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Governor Lynch’s latest plan to address the state’s budget shortfall would involve raising taxes on cigarettes, reducing the state discount to wine retailers, and introducing a brand new tax on charity poker games. We’ll unpack the economics of so-called “sin taxes” and explore what these increases could mean for consumers, businesses and the state budget.

Guests

• Brian Gottlob , Principal at PoliEcon Research
• Charlie Arlinghaus , President of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
• Dan Eaton, Democratic State Representative from Stoddard and longtime member of the House Finance Committee

We'll also hear from

• John Lynch , Governor of New Hampshire
• John Ganos, owner of Tobacco Haven in Brookline

Each month The Socrates Cafe explores a different philosophical question, both on the air and on the web. This month we look at the question "Should race matter?" Is being the majority race still an advantage, or not? Do people of one race get special treatment or attention? If so, is that needed or right? Be part of the conversation.

Guest

• Chris Phillips, author of several books on philosophy including “Socrates in Love”, “Socrates Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy” and “Six Questions of Socrates: A Modern-Day Journey of Discovery through World Philosophy”. Chris Phillips also leads “Socrates Cafes” across the country which engages groups by using the methods of the ancient Greek philosopher.

New Hampshire's retirement system for public employees is seriously underfunded, and lawmakers are trying to reform it, tackling tough structural issues that many say should have been tackled long ago. We’ll look at the two competing reform measures and their impact on retirees and taxpayers.

Guests

• Lauren Dorgan, House reporter for the Concord Monitor
• Jay Ward, political director for the Service Employees International Union, Local 1984
• Lisa Shapiro, Board Chairman for the New Hampshire Retirement System and chief economist for Gallagher, Callahan and Gartrell

We'll also hear from

• Dean Michner, director of governmental affairs at the New Hampshire Boards Association
• David Lang, president of the Professional Fire Fighters Association of New Hampshire and fire fighter in Hampton for 28 years

Canadian born, Catholic raised, Dr. Ingrid Mattson made history in 2006 when she became the first woman and first convert to head up the continent’s largest Muslim organization. Today she’s speaking at St. Paul’s School in Concord as part of the New Hampshire Humanities Council “Shifting Ground: Religion and Civic Life in America” We’ll speak to Mattson about her journey to Islam, her goals as president of the Islamic Society of North America and the state of the Muslim faith in America today.

Guest

• Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America, Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations and Director, Islamic Chaplaincy Program for the Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations

NPR's contributing senior news analyst Cokie Roberts is one of the most recognizable women political reporters today. In 2004 she penned “Founding Mothers” about America's early revolutionary women; her new book, “Ladies of Liberty,” picks up where “Founding Mothers” left off. Last week, Cokie Roberts came to Portsmouth to talk about her new book in the latest installment of our Writers on a New England Stage series. Today we play back for you part of that performance.