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December 14, 2011

Economics And Politics Clash Over NH Tax Revenue Forecast

Yesterday, StateImpact liveblogged the Joint Economic Session. Members of the House and Senate Finance and Ways and Means Committees gathered for hours to hear economists offer projections on where the global, national, and state economies are headed in 2012. Admittedly, it was pretty dry stuff. And we were ready to do what we’ve done with […]

Democrats Raise Ethics Questions Over O’Brien Mileage Spending

A spot of ethical controversy is brewing at the statehouse over austerity measures designed to curb politicians’ spending. Kevin Landrigan at TheLobbyNH.com reports: “State Democratic leaders were livid Tuesday at learning House Republican lawmakers got paid mileage to see behind-closed-doors proposals for redistricting the entire, 400-person House of Representatives. The Lobby confirmed that House Speaker […]

December 5, 2011

New Hampshire Primary Spending Way Down Among Republican Candidates

If it feels like maybe Republican presidential candidates aren’t spending as much in New Hampshire as they did in the run-up to the 2008 primary, you’re onto something. Bob Sanders of the New Hampshire Business Review dug into campaign expenditures thus far, and found: “The voting results won’t be in until January, but so far […]

December 2, 2011

Leading Republicans Against Right-To-Work Can Keep Their Posts After All

Yesterday, we linked to a story on TheLobbyNH.com following-up on House Speaker William O’Brien’s latest attempt to overturn the governor’s veto of Right-to-Work legislation. A number of Republicans joined Democrats in opposition to the override during Wednesday’s vote. O’Brien ultimately lost his bid to institute Right-to-Work by seven votes. Then yesterday, Kevin Landrigan reported for […]

December 1, 2011

Leading Republicans Lose Positions For Opposing Right-To-Work

While overriding Governor Lynch’s veto of Right-to-Work failed yesterday, Kevin Landrigan of TheLobbyNH.com reports the fallout continues today: “Four members of House Speaker William O’Brien’s extended leadership team will be sacked for their opposition to Right-to-Work legislation, TheLobbyNh.com has learned. House Fish and Game Commission Chairman Gary Hopper, R-Weare, has already turned in his letter […]

November 23, 2011

“Affordable” North Conway Outlets Get Shout-Out On SNL

In all likelihood, most of you aren’t visiting StateImpact for our primary coverage. Yes, we completely agree that the Republican primary is a Very Big Deal. But most people don’t go to business news sites to get nitty-gritty political coverage, either. So we try to keep political stories strictly focused on New Hampshire’s business and […]

November 4, 2011

Senator Ayotte Sponsors Bipartisan Bill Aimed At Keeping Internet Sales Tax Free

Earlier this week, we looked at how New Hampshire’s anti-tax attitude compares to other states. (You can read that post here.) Now, US Senator Kelly Ayotte is working on a bipartisan bill aimed at keeping internet sales (mostly) sales tax-free. Here’s what Kathleen Callahan reports for the New Hampshire Business Review: “If U.S. Sen. Kelly […]

November 3, 2011

How Lower Cig Taxes And Lackluster Sales Fit Into The Bigger Revenue Picture

By now, we imagine you’ve probably heard about the state’s $4 million revenue shortfall last month. New Hampshire’s major media outlets have been reporting on the issue since last night, and they’ve tended to zero-in on the same thing: Most of that lost revenue comes from lackluster cigarette sales. And, of course, this point raises […]

October 28, 2011

Cain’s 9-9-9 Touches Third Rail Of New Hampshire Tax Policy

The attractiveness and simplicity, of Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan — a nine percent federal income, corporate and sales tax — has catapulted the Georgia businessman to the head of the Republican presidential field. But for some states, 9-9-9 wouldn’t be simple at all. A handful of states—including the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire—don’t have a sales tax. So what would a […]

October 21, 2011

For New Hampshire, Cain’s 9-9-9 Means New Taxes

New Hampshire is one of a small minority of states without a sales tax.* So when Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain announced his 9-9-9 Plan — 9 percent corporate tax, 9 percent income tax, and a 9 percent national sales tax — residents of New Hampshire started feeling a bit nervous. While the Cain plan […]