YOUR COMMENTS

Wont happen this year as the dems wont risk getting voted out. Rest assured it will happen in 09, particularly if they pick up more seats. Wake up and do your part to vote these hacks out !! Say no to big gov't socialism....it'll be our ruin
- Patrick, Bedford

I think Susan Almy's idea of a state income tax is tremendous. What she should do and people of her ilk is to volunteer to pay 3 to 5% of their gross income and leave the rest of us alone.
- David elliott, Hooksett

Rep. Almy's Ways and Means committee voted on 2 income tax bills today. And killed both of them.

The first bill the House passed after the Governor's speech was a license fee for animal pharmaceuticals that brings in a whopping $11,000 per year. And it reduced the requirement to give distemper shots.

There are always a number of tax bills presented, because any Rep. can present any bill they want. The thing to watch is what passes. This year, the answer will be "Nothing."

I am sure the rest of the UL editorial is equally fact-filled.
- Mike, Greenland

Have to agree with Brian from wakefield. As soon as cuts are mentioned all the bleeding hearts start whining about how we won't be able to live with out these "critical" services. New Hampshire has been a fiscally conservative state for years and people lived just fine with out hand outs for all. Infrastructure and needs have always been taken care of just fine.
If all the Taxachusettes liberals liked it so much down there they should have stayed down there rather than screwing up this state as well!!
- Jesse, Orford

Gary you sound like a typical civil service employee. Give us your money or we are going to make your life miserable. I would love to see many of those services cut. No one is talking education(though the private sector would do a ten times better job at half the cost) fire and police services what we are talking about are the wasteful spending the 17% increase. It seems the state kept the roads safe people educated etc without the 17% increase.
- Brian, Wakefield

Leo, the "sales tax" you mention in your comments on car registrations does not go to the state...it is revenue to the towns.....what is commonly called the "mill tax" which is based on vehicle value.
The other fee you pay is for the tags which does go to the state, (which the democrats increased by 20% last year at the suggestion of the Governor)
As to tax increases, there are dozens of bills before the legislature right now looking to spend millions of dollars of more money---what will pay for that?
- Fran, New Hampton

i'd be all for a sales tax if i thought my property taxes would decrease, but we know that's a wishful thought!
- rcn, manchester

What is wrong with a sales tax? How much more money does tax-free shopping bring into our state? I see how the stores themselves make more sales but what does that translate into? More $7 an hour jobs? Big whoop. Do the business pay more taxes when they make more money? How do we benefit exactly? Do you really think Massachusetts people will stop coming to NH if we have a tax? On to the budget, I don't think people realize how hard a job it is to balance a budget with all those other legislators protecting their special interests so they get reelected. As far as big government goes, if the government doesn't support social service programs, who will? Big business? Yeah right.
- Sue, Bedford

Governor Lunch may not be focused on raising taxes at this time, but don't don't be fooled, he'll get around to it. Notice that he did not rule out tax increases. The Governor must think that we're all ignorant. First he allows our State budget surplus to be frittered away via uncontrolled spending. Why? Because in a surplus budget enviroment he would have no legitimate justification for instituting an income tax. So he allows a deficit to be created so that he can claim to be fiscally responsible and raise taxes and create a State income tax! Just remember, when he came into office NH had a decent surplus! This deficit we now enjoy occured during his watch under his leadership! Of that, nobody can deny.
- Rob, Manchester

Well ,you bleeding hearts wanted the change and you will get it. Another Tax & Spend Liberal. Wait until your new protege gets up to bat, Mr.Obama Hold onto to your wallets in 09' the dems will really lay on the taxes. How else will they pay for all the handouts they are salivating to bring back. Be careful what you wish for, you may get it!
- Ken D, Merrimack

By boosting the budget 17%, and relying on paper revenue estimates, Governor Lynch cannot be surprised that the budget is out of balance. And now the decision will be spun as "Do we increase taxes, or cut services?"

Lookout: maybe there will be another feint -- a proposal to impose a sales tax in order to cut property taxes.
- Ditmar, Hollis

Is he serious? Where does Lynch think the money is going to come from? Oh ya, I forgot, Lynch is trying to turn NH into another Vermont, Maine, or better yet, Mass. Seriously, get out of office before you completley ruin our state.
- Derek Myers, Manchester, NH

