Taxes: April 2008 Archives

Spending cap initiative

A conservative group is coordinating efforts in four cities to cap municipal spending at the rate of the consumer price index beginning in 2010.

The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition is working with activists in Manchester, Concord, Merrimack and Rochester to put proposed changes to those communities' municipal charters on the ballot in November.

Coalition chairman Mike Biundo said the effort was sparked by "legislative overspending" last year and by the recent initiative by the Granite State Fair Tax Coalition "to strip away our (anti-broad base tax) pledge and strip away what New Hampshire is, a low-tax, low-spending state."

Biundo said that by tomorrow, language for charter amendments will be filed in the four municipalities. He said plans call for similar filings shortly in Londonderry, Conway, Portsmouth, Keene, Somersworth, Lebanon and Bedford.

"When you add up the 11 communities, this is over 30 percent of the electorate in the state," he said.

Biundo said state law requires the proposed petitions for the charter amendments to be reviewed by the Attorney General's Office and Department of Revenue Administration. He said that when the language is approved, organizers will have 60 days to gather petitions signed by at least 20 percent of the number of local residents who voted in the last municipal elections.

Biundo said his coalition has hired former Ron Paul field director Jared Chicoine and brought back former coalition executive director Tammy Simmons. He claims that such an effort "has never been done before on this scale in this state."

Sure, LET'S use the taxpayers as an ATM machine!  After all, it's THEIR money (not ours!)!  NH Advantage, what's that?

It is becoming quite clear that the Democrats have seriously overreached in this year's budget, especially in the area of revenue forcasting.  They decry that the national and local economies are to blame: "that's why revenues are down!".

Er, not so fast.  While revenues have not met expections, actual revenues are up year over year.  Hear that?  Actual revenues are up.  This small, simple fact gives lie to the Democrats claim that the NH economy has tanked; the only thing that has tanked is their revenue projections!

So, do they admit that overreach?  Do they admit that perhaps the glasses they wore at the time had a tad more tinge of rose in them than warranted?  Of COURSE not!

So, what is their sole way to fix their self-induced problem?  Of COURSE - let's raise taxes and fees (never "how do we protect the taxpayers" and perhaps ramp down the cost of government).  Here's a prelim list:

Increased Taxes and Fees this Session

• HB 1309—A new tax on cigars that will adversely affect sales along the NH border.
  

• HB 1426—Motor fuel imported into NH will be taxed higher and dedicated to a cleanup fund that DES testified, “does not need money right now.”
  

• HB 1594—Establishes new fees that will be levied on the backs of small business owners in NH.
  

• HB 1286—Requires mortgage originators to pay a $100 licensing fee and a $100 renewal fee.
  

• HB 1414—Increases the bail commissioners fee by $15 per day.
  

• HB 1360—House Democrats defeated a bill that would have repealed the civil court filing fee that they adopted last year. Adding a fee of $25 for filing any civil case is just another step in preventing our citizens from seeking redress and is yet another example of the mismanagement of the budget.
  

• HB 1547—House Democrats refused another attempt to repeal the fee charged to the Register of Deeds in an attempt to fund LCHIP by using a method that is harmful to citizens experiencing an already fledging real estate market.
  

• SB 528—Created a $5 incentive for recycling mercury thermostats that would be paid by manufacturers and passed along to the consumer.
  

• SB 519—Imposes a per diem fine on dam owners and operators for failure to repair damage.
  

• SB 317—Raises the tobacco license fee—once again hurting small business and chipping away at the New Hampshire Advantage.

State GOP candidates want tax code overhaul
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN, Telegraph Staff

CONCORD – Both major Republican candidates opposing Democratic congresswoman Carol-Shea Porter support replacing the current tax code with simplified tax rates.

John Stephen, R-Manchester, and Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, insist a tax overhaul is needed so the country can return to a time when most citizens filed their own tax returns.

"A great nation deserves a better tax code than what we have today," Stephen said.

"Our current tax system is smothering small businesses and stifling economic growth, while it confuses individuals and leaves many feeling that the process is unfair.''

Stephen said if elected he would propose legislation to give all citizens a choice between the existing system and a "simple, flat tax.''

"My guess is that the current system doesn't stand much of a chance,'' Stephen said.

Stephen, a former health and human services commissioner, unveiled his proposal on Monday, the day before the deadline for all Americans to file their 2007 taxes.

Bradley, a former congressman and state legislator, proposed two months ago a rewrite that would replace the current code with three tax rates of 10, 15 and 30 percent.

The Bradley proposal would exempt the first $40,000 of income from the tax, to insulate the working class.

"We would also preserve the favorable tax treatment of home ownership and charitable giving, both important components of the fabric of American life. What is most important is that cumbersome and complex 60,000-page morass is altered to be simple, comprehensible and fair,'' Bradley explained.

While in Congress, Bradley voted for the Bush tax cut of 2003 and vowed to preserve those that will retire in 2010 if Congress fails to act.

"The Democrats like to portray this political handiwork as nothing more than tax increases on the wealthy,'' Bradley said.

"It makes for great political spin but there is one problem: it's wrong.''

Bradley claimed the average American family making $40,000 a year got a tax cut worth $2,000.

Stephen said the group that benefits most from the current system are tax lobbyists who spend millions to preserve or carve out new tax breaks for their clients.

Notice that both Republicans are not for the status quo - they want REAL CHANGE!

Meanwhile, over in the Democratic camp...

While in Congress, Shea-Porter has voted to repeal the Bush tax cuts for the 1 percent most wealthy in the U.S. and voted to give tax relief to middle-class families facing an increase under the Alternative Minimum Tax.

The bill Shea-Porter supported paid for that tax cut by closing a loophole that allows offshore companies to reduce U.S. tax liability.

...nothing than the same thing, over and over again.  Change?  No change at all - only moving backwards....