MANCHESTER- At a Manchester Rotary Club meeting, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D-Madbury) said the two most important issues affecting small businesses is the rising cost of energy prices and health care.

"Small businesses and families are struggling and they feel like Washington isn't paying attention," Shaheen said. "Gas prices are unbearably high, health care costs are increasing and people are legitimately worried about how high heating fuel will get this winter."

To deal with the rising costs of energy, Shaheen said she supports expanding tax credits for businesses that use renewable energy sources, allowing energy companies to drill on land they hold leases for and end the speculation on oil.

"We got to this crisis point because Washington for too long has done nothing to reduce our reliance on foreign oil," Shaheen said.

Discussing health care costs, Shaheen would like to expand electronic medical records, allow the re-importation of pharmaceutical drugs and expand tax credits to small businesses that provide health insurance to employees.

"I have for all my career fought for small businesses," she added and listed off gubernatorial record as evidence of her support for small businesses in New Hampshire.

"I think we've got big challenges ahead of us, but I think we're up to that challenge. We need leaders who have the vision to bring people together to get things done. There's no time to waste," she said.

Shaheen also answered questions about the corporate tax rate, congressional approval rating, and deregulation of the airline industry, resettlement of refugees, education and a law mandating that English be the official language of the United States.

In a rematch of the 2002 election, Shaheen is running for the U.S. Senate against current U.S. Sen. John Sununu (R-Waterville Valley).