YOUR COMMENTS

Marlene L. - Show me WHERE it has been repealed, when it is stated each and every contract term, including the current one! The fact of the matter is that health insurance after retirement is NOT a guaranteed benefit. A state employee who chooses to retire early (by choice) should not feel that they are entitled to free health insurance year-after-year, especially since it clearly states that it is not guaranteed every contract term. As a State Employee, I am well within my rights to applaud and criticize whatever and whomever I wish. Just because they are a 'fellow' state employee does not mean that I have to believe all of the crap or hype brought on my the union or other state employees.
- John, Manchester

They want a 10% tax on winnings over $600 and then they expect to make money on gambling? This is like someone cooking their hen, then expecting it to lay eggs the next day.
The dumbing down of the population is complete. It has gotten to the point where a dumb person can actually get elected to office!
- Steve, Raymond

Jake in Manchester doesn't understand the difference between handing over money willingly and having the government force you to hand over your wallet at gunpoint.

Okay, Jake. Buying something in the store is exactly like being mugged, by your analogy.

Why do liberals never get it? What is wrong in their minds? What is broken? And Jake? You go ahead and pay double taxes, then, since you're such an upstanding citizen who thinks they know better. No? Why not?
- Mike R., Bedford

To the State employee;
The statute you cited has been repealed. As a State employee you should at least support those forced to retire at a young age because they were injured badly in the line of duty.
To those brave Fire men and Policemen we should provide to them greater benefits than those who retire by choice.
My guess is that you don't patrol in a police car or fight fires, correct?
- Marlene L., Concord, NH

Is this not discrimination? Only stupid people gamble their money away and are to dumb to realize they will never win anything. This is like stealing candy from babies. Amazing that people will throw away money into a machine and it's ok...........ask them to help support the USA by paying taxes and you may as well slit their throat.
- Jake, Manchester

Gambling and liquor are 2 sleezy ways to raise funds. Why don't we pull over every vehicle as it crosses the state line and have all the occupants give up their cash.
- P. Noel, Wilton

Passing H.B.2 would be a shot in the arm to N.H.Thousands of all year round jobs.Hundreds of millions of NEW CONSTRUCTION Work.Anew casino with First class facilities would work well.It would be a goldmine to the State.I urge you to pass H.B.2 Jerry S.Florida
- Jerry Schwartz, Sunny Isles Beach Florida 33160

What about those Firemen and Policemen who were forced to retire because of an very bad injury they suffered in the line of duty? Are they too going to be forced to pay more than they already do for their health benefits? I cannot believe the Legislature will force Firemen with familes hurt in a fire or Policemen shot doing their duty and no longer able to work from paying more than they already do from their already meager pension. These folks were promised subsidized health benefits (there are no 100% paid family plans) when hired and had these subsidized benefits when they put themselves in harm's way for us, the citizens of NH, and were forced into retirement after being seriously injured and they should continue to recieve ALL the benefits they earned! I am shocked anyone would think this is good idea or the right thing to do to these men and women hurt so badly they had no choice but retire. In one second they went from earning a decent living with overtime to a fixed income of 50% of their salary with NO overtime at the time of their injury. And as the salary for the position they retired from increases they recieve not one penny of adjustment beyond the COLA every retiree gets.
I always wondered why Policemen and firemen risk their lives doing a job none of us would ever think of doing only to be abandoned after being hurt badly.
- Marlene L., Concord, NH

Yes, I agree that those who chose to retire EARLY should be charged some sort of health insurance premium. If they choose to leave state service early, by all means, charge them something. The retiree health insurance benefit is not a guarantee. Get the facts.
- Jeff, Hooksett

You people are pretty funny. You all completely ignore any facts, but that's what makes you all so funny.

Spending hasn't gone up in like 20 years on a per capita basis which takes inflation and earnings into account, they've actually gone down in NH.

Welfare and ssection 8? Really, you think that is really hurting the budget? WOW!
The gov't pays as much as manufacturing jobs? Really WOW.

You people just believe what you want because you want to, God forbid the facts come into play.
- Kevin, Derry NH

I am a State Employee. The current state employees and retirees KNOW that Health Insurance after retirement is NOT a guaranteed benefit! So NOTHING was promised to them!! Coverage or no coverage varies with each and every contract term.

In the Retiree Medical Coverage document on the state website it says, "Medical coverage is not a guaranteed benefit...Currently, the State pays the full premium for eligible retirees and their spouses. If the Legislature does not appropriate the necessary funds, retirees may be responsible for all or a portion of the premium." Retiree medical coverage is governed by RSA 21-I:30, "within the limit of the funds appropriated at each legislative session".

http://admin.state.nh.us/hr/documents/Retiree_medical_coverage.pdf
- John, Manchester

It's time to reign in spending and pass a sales tax in this state so we can drain a few bucks from the tourists who flood this state and use our services 365 days a year.
- Brian, Farmington

Let's hope that they pass this so "Liberal Lou" can collect his big fat finders fee from the gambling big wigs and finally retire. He works so hard for these out of state companies, he should be listed as a lobbyist, not a senator.
- SR, Grantham

