Constitutional Integrity
The NH Constitution is the political infrastructure upon which this state is founded. If we amend it beyond recognition, we lose sight of our roots, our heritage and our culture. There have been several attempts, just this year, to amend the NH Constitution. The proposed amendments are as follows.
CACR 13: Constitutional amendment giving legislators mileage compensation for travel on veto days and when voting on a budget following a
continuing resolution.
CACR 14: Constitutional amendment stating, "The right to make personal reproductive medical decisions is inviolate and fundamental to the human
condition. Neither the State nor any political subdivision shall infringe upon or unduly inconvenience this right." (NOTE: Unnecessary to
amend the constitution, as there are laws that provide for this.)
CACR 15: Constitutional amendment relating to regulation of searches and seizures. Providing that certain information in a legally enforceable
contract shall be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures.
CACR 16: Constitutional amendment empowering the state legislature to authorize a recall election.
CACR 17: Constitutional amendment stating, "Any broad-based tax enacted by the State shall only be for the purpose of reducing property taxes by
the same amount of revenue as raised by such tax." (NOTE: Whatever happened to NO broad-based tax?)
CACR 18: Constitutional amendment providing that the House or the Senate may independently order a referendum to reduce a penalty established
in law. (NOTE: This goes to checks and balances, constructed to keep our legislature honest.)
CACR 19: Constitutional amendment prohibiting the burning of the American flag "except as a respectful means of disposing of a worn or damaged
flag." (NOTE: The burning of the US flag is not respectful for any reason.)
CACR 20: Constitutional amendment raising the retirement age for judges and sheriffs to 75.
Educational Opportunities
As a society, we are responsible to ensure that our children - our future - have the best possible foundation for success. Each and every child has unique abilities, talents and potential that deserve development. It is incumbent upon us to provide an environment that is first, safe; second, intellectually challenging and third, appropriate for each child.
Speaking to the safety issue, last year several issues regarding the safety of our students and the handling thereof, were exposed through articles in the Concord Patch, and other news agencies. It is imperative that efficient and timely oversight is maintained on behalf of our children.
Alternative educational choices, such as charter and private schools and home-schooling, as well as the public schools, can produce environments that promote cognitive growth. We owe it to our future to allow children to learn in the ways best for them. One size does not fit all.
Fight Sales and Income Taxes
See CACR 17. "When the nose of the camel creeps into the tent, the rest of it isn't far behind." This doesn't list all the proposed tax bills.
HB712 and SB 1- relative to a family and medical leave insurance program.
•Established a 0.5% tax on wages that would have cost employers and workers $168 million per year.HB1492 - establishing a tax on the retail sale of certain electronic devices
•This bill would have established a 4.3% tax on the sale of certain electronic devices, including TVs, video games, smart watches, computers, tablets,
laptops, printers, scanners, faxes, software, cell phones and smartphones.
Affordable Housing
Affordable housing is linked to lower taxes. The State needs to learn, just like every household, that they must develop a reasonable, achievable budget, sufficient to their needs, without creating burdens on our communities. Our NH Constitution defines our rights as citizens as "the enjoying and defending of life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and in a word, of seeking and obtaining happiness." Affordable housing is do-able, with some creative effort.
Affordable Small Business Growth
Small business is the backbone of this State, much less the country. We owe it to those who have are adventurous and industrial enough to grow a business to make it as easy as possible for them to do so, especially in light of the recent shutdowns. The following list is not all-inclusive.
Proposed business tax bills, 2020:
HB623 - relative to the rates of the business profits tax and business enterprise tax.
•This bill increased the Business Profits Tax rate to 7.9 percent and the Business Enterprise Tax rate to 0.675 percent and repealed the rate
reductions contained in Chapter 156, Laws of 2017.
•At the time the bill was introduced, it was estimated that this bill would have resulted in $280 million over the next 4 fiscal years.
HB482 - relative to the revenue stabilization reserve account.
•This bill established a process to raise the rates of the business profits tax and business enterprise tax if the revenue stabilization reserve account
would have a zero balance.
HB735 - relative to carbon pricing.
•This bill would have established a carbon tax program that, once fully implemented, would cost New Hampshire citizens and businesses $800
million per year.
HB254 - relative to the provision allowing operators to retain a portion of meals and rooms taxes collected
•This bill would have capped the amount of meals and rooms tax revenue retained by those businesses who collect the tax to just $100 per month,
rather than the 3% they can currently retain to cover administrative costs of retaining the tax.
•This would have meant a $6.6 million per year increase in meals and rooms tax payments by businesses.