Governor Lynch can’t seem to keep his word on Taxes

I just received this press release concerning the State’s Budget Crisis and thought it important enough to pass on to you. This will probably be in the papers tomorrow (maybe not this release but the story will)

“Lynch Turns Back on Citizens, Asks for Tax Increases”

For Immediate Release                  Contact: House Republican Office

May 1, 2008                                                             603-271-3665

Today Governor Lynch announced a plan to raise more money for the general fund, but in doing so he ignored a pledge he made just months ago not to raise taxes or impose new fees on the citizens of New Hampshire. 

The Lynch plan calls for increasing the tobacco tax by 25 cents, imposing a new tax at a rate of 10% on Texas hold’em winnings, raiding dedicated funds in the amount of $1 million, imposing additional costs on business owners by reducing the discount on alcohol they buy to 10%, and forcing lapses of $2.2 million on Home-Community Based health Care (HCBC) and nursing services programs.  This plan would theoretically bring in approximately $45 million for the year, according to Rep. Norm Major (Plaistow), former Ways & Means Chairman.  The governor also proposed to bond $40 million of school building aid, which will free up an additional $40 million in general fund revenues. 

House Deputy Republican Leader David Hess (Hooksett) stated, “I am frankly disappointed that the governor has not kept his pledge to the citizens of New Hampshire. But I am not surprised.”

“Ronald Reagan famously stated in Washington in the 1980s that ‘we don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem.’  That is exactly the case in New Hampshire in 2008.  Rather than looking for reasonable places to reduce the bloated budget passed last year and bring it into line with our rising revenues, the Governor and the Democratic leaders of both the House and Senate want to raise still more taxes and fees.  If we had passed a reasonable budget, with an increase in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), we would not be where we are now,” added Rep. Hess.  “While our projected deficit for this fiscal year is $45 million, revenues are actually up $72 million, or 3.7 percent above last year,” stated Rep. Major, who serves on the Ways and Means committee. 

Republican Policy Leader Rep Gene Chandler (Bartlett) said, “This plan is going to hurt more than help our citizens.  Reducing the discount for small business owners to 10% for alcohol, threatening our hospitality industry; it is outrageous to think that either consumers will pay more or small business owners make less at a time when our economy is in trouble.  These businesses are the backbone of tourism for our state economy; we can not and must not do anything to endanger that.  By bonding $40 million in school building aid, we’re mortgaging the future rather than paying our obligations as they come due.  We also should have learned our lesson from last year when we increased the tobacco tax and revenues dropped off.  Here we go again with an additional tax burden to our citizens; it is irresponsible and not in the best traditions of doing what is right for New Hampshire.”

We should let Senator Sgambati know we aren’t happy about (1) the Governor not keeping his word and (2) the fact they are raising taxes during the other economic problems we are facing right now.

Will the Governor be held ACCOUNTABLE for this? Only time will tell.

I came across a story in the Union Leader on the budget issue in Manchester. It is called "Chicken Littles: A School District out of Ideas" and there is quite an online debate taking place. This article says:

Acting Superintendent Henry Aliberti and the teachers union have screamed that the sky is falling ever since Guinta proposed trimming about $7 million from the school budget. They have said that teachers will see massive layoffs and all sports and arts programs will be eliminated. But this is nothing new.

Former Superintendent Mike Ludwell would regularly threaten large-scale layoffs and the loss of extracurricular programs if he didn't get the budget he wanted. In 2006, despite getting $2.5 million less than he'd requested, Ludwell somehow managed to avoid eliminating sports programs and firing teachers.

It appears from the comments made that people think the Manchester public schools are underfunded and there should be an increase in the budget. The ignore the fact that the school population has dropped by over 1,500 students in the past couple of years but the budget has continued to climb. Money is not always the answer.

I have to admit I have given my input to this issue but it is clear many people are in support of the School District and ignore the facts associated with the decision to cut the budget. I encourage you to take a look over there and add your 2 cents worth.

Who knows, enough people putting their 2 cents in can make up for the $7 million cut.

Diplomacy working to make the United States LOVED around the World

I came across the AP story below, which can also be viewed at Channel 7 WSAW-TV in Wausau, WI. (Click here to view the story yourself) and thought about how we are told that our country is “hated” by other countries around the world. This is a different approach at creating the “Love Connection” others have with us.

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- A working class suburb of Chile's capital began handing out free Viagra to senior citizens on Wednesday. Lo Prado Mayor Gonzalo Navarrete said he launched the program because "an active sexuality improves the overall quality of life."

About 1,500 residents of the working-class area are eligible to receive as many as four pills of the erectile dysfunction drug each month, the mayor said. They have to be at least 60 and be registered with the municipality's health service.

"A doctor will have to certify that they suffer from erectile dysfunction and that their condition would not put them in danger of suffering cardio-respiratory side effects," Navarrete told The Associated Press by telephone.

He said he has assured about US$10,000 (euro6,400) in financing for the program through the end of the year.

Some government insurance plans in the United States and elsewhere provide Viagra, but Lo Prado hands the 50mg pills out free, with no membership in any public or private insurance plan required.

Navarrete said some other mayors in the Santiago area, which includes 34 municipalities, have told him they plan similar programs.

Navarrete said he did not know how many pills had been distributed so far

Another possible by-line for this story is “State Department tries hand at Universal Healthcare to make others feel better”