Welcome to Northern Massachusetts!
- Archie, Hampstead

Does NH have any 'honest' taxes? Every funding mechanism is a scam or designed to take advantage of someone else. What ever happened to paying for what you get?
- Art, Portsmouth

If NH is going to have gambling I say lets go big. Lets build a big casino, and lets make it a high dollar casino. lets have expensive table games and slots to make sure the poor people cant play. if the poor people cant play, they cant lose, its perfect.
- Dan, Bedford

I would love gaming in NH. I just do not see why some entities should get the licenses to operate gaming because they have been around for a long time. Seems unfair and really short sighted.
- Joe, Manchester

I agree with the Liquor commission having authority to close stores not generating enough to be shuttered. It makes no sense to have an Enforcement divison, that branch of the Commission should be moved to the Dept. of Safety to consolidate Law Enforcement under one roof. Save money and cut the waste.
You have a Chief, Deputy Chief, Major two Lieutenants, Three Sgts. for a staff of twenty something. A very small too many chiefs not enough line staff bloated agency, lets save some money for taxpayers move them and cut the bloat.
- Stuart, Nashua

When it comes to gambling,I don't know how many have witnessed a family present at track gambling away,(you could tell they didn't have much money)their children running "free" inside.The parents order food for themselves and nothing for their children.Children start to beg parent for food to which they are told no. The children then start to beg the help who in turn feel sorry and pool together their own money to try to buy something for these kids to eat. Gambling isn't always the answer to a problem. You need to witness some of the things that go on inside to get a better understanding .They keep raising everything and what happens if some of us can no longer afford to do the things that have been increased. Auto reg. well, either I don't or i get something I can afford.(there's one cut back)cigarettes(quit 10 years ago)rooms and meals,the same applies.All they will do with the "extra" will be to live "outside their means" and all ways find reasons to keep increasing revenue.
- rosie, laconia

Let's look at what the bill does to a small business - say they make 100,000 per year and have an annual total payroll of 1,000,000 - now they pay a total of 8,500 in NH taxes - under the proposed bill this amount would change to 16,000 - nice roughly 100% tax increase on the backs of NH business - great idea
- John, Wolfeboro

Expanded gambling sounds good on paper and in the arguments but the reality is that when the bling starts rolling in, the spending will go up. What do we do in 5-10 years when we have spent all the "new gambling revenue" and still have budget shortfalls?? Prudent spending restraints MUST be in place and adhered to. Why can't the House and Senate understand that??
- JW, Manchester

Changing the rules for retirees is dirty pool. You know it, I know it, and the legislature knows it. I think everyone should contribute to their insurance policy - but do it fairly - you start with this year's retiree's coming up - not those already retired. These types of tactics tell me that the legislature is not serious about cutting spending - they only want to cut it where it will be overturned so they can shrug their shoulders and say "well, we tried". Then march merrily along with their spend, spend, spend programs.

And for Deb, Derry - AMEN, you hit it right on the head!
- Sandy, Thornton

Micheal King

You have the right idea. The problem is we paid people not to work manufacturing jobs so those jobs are no longer in America. Can you blame then really? If the government is going to pay people not to work why would they seek a manufacturing job for the same pay as FREE money? Well not free for the tax payer but you know what I mean.
- Deb, Derry

A tax on stupidity (gambling) is better than one on income or sales, but don't bet on the NH population to pony up $185 million. The increased fees look reasonable, but the capital gains tax hits retired folks more than others. Driving them out of the state may not be a wise move in the long run. Its good to see that state workers will be paying for health care, like the rest of us. Where are the cuts on spending though! STOP SPENDING SO MUCH!
- Bill, Moultonborough

Sure gambling will stop government waste and over spending on pet projects. Just like all the taxes and fee's already collected go to the intended programs told to us.

We may as well just give our money to compulsive gamblers. There is no difference between them and those in government addicted to spending other peoples money as if it were theirs.
- Deb, Derry

Free health care for life is ridicules but a promise should be honered. As for expanded gaming, private enterprise is investing, and we get jobs and revenue, lets get started before the other border states get the jump on us. Private enterprise is the way to go and that should include the liqueur stores.
- Rich, Winchester

I say bring on the Slots. The state is already involved in gambling with scratch tickets. Why not Slots? i would love any senators and House members defend the difference. They can't I have seen people buy 100.00 of dollars in scratch tickets. What is the difference.
- Dave, Manchester

They didn't include buying Powerball tickets. Surely, an oversight.
- Leo, Canterbury

Do like Arnold "S" announced he will do in California. "Stop Welfare" payments, that ought to take a bite out of the budget. Send state workers out and let them know (State Workers) people on welfare are takeing your benifits, get it. Go out and do an honest review of who gets what. Don't like it, welfare and section 8 recipeants, get a job!
- Michael King, Epping

Bring on the gambling! shame on the senate to make retirees pay for insurance as they were promised free health care at retirement,change the rules for present workers but DON'T back out of a benefit that was promised to these workers!
- Dave, Littleton