Rep. Roger Wells: State has little choice but to find new revenue (Concord: sales, insurance)

[vter]

Guys...just a friendly reminder as political discussions are an emotional subject, to discuss and argue in a civil manor, with respect, and to not resort to name-calling, bad language etc. Remember, everyone has a right to express their opinion whether you agree with it or not.
Thanks in advance for your cooperation
OK, back to your regularly scheduled programming.....

[seamusnh]

Originally Posted by GregW

I happen to know where the 17.5% came from because I have asked several of my representatives.

How about some objective source for your claim? A link to a NH government website, an article in a newspaper, something....

[Brave Stranger]

Originally Posted by seamusnh

From the article:

"My property tax this year will represent approximately 30 percent of my total income."

If that is the case, this guy cannot afford the house. If the property tax is 30%, how much of his total income does the mortgage represent? He should get housing more in line with his income or increase his income.

This guy is typical of many lawmakers....he makes this "personal". It reminds me of Rep Cleeg, a Republican who ran for the US congress seat in the second district last year who wrote in the mandate that all NH health benefits need to carry the option of stomach stapling operations because his own weight reduction operation went so well This is NOT how to run government policy !.

[fishnfool]

The situation in NH, and the country as a whole isn't going to change. The republicans are not the answer to the democrats and "liberalism". Voting them back in and hoping things get better is not going to put us in a better state. Both parties pretty much stand in the face of the "Live Free or Die" attitude..they just attack it in different ways and for different reasons. The republican party is faaaar from the party of low spending and small government now and people need to realize that. It's been hijacked by neocons. The cycle that we have in this country....voting out one party in favor of the other, only to vote them back into office when the new party screws it up in ~8-12 years....hasn't works and never will. What is the definition of insanity again?

The thing I love about NH is that this state...better than any other I know of, is much more in tune with local politics. You can still run a campaign by having town hall meetings, by campaigning door to door, by working hard and making a name for yourself. We the voters have a great chance to enact real change here by voting for our local candidates that we like, not those that Big Brother and Big Mother put out in front of us and force us to vote for the lesser of two evils.

Until people take an active role in their local politics nothing is going to change. We're heading the way of california and Mass no matter what party is in control.....we need to put the voters back in control, not the parties.

[GreenGene]

Seems to me that, regardless of who's to blame, NH is facing a budget problem that many, many other states are facing. The one line in the article that made sense to me is:

Soon the Legislature and the citizens will be faced with a choice: Cut many of our existing services or look for new revenue.

And that's the choice being faced by many of us. The state either gets more revenue, or cuts back services to a level that is supportable by current revenue.

So, what should be cut?

[Brave Stranger]

Until the mid-90s the NH Republican party was an outstanding vehicle for consevatives. It can be again. In the near future there are not going to be any third parties that have any real chance to do much of anything in the US, or NH. The NH Republican party controlled the NH House for over 100 years !!! They did so because they were in tune with the citizens.

I'm going to spend my time trying to get the NH Republican party back on track, and help erase the worthless Bush family from the collective memory of the party

[nicolem]

Originally Posted by GreenGene

Seems to me that, regardless of who's to blame, NH is facing a budget problem that many, many other states are facing. The one line in the article that made sense to me is:
And that's the choice being faced by many of us. The state either gets more revenue, or cuts back services to a level that is supportable by current revenue.

So, what should be cut?

For starters, our governor should grow a pair and halt the estimated 5% raise that state workers are set to receive- not to mention making them pay for their health benefits like the rest of us in the real world have to and I mean really pay-not some token amount. Another area would be all the ridiculous state cars that people drive around in for private use-and yes they do it because I know a few people that do. Gotta get back to work but I will write more later.

[Brave Stranger]

Originally Posted by GreenGene

Seems to me that, regardless of who's to blame, NH is facing a budget problem that many, many other states are facing. The one line in the article that made sense to me is:
And that's the choice being faced by many of us. The state either gets more revenue, or cuts back services to a level that is supportable by current revenue.

So, what should be cut?

Let's cut the 17.5% budget increase the Democrats passed in the last budget for a start. How's that ?

[nicolem]

Originally Posted by Brave Stranger

Let's cut the 17.5% budget increase the Democrats passed in the last budget for a start. How's that ?

Sounds great to me!

[Brave Stranger]

Originally Posted by nicolem

Sounds great to me!

This 17.5% number is the KEY to displacing the NH Democratic party next year. The NH Repunlican party needs bumper stickers & letters to the editor & a relentless neverending manta of how & why NH is in the trouble it's in now. Throw this budget in their face everyday ! I intend to.