The New Hampshire Republican Party platform states, under II. TAXES AND SPENDING, “Reject expanded casino and video lottery gambling as a means to balance the budget or increase spending.” Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Senate Bill 152 does. Here is the link to our Platform. http://www.nhgop.org/pages/detail/32
Sen. Lou D’Allesandro’s Casino Bill Violates the NHGOP Platform. It isn’t surprising that a bill with Democratic Sen. Lou D’Allesandro as the prime sponsor violates the NHGOP Platform. It isn’t surprising that a bill which is being pushed most strongly by Democratic Governor Maggie Hassan violates the NHGOP Platform. I’m also not surprised by NHGOP Chair Jennifer Horn’s several press releases against Gov. Hassan’s support for SB152. I’m hoping the Republicans in the New House House of Representatives, many of whom voted on the NHGOP Platform, stick up for the Platform even if it means opposing a Democratic Senator and the Democratic Governor.
The governor of New Hampshire proposed a 2 year budget that increases spending by somewhere between 10% to 16%, depending on how you look at it. Increasing state taxes is unpopular in New Hampshire, so in order to help pass the spending increases the governor and some members of the General Court (in New Hampshire, the New Hampshire House and New Hampshire Senate are collectively referred to as the General Court) want, some people are urging the passage of a casino bill crafted by the New Hampshire Senate.
Most people are in favor of allowing full fledged casinos in New Hampshire. The major obstacle for SB152 is that it doesn’t create full fledged casinos in NH. SB152 creates only 1 casino in NH. Not only that but all signs point to the casino being at Rockingham Park in Salem, NH. It get’s worse, the only major suspected casino operator is Millennium Gaming, which has already come up with plans for a casino at Rockingham Park, including this drawing.
Governor Maggie Hassan included $80,000,000 in a fee the casino operator must pay the state upfront in her proposed 2 year budget. However, according to the bill, before a casino may be approved, the proposed casino must “be voted upon” by the prospective community. Guess which community vote to have a casino in the most recent election? Salem, NH. Some people suggest that it will be hard for the state to collect the $80,000,000 fee during the next budget cycle as their is too much to do before a casino may be approved and built. If the community already voted on having a casino, that might speed the process up.
With 1 major casino on the NH/MA border in southeastern NH, what happens to the multiple charitable gambling and bingo parlors located throughout NH? There is a good chance that most or all of them will dry out and if a NH resident wants to play poker or Black Jack for a few dollars, her only legal options will be to drive to NY, CT, MA, another state or this 1 location in NH.
Only 1 casino run by only 1 private corporation in only 1 community violates Article 83 of the New Hampshire Constitution.
[Art.] 83. [Encouragement of Literature, etc.; Control of Corporations, Monopolies, etc.]
Free and fair competition in the trades and industries is an inherent and essential right of the people and should be protected against all monopolies and conspiracies which tend to hinder or destroy it. The size and functions of all corporations should be so limited and regulated as to prohibit fictitious capitalization and provision should be made for the supervision and government thereof. Therefore, all just power possessed by the state is hereby granted to the general court to enact laws to prevent the operations within the state of all persons and associations, and all trusts and corporations, foreign or domestic, and the officers thereof, who endeavor to raise the price of any article of commerce or to destroy free and fair competition in the trades and industries through combination, conspiracy, monopoly, or any other unfair means; to control and regulate the acts of all such persons, associations, corporations, trusts, and officials doing business within the state; to prevent fictitious capitalization; and to authorize civil and criminal proceedings in respect to all the wrongs herein declared against.
The people of NH have an inherent and essential right to be protected from monopolies. The General Court is granted power by the state to among other things, prevent monopolies. If the General Court allows a bill that creates only 1 casino run by only 1 private corporation in only 1 community, it destroys free and fair competition in an industry by granting monopoly privileged. This is in clear violation of 1 of the main purposes of the General Court.
The NH House Joint Fiance and Ways and Means Committee brings up a couple additional anti-competitive points in its blurb recommending that the NH House vote down SB152. “Specifically, a lower licensing fee combined with higher tax rates would likely maximize revenue for the state. Other states have used a bidding process to find the highest rate and employed consultants to help create a financial structure. SB 152 does neither. In addition, the minimum required investment is not high enough to generate the highest revenues we could reasonably expect. SB 152 grants a “forever” license for a low renewal fee due every 10 years. A more prudent approach would be to increase the length of the license and then require a higher fee through a competitive re-licensing process.”
