House lawmakers refused to support Governor Benson's plan to amend the constitution to cap state spending and make it harder to raise taxes. But they did not kill the measure outright.
The vote to send what Craig Benson calls his taxpayers bill of rights to interim study was lopsided and came without debate. Afterwards, the Governor admitted he was sad a signature issue proved so unpopular……but stressed the initiative remains a top priority.
"We will continue to wage war and make this a campaign issues in November. To make sure that the people of NH know they live in a place that values their contribution in taxes, and values the opportunity to find new and efficient ways to run state government."
But critics on both sides of the aisle contend Benson's initiative would more likely make it harder to run government….They say to cap the state spending growth at the rate of inflation plus population change and make the enactment of any new or increased taxes subject to a super majority legislative vote will leave legislators hamstrung. House majority leader David Hess says Colorado's experiences with a similar amendment should give anyone pause.
"In fact, the republican governor of Colorado, the republican senate president of Colorado, the republican majority leader in Colorado and the republican speaker of the house in Colorado, are all proposing constitutional amendments to revise the taxpayers bill of rights because of the extreme constraint they have found in operating the state effectively."
Democrats take on the bill is even more skeptical. Stoddard Representative Dan Eaton said the proposal's actual goals are more political than practical.
This was clearly an political opportunist bill and the legislature doesn’t get fooled that easily and that fact that this was one of his major forums and went down without debate on the floor shows what a joke it was at the outset.
That's not to say, however, that the taxpayers bill of rights doesn't have its adherents. Epsom Representative Tony Soltani was among the 66 to against sending the measure to study. He insists that changing the constitution to cap the growth of government is a good idea.….Soltani adds, however, that Benson's failure to deliver on past budgetary promises has compromised to sway key lawmakers.
"There is an environment of a lack of trust between the legislative leadership and the governor -- that's no secret in the statehouse -- and to try to get this passed in the second year of the legislative session after the governor has gone to battle with the legislature on several significant issues did not help at all."
The earliest the taxpayers bill of rights could make it onto the the ballot would be 2006. To get there it would first need 3/5ths support in both chambers of the legislature.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo