Why NH now needs CARC24 to stop an Income Tax
CACR24, a constitutional amendment prohibiting an income tax is coming up for a vote on Wednesday February 13th. Now I was thinking of going with the whole early Valentines gift for the taxpayers’ argument but have since been convinced that it might not be the best route.
As a former legislator, I always looked towards both history and current events as a tool when making important policy decisions. I think CACR24 is a prime candidate for us to apply that logic to, but first a little background on CACR24. If passed CACR24would give the people of New Hampshire an option and a voice on whether or not to prohibit an income tax. The passage of CACR24 means voters from Nashua to Pittsburg will get a chance to vote for (or against) protecting the New Hampshire advantage from those who wish to strip it away.
So let’s take look at the current events happening in our state, and see if they lead us towards a path that shows a need for an amendment that protects us from an income tax.
Currently in NH, we have a $50-$175 million dollar budget hole, caused by the 1/2 billion in additional state spending. We just incurred $100 million in new taxes and fees that were approved by this legislature and signed by our Governor. We currently have an education funding fiasco fueled by an out of control court, and perpetuated by a legislature and Governor willing to capitulate. We also currently live in a Democrat controlled reality, which puts pro-income-taxers in positions of power, such as Representative Susan Almy. Almy is the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, who actively support the income tax, and who stated just last year a personal quandary; on one hand she has "nightmares about how to pay for [2007 Democrat Party 17% increase in] government programs,” but doing this “…without instituting an income tax.”
You add this all up and you begin to see the ominous clouds darkening on the otherwise golden-hued horizon of the New Hampshire advantage. However before we jump onto supporting CACR24, as I said before, I think it is important to look at both history and current events, so let’s look at some history.
On January 9th 1997, Governor Shaheen was inaugurated the 88th Governor of New Hampshire. During her 16 minute speech, she reaffirmed her support for "the pledge" against a sales or income tax. However by December of 1999, an eventual flip-flop began to materialize. Rumors of that flip-flop began to swirl after the governor was asked at a forum in New London whether she would veto an income tax. Her response was evasive at best, "I'm looking at that issue,” she said. We now know that in March of 1999 the rumors turned into a flip-flop reality and that Jeanne Shaheen went on to offer us a state wide property tax, a capital gains tax and a willingness to consider a sales tax.
Good thing for New Hampshire taxpayers that our legislature was in the control of fiscal minded Republicans at the time, and not the income tax crowd that walks those halls today. Otherwise we might just look a little bit more like Massachusetts and I wouldn’t be writing and discussing how to protect the New Hampshire Advantage, but perhaps how to restore it.
So what can we learn from this history and these current events? How does that apply to an amendment put into the Constitution - prohibiting an income tax in CACR24?
I believe that if you add (1) our out of control spending, (2) to the fact that politicians can and do break their word, (even if it is in the form of a pledge see : Jeanne Shaheen) and (3) the $50-$175 million dollar fact that we are starring down a huge budget deficit, (despite the $100 million in new taxes passed last year), and (4) that our state is being run by those who do have long advocated for an income tax (such as Representative Susan Almy, Chairman of Ways and Means), not to forget our innocent Governor (John Lynch) that is so afraid to stand up to income-taxers (you throw on top a education funding fiasco (brought to you by activists judges bullying a weak Governor and Legislature), you will have ‘the perfect political storm’ that is readying to smash our taxpayers.
So this leads me back to history and a question. What have we always done as a country when our politicians let us down? Simple, we turn to the strength and wisdom of our people to fix it. Democracy demands our input and voice on permanently prohibiting the personal income tax by passing CACR24.
I will leave you with this quote and it is from our current Governor’s State of the State address, even though it was for another Constitutional Amendment, I think it rings true.
“Whether you are for an amendment or against an amendment, let the people vote,”.
Let the people vote indeed. Tell your legislator we need CACR24. Stop The Income Tax. Legislator contact information can be found at www.thenhadvantage.com
Mike Biundo is a former State Representative from Manchester. He also is the Chairman of The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition, an organization committed to preserve and protect the New Hampshire way of life with the underlying goal of local control, no sales or income tax and electing representatives of the people who vow to keep taxes low and limit spending
CACR24, a constitutional amendment prohibiting an income tax is coming up for a vote on Wednesday February 13th. Now I was thinking of going with the whole early Valentines gift for the taxpayers’ argument but have since been convinced that it might not be the best route.
