Hillsborough County Republicans

June 14, 2009
by Hon. Pam Manney

It’s budget season for the NH Legislature and, true to form, you have the Democrats raising costs with the Republicans looking to reduce the Democrat increases of providing services to the NH residents.

This process leads to a sparring between the two with the Democrats accusing the Republicans of being cold-hearted for “cutting” the budget of social services programs. A good ploy that has worked well for Democrats for decades, but, factually untrue. Not that the public will ever know because Republicans have never corrected that assertion nor taken the time to implement the proper word needed to adequately describe the facts of the budget process in NH.

I would suggest that if Republicans want voter support for their budget (as well as reelection support), that they need to STOP calling their proposal to reduce the Democrats’ outrageous increases in the budget as CUTS. They need to be called what they are, REDUCTION IN INCREASES. Every time a voter hears the word cut, they think, “Big, Bad, Republicans!” and how those BBR don’t care about the people. They have no idea that your are reducing the increase, therefore saving them tax money while still providing services. Republicans need to start “laughing” at the Dems assertions that Republicans are “CUTTING” services.

For example: as copied from the 2008 Annual Report to the Citizens produced by the NH Dept of Administration, found at http://admin.state.nh.us/accounting/reports.asp

“Approximatelytely 40% of total state spending is for Health & Human Service Programs. Expenditures for Health & Human Services totaled $1.9 billion in FY08, an increase of $163.5 million (9.5%) from last year.”

Where is that reported to the general public?
Nowhere!

Where has this report been promoted to the general public?
Nowhere!

I suggest that if Republicans want to start “talking” turkey about the budget, as one Republican legislator suggested, then they need to start “gobbling” like the Democrats in language the voters can understand and with words that will make the voters feel good about supporting Republicans and their proposals to reduce spending while still providing necessary services to the people of NH.

Pam Manney lives in Goffstown.
She is a former two-term State Rep and is Chair of the Goffstown/Weare Republican Town Committee.

The Democratic majority continued its efforts last week to dismantle our New Hampshire Advantage.

House Republican Alliance members were unable to stop reconsideration of HB 415, the odd and dangerous “transgender expression bill.” Despite four hours of debate using 13 different amendments to highlight the outrageous consequences of such irresponsible social engineering, we lost by one vote.

The citizens of New Hampshire, however, are the real losers in these social engineering efforts that include same-sex marriage, as New Hampshire potentially becomes a magnet for those with sexual abnormalities looking for the San Francisco lifestyle.

The Democrats’ nanny state agenda continued with the House passage of HB 383 mandating the use of seatbelts. This elimination of your personal choice was primarily motivated by a one-time $3.7 million bribe from the federal government.

The Democratic majority continued to ignore the economic crisis, passing a 12.5 percent spending increase. To pay for the budget, the House approved making retired state employees under 65 pay 11.5 percent of their pension for health insurance, an 8 percent estate tax, a 5 percent capital gains income tax, a 10 percent increase in the rooms and meals tax, a 26 percent tax on tobacco (a 110 percent increase in three years), a beer tax, a new estate (“death”) tax, a 10 percent tax on gambling winnings including bingo, and a 15-cent gasoline tax over three years.

The bill imposes an $83 million local property tax increase and fails to fund promised school building aid and municipal revenue sharing.

To see your representatives’ votes, go to gencourt.state.nh.us/house/default.htm. To see how your representatives rank on the principles of fiscal restraint, personal freedom and responsibility, small government, free enterprise and strong family values, go to nhhra.org.

Rep. Robert Mead
Mont Vernon, NH

Fifty-four percent of New Hampshire voted for “change” in the recent presidential election, but is this the kind of “change they believe in ”? “Civil Unions” performed anywhere in the world now recognized in New Hampshire. Must we accept polygamy (multiple wives), which is legal in many Muslim countries, or Tibetan fraternal polyandry in which multiple sons in a family all marry the same wife? How about “Civil Unions” now termed as Marriage in New Hampshire. How do you feel about “Genderless” marriage officially being recognized, or about “Transvestites” now being free to choose either bathroom based upon their current “Gender specific” feeling, and with the right to bring objectors before the Human Rights Commission on charges of discrimination. And oh yes, how about strengthening the Human Rights Commission, eliminating the right to trial by jury for defendants, but keeping that right for the complainants who may not agree with the decision.

Other changes you might not want to believe in are legalizing “Assisted Suicide”, denying parental rights of notification prior to performing abortions on their minor daughters, or refusing the requirement for signed proof of counseling prior to abortion for these same children. Those are just a few of the social engineering bills pushed through the Judiciary Committee last week by the Democratic majority. Other “Changes” being pushed are increases in toll fees, and an 18-cent increase in gas taxes, a new tax on beer, another cigarette tax increase, casino gambling, and the list goes on and on. Whether you were one of the 54% who voted for “change” or not, you are certainly getting it. If this is not the kind of change in New Hampshire you believe in, then tape the above list of “changes” to the door of your refrigerator and refer to it along with the voting records of your Legislators before the next election. Voting records for all legislators can be found on the New Hampshire government web site at NH General Court by looking up your specific Representative and Senator, and clicking on their voting record.

Robert Mead
Judiciary Committee
NH State Representative
Hillsborough District 4