Would any member of the General Court that voted for Democratic Senator Lou D’Allesandro’s SB152 casino bill be violating their oath of office to uphold the New Hampshire Constitution?
Do we really have to call reporters and politicians names? Do we really have to call people that help taxpayers child rapists? Do you really have to call for lynching a person if he or she helps a tax payer? This seems to be politics as usual in Cheshire County New Hampshire.
Keith Thompson, the co-chair and webmaster of the Brookline town Democratic Party, decided to take advantage of a Fitzwilliam town hall by Senator Kelly Ayotte to get in some jabs. Keith called Senator Ayotte a “twit.” He wasn’t done being nasty, though. He pointed to a reporter covering the town hall and referred to the report as a “douchebag” and an “idiot.” It’s OK to get upset, but it would also be nice if New Hampshire party leaders were able to act somewhat civil. When will Keith apologize? If you want to help explain to Keith how to be caring and compassionate, contact him at BrooklineDemocrats@gmail.com or @BrooklineDems. We are still waiting, Keith.
According to Free Keene, “Kay Georgina (https://www.facebook.com/kay.georgina), daughter of former [Democratic] Keene City Council member and WKBK Saturday morning radio host Cynthia Georgina, and Jacob Whitney (https://www.facebook.com/jacob.whitney.3), a Master Sergeant at the Cheshire County Department of Corrections, both liked a comment on Facebook that advocated killing Robin Hooders.” Actually, it wasn’t just murdering that the comment advocated, it called for lynching folks that put 10 cents in a parking meter to prevent a taxpayer from getting a ticket. See the direct link on Facebook.
Kay Georgina wasn’t set on just liking the lynching of innocent people. On Monday she compared paying a parking meter for a person that is 1 minute late paying a meter to raping children. We are still waiting for the apology. Here is the direct link to her post on Facebook. Here is the exact quote. Kay Georgina, “FreeKeene Robin Hooders are as well meaning and helpful as a pedophile with candy and a van at a ball game.”
According to the 2013 Thumbtrack.com Small Business Survey, New Hampshire is #3 for small business friendly states. New Hampshire is #2 for ease of starting a business and licensing regulations. New Hampshire is #4 for regulatory friendliness. New Hampshire also receives an A+ in ease of hiring, health and safety and tax code.
The full Survey http://www.thumbtack.com/survey#2013/states
The Mercatus Center recently released it’s most recent Freedom in the 50 States report. The report used 2010 data to rank the various states based on a variety of factors. Here is a video with more information about the report.
The original analysis is found here http://freedominthe50states.org/overall/new-hampshire (video version). The original analysis is broken up and italicized below. Following the italicized analysis is commentary in bold.
Analysis
By the end of 2010, New Hampshire was no longer the freest state in the nation. The 2009—10 legislature hiked numerous taxes and fees and used one-time stimulus dollars and new debt to fund a significant increase in government spending.
In FY 2010, the state and local tax burden was 8.0 percent of personal income, seventh lowest in the country, compared to an FY 2000 figure of 7.5 percent, then lowest in the United States. State and local government consumption and subsidies stood at 9.0 percent of income in 2010, compared to 7.3 percent in 2000. Debt was at 18.8 percent of income, compared to 16.7 percent a decade earlier. While New Hampshire still scores sixth in the United States on fiscal policy, the famed “New Hampshire advantage” has dissipated. It is too early to tell whether the 2011—12 legislature, which enacted swinging spending cuts, has undone the damage.
The NH House put together a long list of 2011-2012 legislative accomplishments. http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?383499-Liberty-Republicans-Come-Up-Big-In-New-Hampshire
For an even deeper look at many of the positive legislative changes from 2011 and 2012, you can look at these 2 reports.
