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NEWS &
ISSUES
GRANITE STATE TAXPAYERS CALLS FOR BIPARTISAN
SOLUTIONS TO SPENDING CRISIS
The current legislative majority and Gov.
Lynch are proving to be the worst custodians
of state government in New Hampshire's
history. They not only have raised the
state's operating budget by 17.4%, the
largest increase in New Hampshire history,
they also have failed to address critical
problems, such as educational funding and
our deteriorating highways.
Instead of this new majority being
responsible stewards of the public trust,
they have concentrated their efforts on the
frivolous, such as bills to outlaw helium
balloons and resolutions recommending the
impeachment of the vice president to the
Congress. Where they have acted
substantively, they have done so on strictly
partisan grounds and we find legislative
disasters, such as the unfunded mandate for
kindergartens and House Bill 471, a new law
intended to put small contractors at a
disadvantage to union labor by expanding
expensive worker's compensation insurance
coverage to self-employed construction
workers.
The result is that, according to the Josiah
Bartlett Center for Social Policy, the New
Hampshire state budget likely will be $75.5
million in the red, and perhaps even up to
$137.6 million, for the fiscal year ending
June 2008. Moreover, the failure of this
biennium's legislative and executive
branches to limit judicial intrusion into
educational policies will result in, again
according to the Bartlett Center, a " huge
spending obligation of $620 - $840 million
[that] will push the size of the hole in the
budget over a billion dollars." In response
Chairman Roy Stewart of Granite State
Taxpayers noted, "This looming deficit and
spending crisis requires that the
Legislature put aside its harsh, partisan
goals and work with those who in the past
have shown how to bring prosperity to the
New Hampshire through controlled spending
and low taxes."
We
have seen a multitude of new "under the
radar" state fees and taxes from this
legislative session, such as increased taxes
on the ever unpopular smokers and tobacco
retailers, increased real estate transfer
taxes, increased turnpike tolls, a $6 new
charge per motorist that was calculated to
create no great outcry, and a fee of as much
as $200 per truck that would hurt the less
numerous members of the trucking industry.
Despite these efforts, only broad-based and
economically disastrous taxes will fill the
present and looming budget deficits unless
both the Legislature acts responsibly during
the upcoming second half of this session and
Gov. Lynch gives up his "triangulation"
approach of trying to please everyone in
favor of true leadership.
As
Granite State Taxpayers' Vice Chairman and
press spokesperson Bill O'Brien was quoted
as saying, "In more sensible times Gov. Mel
Thomson adopted, and New Hampshire lived by,
the slogan that 'Low taxes are the result of
low spending.' Gov. Lynch and his
legislative majority need to return to that
confirmed wisdom or the New Hampshire
Advantage of low taxes and prosperity will
be forever lost."
The second year deliberations of the current
legislative session begin on January 2,
2008. Granite State Taxpayers calls on Gov.
Lynch and the current legislative majority
to turn to those in the minority party who
brought this state years of balanced budgets
and low taxes and work with them to avoid
runaway spending and save the New Hampshire
Advantage. Bipartisanship is called for;
this state deserves better than a partisan
legislature pursuing a spendthrift agenda.
Paul Hodes Puts Pet Projects
above
Americans’ Security
Votes for Taxpayer-Funded
Earmarks over Restoring Funds to Critical
Intelligence Programs
Washington- Rep. Paul Hodes (NH-02) and the
Democrats proved yesterday that they cannot
be trusted to put America’s security
interests above their personal political
interests. Paul Hodes ratcheted up another
broken promise as he voted against a measure
that would strip all earmarks from a bill
that was designed to enhance our nation’s
intelligence laws. By voting against this
measure that passed with overwhelming
support, Hodes showed American taxpayers
that he’s willing to burden them with
useless earmarks like the Congressman Jack
Murtha-sponsored project that has been
deemed a wasteful “boondoggle,” all at the
expense of important funding for our
nation’s intelligence programs. (House Roll
Call 1125)
“Paul Hodes is willing to put the needs of
his liberal Democrat leadership before the
priorities and security of voters in New
Hampshire’s Second Congressional District,”
said NRCC Communications Director Jessica
Boulanger. “Hodes voted to halt vital
funding programs that help to secure our
nation and continued his troubling pattern
of negligence when it comes to openness and
transparency.”
Paul Hodes was given a clear choice to stand
up and protect our nation’s security and
Americans’ hard earned tax dollars, but
instead chose to vote with his Democrat
leaders and close the door on transparency
to advance the interests of Jack Murtha,
Nancy Pelosi and the liberal Democrat
leadership in Washington.
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