelong resident of Rochester, my wife Anne and I have raised five children in our community. We have both been active in our schools, after school sports, school music programs, and many non-profit organizations. I have been personally involved in the creation and development of programs for both our senior citizens and our children. I’ve served as Deputy Mayor of our city serving for over 25 years on the council, over 10 years on our planning board, and 18 years as a state legislator. I worked professionally as a community panner for many communities in our state and have been an advocate for environmental and childcare issues in NH. I am not a Concord lobbyist, or a good old boy. I have struggled to make ends meet like many Rochester families have. I know what it’s like to see our taxes go up over 30% on our modest home. I’m now mostly retired and will be a full-time Mayor for our city. I will be available for any citizen who needs to connect with their government. I will hold regular office hours. I will challenge the city council members to be more involved with their wards and bring their concerns to the council for debate. I will be an advocate for Rochester. I will work closely with all our boards, commissions, state, and federal agencies to achieve a more responsive, and affordable government for all our people. My experience and lifelong commitment to our community give me a perspective no other candidate for Mayor has
Homelessness
I have been working with community leaders in the tri-city area, our county commissioners, and statewide housing advocates on this issue for several years. Homelessness is a regional issue which Rochester cannot solve on its own. Many of our homeless have full-time jobs but cannot afford rising rents. Many are children who are homeless through no fault of their own. We need to look at what other communities around the country have done with this issue. I have been a proponent of “pallet shelter” communities as just one possible interim solution. As mayor I would be an advocate of county solutions for transitional housing and low barrier housing so that no one must live in their car, or in the woods. We need to speak out in support of mental health services for those that need help. I would work with our faith community, local non-profits, the mayors and selectmen of surrounding communities, and state and federal representatives to find funding and support services for our homeless population.
Housing Affordability
I do not support legislative actions to override our local planning board and zoning which one of my opponents has lobbied in favor of. I do support a comprehensive relook at our zoning to find ways to reduce the cost of development. If we are truly going to find ways to reduce housing cost, we need to think outside the box when it comes to housing. We have a business right here in Rochester who is developing new construction methods for the construction of homes. I have met with them many times and they are working with communities outside of Rochester due to the city’s seeming lack of interest. Tiny homes such as those developed in Dover are a good source of starter homes for young working families. We need to investigate what other communities are doing, work on public/private partnerships, and work with our planners to find and support better ways to meet our future housing needs.
Education
I've spent many hours talking with Teachers and School Administrator's. Our educational system has struggled for many years due to reduced funding at the state level. Efforts to increase funding for education have been met with opposition from anti-public education forces. I feel it is important for the City Council to work in conjunction with our School Board to advocate for greater funding for our schools within the state and federal budgets. Rochester taxpayers have always supported funding for our local schools, but we have been stymied by cutbacks at the state level. Good local schools are the driving force behind every great community.
Personal Information
As a lifelong resident of Rochester, my wife Anne and I have raised five children in our community. We have both been active in our schools, after school sports, school music programs, and many non-profit organizations. I have been personally involved in the creation and development of programs for both our senior citizens and our children. I’ve served as Deputy Mayor of our city serving for over 25 years on the council, over 10 years on our planning board, and 18 years as a state legislator. I worked professionally as a community panner for many communities in our state and have been an advocate for environmental and childcare issues in NH. I am not a Concord lobbyist, or a good old boy. I have struggled to make ends meet like many Rochester families have. I know what it’s like to see our taxes go up over 30% on our modest home. I’m now mostly retired and will be a fulltime Mayor for our city. I will be available for any citizen who needs to connect with their government. I will hold regular office hours. I will challenge the city council members to be more involved with their wards and bring their concerns to the council for debate. I will be an advocate for Rochester. I will work closely with all our boards, commissions, state, and federal agencies to achieve a more responsive, and affordable government for all our people. My experience and lifelong commitment to our community give me a perspective no other candidate for Mayor has.
Personal Information
Rochester City Council 25+ years
Rochester Planning Board 10+ years
NH State Legislator 18 years
Rochester Childcare Center
Strafford County Homemakers
Youth Sports Coach
Spaulding Music Boosters Board
School Street School P.T.O. Board President
Founder and Director of the New Hampshire Youth Leadership Foundation
Retired Municipal Planner
Retired Elementary Special Education Paraprofessional