2011 New Hampshire Liberty Related Bills Report http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?303849-2011-New-Hampshire-Liberty-Related-Bills-Report
2012 Liberty Related Bills Report http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?361270-2012-New-Hampshire-Liberty-Related-Bills-Report
The 2011-2012 NH legislature (perhaps the most liberty oriented state legislature in modern history) even cut the state budget by 11%. This budget cut was 1 of the 1st major budget cuts in any state since WWII. If there was a way to do a report based on current laws, I’m confident NH would be ranked higher and be either #1 or #2. IMO, That’s where NH currently is, either #1 or #2.
On regulatory policy, New Hampshire’s ranking is mediocre, although it has slightly and gradually improved since 2001. Eminent domain reforms have gone far, but exclusionary local zoning laws have driven out affordable housing in the suburbs of southern New Hampshire.
There is lots of affordable housing not only in many of the suburban and rural communities of southern New Hampshire, but also in the cities. I’ve seen 3 bedroom apartments in Manchester (the major city in southern NH) for as low as $700 on craigslist. For example, http://nh.craigslist.org/apa/3604197708.html There are plenty of 2 bedroom condos for under $70,000 in Salem, NH (just 35 minutes north of Boston). http://www.verani.com/nh-real-estate/99-Cluff-Crossing-Road/Salem/NH/03079/4218415
Labor-market freedom is subpar: the state lacks a right-to-work law and has a universal workers’ compensation mandate. Telecom and cable remain regulated. New Hampshire fares better than average on occupational freedom, and its liability system is one of the best.
New Hampshire deregulated telcom in 2012. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_Status/Bill_status.aspx?lsr=1025&sy=2012&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2012&txtbillnumber=sb48
New Hampshire remains one of the few states to score well on both economic and personal freedom. However, its personal freedom score has declined slightly since 2001. Gun control laws are among the most liberal in the country, but carrying a firearm in a car requires a concealed-carry permit. Effective retail tax rates on wine and spirits are zero. New Hampshire is the only state with no seat belt law for adults. Gambling laws are strict, however.
Bills to reduce gun control passed in 2011 and 2012. Even before then, though, NH still had perhaps the lowest level of gun control in the US. In NH, children of any age may carry guns all of the same places adults are allowed to carry guns. There is also no age limit for a license to carry concealed. Teenagers apply for and receive licenses to carry. NH also has the simplest and least intrusive license in the country. In NH, children are allowed to carry in the State House, in bars, in churches, police stations and so on. Adults are allowed to open carry in bars while drinking. Freedom in the 50 States shows AZ, AK and KY as being better for gun freedom than NH. In AZ and AK, you have to be 21 to carry which means a large segment of the population is banned from defending themselves or even their own family. In KY, you have to be 21 to receive a license to conceal carry. Disarming millions of people isn’t what I call gun freedom. Realistically, NH should be ranked in the top 3 for gun freedom, even using 2010 data.
The report didn’t include taxes on cigars. NH is 1 of 2 states that doesn’t tax cigars.
While the gambling laws are excessively strict in NH, they aren’t as bad as people might think. Gambling has been legal and common in NH for decades. There were horse and dog tracks in NH but the business model was economical in NH. Still, there is plenty of betting on simulcast races. Additionally, there are 10 card rooms in NH where poker, black jack, roulette and more are legal. NH also has bingo, the lottery and various other games such as pull tabs. Unlike most states, the gambling age is 18 and not 21 in NH.
The 2011—12 legislature repealed the ban on audiorecording public officials, after the closing date of this study. State approval is required to open a private school and home school laws are mediocre; the 2011—12 legislature has since liberalized them. That legislature also enacted a tax credit for private and home school expenses. These education reforms would have put New Hampshire in third place on personal freedom. Incarceration and drug arrests are low. Same-sex marriage was also legalized during this period.
It was never against the law to record public officials in public places in NH. Perhaps some police thought it was against the law. The U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it wasn’t against the law to record police in public. The NH Attorney General sent a notice out about it (even warning police that they could be liable for making such an illegal arrest) and it seems that police have stopped trying to enforce something they made up. There was a bill but after the notice from the Attorney General, it didn’t seem necessary and was defeated in the NH House.
Policy Recommendations
- Enact tighter criteria for the issuance of state and local debt. Completely cutting off the $40 million in annual business subsidies and reducing interest payments by about 10 percent would permit a 20 percent cut to the business profits tax, which is one of the highest in the nation.