It is funny how a person like Rep. Susan Almy can become the chairperson of the House Ways and Means Committee when she has no experience in the private sector. Her biography states, "She worked as a socio-economic researcher/program developer in agricultural and rural development from 1971-1994, focusing on Africa and Latin America." Obviously her hardwork in these parts of the world have contributed to their success in economic matters. Please note my sarcasm. At least Lynch somewhat acknowledges the real issue here and that is spending although his silence on tax increases shows he does not have a grasp on the solution. I believe it is very telling why Lynch is so quiet on tax increases. Is it because it is an election year and he wants to hold off on tax hikes until after his re-election? At least level with us governor, the informed in this state see thru your charade. This is what is called leadership and your lack of it since being elected is very troubling. Your supporters will continue making excuses and use former governors' mistakes to distract us on this issue. They are completely blinded by their ideology and will blame the national economic issues on our problem but yet ignore the fact that Lynch and this state benefited greatly when the economy was doing well. I truly hope the voters in NH will come to the realization that the current leadership in Concord has spent us into this problem and that a return to our roots of small government is the direction we need to take.
- Kyle, Bedford

What is perfectly clear is that you and some of your readers have not compared the effects on life that would occur if the list of services provided at public expense were not to occur because of a lack of adequate funding. Public services are provided by hard-working, public employees (who are also tax payers) and your non-appreciation of their work is very obvious when you call for cuts in taxes. Similar to the education funding issue, YOU do owe society, as a whole, for your first 12 years of education as the prior generation paid their taxes in support of your education. Perhaps those draconian cuts should occur just to prove that the services are needed.
Gary L. Kerr
- Gary L. Kerr, Chichester

I'm going off-shore.
- Tim Moore, Gilmanton

You're going to have a broad based tax in New Hampshire - a general income tax, a sales tax, or both. It's a practically inevitable consequence of those stupid Claremont decisions and the liberalization of the state, and with a Democratic legislature and governor it's likely to happen soon. You're in danger of losing the "New Hampshire advantage" and becoming like Maine. I bet William Loeb and Meldrim Thomson are rolling around in their graves
- John, Maine

I don't believe it. The UL doesn't like one of Gov. Lynch's ideas or positions? That's so unlike them. These must be some awful ideas because the UL is very consistent in its fair, thoughtful and unbiased approach to the Governor. I'm sure that a Gov. Guinta would receive equal treatment.
- Jason, Manchester

One hint in the future; stop electing tax and spend liberals!! They never have enough money to fund all of their "projects". For some reason they always seem to think that the government can solve every problem when we all know that the government can rarely get anything done efficiently or for a reasonable cost!
- Jesse, Orford

Mr Lynch should be applauded for his statement of fact. He is not looking for any new taxes. His fellow Democrats in the Legislature will do that for him and they are poised to hit this state with the largest taxation it has ever seen.
r. Lynch will probably even veto it to get elected, they , of course , will override his veto and he will look like the Hero. WAKE UP New Hampshire, Massachusetts #2 is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Mark, Candia

None of this matters anymore. New Hampshire has been transformed into Massachusetts North. This whole debate focuses on Power and who has it. Democrats think they are 100% right in all their liberal policies whether fiscal or social. Republicans have too many RINO's in the party to oppose and work collaboratively these Democrats. There used to be a clear distinction between our neighbors to the south and New Hampshire....There is still time to reclaim this State for what it is, not what others want to define it as, along with those select Republicans who lack the spine to stand for clearly defined principles. We knew this would happen when we went to the Ballot box.
- Rick Olson, Manchester

This is a wake-up call for the citizens of NH. We need to vote the Dems out in November. Better yet, we should provide them all with one-way bus tickets back to the People's Republic of Vermont or the Democratic Republik of Taxachusetts.
- Rick, Hampton

Governor Lynch just doesnt get it does he? He passes almost $500 million in increased spending then blames a $50 million shortfall on the national economy. Baloney.

These lies, mistruths and liberal governing will come back to bit him in 2008.
- Steve, Manchester

Who elected all the Moonbats to the legislature and congress in 2006 .They are to blame
- C.L. Ortega, Hampsted

You have to wonder what, if anything, the UL editorial writers are thinking. NH residents are being taxed to death by the worst kind of taxes - property taxes - including those insidious fees for registering your car every year. They amount to an annual sales tax on your car. Ridiculous! I am not a Lynch supporter, but if he has the guts to address and resolve the taxation issue that is choking this state, then more power to him.
- Leo Paradis, Canterbury

We all ready have a state income tax. We, who own businesses pay to the state, 8.5% of all payroll, if a income tax is put into place, we will be taxed twice. Lynch, needs to call Benson for some advice on how to run the State, I'm sure that he will be open for some advice.
- John, Candia

This is why we only need a 2 yr Gov.
- TD, Merrimack

We know how much it means when a politician says no new taxes. Bush Sr anyone?
- DM, Manchester

Tax and spend democrats will never learn nor do those who continue to elect them. Government spending seldom does anything more than expanding the size of government and does NOT solve the problems they set out to solve. There are just more bureaucrats to spread around the blame for failure and to beg us for more money.
- AJ, Windham

He may not be thinking about new taxes right now, but he will be when the education bill comes due.
- Steve Dennis, kingston