I'll Drink to that

6/29/09

New Hampshire, What did they do?

The State of New Hampshire passed a budget by a narrow margin last week. The budget is for $11.5 billion for the two-year plan, starting July 1.

Things are so bad in NH that even an income tax is looking good to some voters. Like Maine, programs and services suffer; and the hunt for alternative revenue starts to look like a drunken party game where no one is laughing.

Legislators settled on a mix of fees, increased tobacco taxes and cuts to come up with a something both sides could vote for. Like Maine, except for Bangor, they rejected the expansion of gambling and an increase in the gas tax.

In Maine we could have told them how to pass gambling. Refuse to let natives or in Maine’s case native Americans run a casino which would have kept all the money in Maine then allow an out of state firm to ship 50$,000,000.00 a year to Connecticut.

Funds from a gas tax could have paid for bridges and roads. New Hampshire’s gas tax was last increased in 1992. The wealthy have again refused to pay a faire share and their worshippers in the legislature voted against higher taxes on the wealthy.

N.H. and ME. have even more in common, State workers. The budget passed Gov. Lynch to cut the labor bill by $25 million, through layoffs, furloughs or other means.

State employees have already seen 200 layoffs announced, but to cut the budget by $25,000,000.00 the total could reach to an additional 750 layoffs. The following announcement was posted on the SEIU 1984 website.

Governor Lynch's public statements about the Budget have included discussion of additional state employee layoffs. If you receive a notice of layoff or transfer, contact the SEA immediately at 271-3411. The ability of SEA staff to assist you will vary according to several factors -- one key factor is how quickly you contact the union after receiving notice. So please do not delay; contact the SEA immediately if you receive a notice of layoff or transfer.

The courts: The budget will force cutbacks of both employees and hours and will threaten public safety while delaying justice.

At least N.H. still has State liquor stores which will expand to provide more revenue to the State. When does the time run out on the outsourcing of State revenue in Maine end? Can we bring our liquor stores back into the revenue stream?

Attacking State employees is an old trick. It is a trick that can’t solve the N.H. budget crisis and did nothing to solve the problem in Maine. What gimmick will the Republicans insist on next time around?

Don’t think your pensions are safe, the Repubs are salivating over what have worked a life time to earn.

There are many ways to get at your retirement and only one way to protect it. Get involved, get your family involved and let the legislative critters know you vote.

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