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February 10. 2013 8:43PM

Gate City Musings: Nashua rep's gas tax should come up empty

Editor's note: Gate City Musings, a column on City Hall happenings and other Nashua items, is published every other Monday. It is written by a veteran political observer whose identity is known to the editors but who wishes to remain anonymous, and breathing.

When is a tax not a tax? When is a tax just a surcharge?

It appears that the great hope we had for the 2012-13 legislative session, although only a few weeks old, is already a disappointment. There are legislators who will be pressing for not only a gas tax increase, but a surcharge on top it.

Nashua State Rep. David Campbell, normally a friend of the taxpayer, is heading the proposal that we all must dig into our pockets and come up with not only a hefty increase in the gas tax (15 percent spread out over the next three years), but ... an annual surcharge of $15 on automobile and truck registrations, again spread out over the next three years.

Now don't get me wrong, legislator-attorney Campbell is a highly qualified, dedicated and hard-working public servant and we all can be proud that he represents us in Concord. But Musings believes he may be smoking something stronger than corn silk if he thinks he and his cohorts can get away with this proposed increase of 13 cents a gallon plus a surcharge on vehicles without a loud uprising from Nashua's Ward 4 and other Gate City-based constituencies.

To top off the tank he is asking all users of gasoline-powered vehicles to cough up an additional $15 fee, surcharge or tax or whatever you call it, again spread out over three years. His rationale, and it is a good one, is that our infrastructure (roads and bridges) is so dilapidated that a huge increase in the state's public works funding is absolutely necessary.

But hold on Dave, where were you and your fellow legislators who, over the years, have allowed our roadways and bridges to fall in such disrepair by not adequately funding necessary projects?

Liquor and Law

The Law Family, longtime Nashua business folks who own and manage Law Motor Freight, and as of now hold a contract to store and deliver wine and spirits (liquor) are really taking it on the chin by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission.

After 50 years of doing an outstanding job storing and delivering the commission's products, thus saving the state millions of dollars, the commission decided that another company from Ohio owned by a German conglomerate could do a better job. Some say there may have been some "hanky panky" when the commission awarded the contract to this Ohio outfit.

This whole mess was actually made possible several years ago when the legislature "in its infinite wisdom" changed the bidding awarding process by eliminating the Governor and Executive Council from voting on commission contracts.

This was done ostensibly to give the Liquor Commission more authority by "streamlining the process," whatever that meant. What it did was to eliminate close scrutiny by the 12 eyes of the Governor and five council members whose constitutional and legislative authority for the past 100 years gave them the right to vote on contracts.

Good luck, Law Family, in your quest to continue to serve our state admirably.

Musings has only been around and looking into local and government (as an interested citizen) for more than a decade, but it still amazes me that our citizen government at the state and local levels really makes sense, except in this case.

On the other hand, state government, as archaic as it may seem to some, really works.

Isn't it good government to have six elected officials, answerable to the public, making final decisions on Liquor Commission multi-million dollar contracts rather than three bureaucrats answerable to only themselves?

If you feel likewise, email me at: musing45@yahoo.com

Gate City residents should be proud of their elected officials and city employees; the vast majority work hard and are completely dedicated. But there are those who, at times, don't understand who they really work for ... not the bureaucrats, but we the citizens.

A good example of this was when a citizen asked Musings what the total debt of the city was. Musings suggested this person ask the City Treasurer. When queried, he was asked by the Treasurer, "Who wants it?"

If you have had a problem or gripe with Nashua government, let Musings know and we'll use our contacts (elected and appointed) in City Hall as well as insider friends to find the answers.

Pennichuck

The Pennichuck Board of Directors continues to stonewall media requests asking for employees' salaries now that a New Hampshire Superior Court judge says they don't have to. If Pennichuck isn't a city entity, then what is it? The owner and sole stockholder of this company is the city of Nashua and since when are government agencies/entities forbidden to make their financials public?

A Musings' "pat on the back" to city employee Jennifer Deshaies for the speedy handling of the claim by Darrell's Music that recent construction on Main Street had something to do with a leak in their basement. Interesting to note that the city's new director of public works didn't return phone calls asking for an explanation.

Good job, Jennifer! You are an excellent example of a city employee who cares.

Another "pat on the back" goes to Alderman-at-Large Barbara Pressly, who asks questions of the mayor and her fellow aldermen that for whatever reason they avoid or shy away from.

Kudos also to Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, Harbor Homes and Southern N.H. Rescue Mission for the good work they are doing. It looks like another year when no one freezes to death.

As one of the top 100 cities in the U.S. to live in, these Gate City agencies literally save lives.