As a former legislator, I always looked towards both history and current events as a tool when making important policy decisions. I think CACR24 is a prime candidate for us to apply that logic to, but first a little background on CACR24. If passed CACR24would give the people of New Hampshire an option and a voice on whether or not to prohibit an income tax. The passage of CACR24 means voters from Nashua to Pittsburg will get a chance to vote for (or against) protecting the New Hampshire advantage from those who wish to strip it away.
So let’s take look at the current events happening in our state, and see if they lead us towards a path that shows a need for an amendment that protects us from an income tax.
Currently in NH, we have a $50-$175 million dollar budget hole, caused by the 1/2 billion in additional state spending. We just incurred $100 million in new taxes and fees that were approved by this legislature and signed by our Governor. We currently have an education funding fiasco fueled by an out of control court, and perpetuated by a legislature and Governor willing to capitulate. We also currently live in a Democrat controlled reality, which puts pro-income-taxers in positions of power, such as Representative Susan Almy. Almy is the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, who actively support the income tax, and who stated just last year a personal quandary; on one hand she has "nightmares about how to pay for [2007 Democrat Party 17% increase in] government programs,” but doing this “…without instituting an income tax.”
You add this all up and you begin to see the ominous clouds darkening on the otherwise golden-hued horizon of the New Hampshire advantage. However before we jump onto supporting CACR24, as I said before, I think it is important to look at both history and current events, so let’s look at some history.
On January 9th 1997, Governor Shaheen was inaugurated the 88th Governor of New Hampshire. During her 16 minute speech, she reaffirmed her support for "the pledge" against a sales or income tax. However by December of 1999, an eventual flip-flop began to materialize. Rumors of that flip-flop began to swirl after the governor was asked at a forum in New London whether she would veto an income tax. Her response was evasive at best, "I'm looking at that issue,” she said. We now know that in March of 1999 the rumors turned into a flip-flop reality and that Jeanne Shaheen went on to offer us a state wide property tax, a capital gains tax and a willingness to consider a sales tax.
Good thing for New Hampshire taxpayers that our legislature was in the control of fiscal minded Republicans at the time, and not the income tax crowd that walks those halls today. Otherwise we might just look a little bit more like Massachusetts and I wouldn’t be writing and discussing how to protect the New Hampshire Advantage, but perhaps how to restore it.
So what can we learn from this history and these current events? How does that apply to an amendment put into the Constitution - prohibiting an income tax in CACR24?
I believe that if you add (1) our out of control spending, (2) to the fact that politicians can and do break their word, (even if it is in the form of a pledge see : Jeanne Shaheen) and (3) the $50-$175 million dollar fact that we are starring down a huge budget deficit, (despite the $100 million in new taxes passed last year), and (4) that our state is being run by those who do have long advocated for an income tax (such as Representative Susan Almy, Chairman of Ways and Means), not to forget our innocent Governor (John Lynch) that is so afraid to stand up to income-taxers (you throw on top a education funding fiasco (brought to you by activists judges bullying a weak Governor and Legislature), you will have ‘the perfect political storm’ that is readying to smash our taxpayers.
So this leads me back to history and a question. What have we always done as a country when our politicians let us down? Simple, we turn to the strength and wisdom of our people to fix it. Democracy demands our input and voice on permanently prohibiting the personal income tax by passing CACR24.
I will leave you with this quote and it is from our current Governor’s State of the State address, even though it was for another Constitutional Amendment, I think it rings true.
“Whether you are for an amendment or against an amendment, let the people vote,”.
Let the people vote indeed. Tell your legislator we need CACR24. Stop The Income Tax. Legislator contact information can be found at www.thenhadvantage.com
Mike Biundo is a former State Representative from Manchester. He also is the Chairman of The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition, an organization committed to preserve and protect the New Hampshire way of life with the underlying goal of local control, no sales or income tax and electing representatives of the people who vow to keep taxes low and limit spending