- Enact a state law limiting what local governments can do to restrict new housing, such as building permit caps, minimum lot sizes, and so on.
- Expand legal gaming beyond charity games, enact a social gambling exception, and change the “aggravated gambling” offense from a felony to a misdemeanor.
While the business tax rates are above average in NH, the actually effects of those taxes on very small businesses is minimal. In fact, there were several reforms designed to reduce business taxes in 2011 and 2012. A small business with just 1-3 employees may be designed to pay a level of business taxes well below the national average. For example, a recent survey of small business owners found that NH is #3 in the country for small business friendliness and is an A+ state for tax code.
NH allows some non-charity gambling such as raffles, pull tabs and the lottery. 1 bill designed to expand gambling passed the NH Senate (SB152) and 2 passed the NH House (HB314 and HB520) so far this year. There is a chance all 3 bills will become law.
Government workers and social workers asked for tax increases and additional tax revenue for their favorite projects at the March 18th regional New Hampshire budget hearing in Claremont, New Hampshire. New Hampshire Freedom told you that the hearing was going to happen. We told you the purpose of the hearing. Sure enough, government worker after government worker showed up, asking for more funding or even tax increases.
Other groups also showed up and asked for additional taxes. Sally Embley, a board member of Granite State Priorities testified in favor of increasing taxes 9 different ways.
You may not have heard of the high tax advocacacy group GSP but Ms. Embley explained that the organization used to be called Granite State Fair Tax Coalition. The name change occurred because of the flak the organization received by including the word tax in the name of the organization. Ms. Embley made a joke about how people don’t like taxes in New Hampshire. A few sentences later, she presented the New Hampshire House Finance Committee with a list of 9 options to increase taxes in New Hampshire. The first option was to create a personal income tax. She was the only person testifying that was cut off by the Committee because she kept going on and on. Soon after she was cut off, she left the hearing, as if she was just there to encourage the Committee to increase taxes and didn’t want to listen to what anyone else had to say.
Other people lobbied for an increase in cigarette taxes, against legalizing slots in New Hampshire, for more adolescence drug treatment funding, to increase disability funding, historic building preservation and other pet programs they were employed by or used at taxpayers expense. Even Planned Parenthood showed up to lobby for government handouts.
There are two bills in the New Hampshire House that YOU can help pass or fail. They will be voted on by the full New Hampshire House on either Wednesday, March 20th or Thursday, March 21st.
Most bills either have an Ought to Pass or Inexpedient to Legislate recommendation by a committee. When a bill goes to the full New Hampshire House for a vote, the House agrees with the committee recommendation the vast majority of the time. However, this week, at least 2 bills of interest to freedom lovers don’t have a committee recommendation because the committee couldn’t decide on a recommendation for the bills. That means, some of the representatives aren’t going to have any strong ideas on how to vote on the bills. Some representatives will be especially interested in YOUR opinions on these bills.
1 pro-liberty resolution and 1 anti-liberty bill that the full NH House is scheduled to vote on next week (on either the 20th or the 21st) don’t have a committee recommendation because the committee tied when it voted on the bills.
HRC3 is very similar to HCR19, which passed the NH House in 2011 but was laid on the table in the NH Senate. HRC3 is a RESOLUTION affirming States’ powers based on the Constitution for the United States and the Constitution of New Hampshire. If it passed the NH House again, the news would make waves in the States Rights, Nullification and 10th Amendment communities. If you want to help HRC3 pass, please look up your representative http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx and email him or her saying you support the resolution and include your contact information in the email. I also recommend sending a similar email (here is the email link) to the full NH House. If you can think of positive, non-controversial reasons to support the resolution, please include them in your email.
HB357 is an anti-liberty, anti-business, perhaps pro-privacy bill. It prohibits an employer from using credit history in employment decisions in NH, thus discouraging businesses from moving to NH. It also discourages regional companies from adding extra employees in NH and would be very hard to enforce. If you want to help prevent HB357 from passing, please look up your representative http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx and email him or her saying you are opposed to the bill and include your contact information in the email. I also recommend sending a similar email (here is the email link) to the full NH House. If you can think of non-controversial reasons to oppose the bill, please include them in your email.
