New Hampshire Governor Approves More Sin Taxes

 Cross posted on Grizzly Groundswell

 I am not even going to bore you again here with the details of New Hampshire’s budget woes other than to say that liberal Governor John Lynch vastly outspent the state’s incoming revenue by a projected $200 million plus. If you are so inclined you can read more about New Hampshire’s deficit here. What I do want to write about is what Governor Lynch has decided is the best way to cope with the impending crash of New Hampshire’s economy. Has he decided to cut spending? Only to a small extent. Has he decided to raise taxes? BINGO. Sin taxes.

Gov. John Lynch proposed Thursday raising the cigarette tax 25 cents a pack and cutting a discount that retailers get for wine they buy from the state.

Lynch told the House Finance Committee he also supports a 10 percent tax on Texas Hold ‘Em poker games

 Governor Lynch justifies his increase in the cigarette tax by saying in effect, we aren’t raising our cigarette tax as much as Maine or Massachusetts.

 Lynch said Massachusetts and Maine are considering raising their tax rates, which will make New Hampshire’s prices attractive even with a hike in its tax

 This is like a third grade mentality. He feels that, sure we may be doing something wrong (raising taxes) but we aren’t as bad as our neighbors. So immature an argument. I know you are, but what am I?

 So tobacco users are going to pay once again, but what other group will also pay more?

Lynch also wants to cut in half a 20 percent discount given to outlets that buy wine from the state. The cut would save the state about $10 million.

 Who do you think will have to pay for the 10% increase in the price of wine that outlets will now incur? Because that is what a decrease in a discount amounts to, an increase in price. Hint: it won’t be the outlets.

 Then there will be the new tax on playing poker, a 10% tax on Texas hold’em games held by organizations such as the VFW  for fundraising purposes.

 Here is a statement made by the house minority leader:

“Rather than looking for reasonable places to reduce the bloated budget passed last year and bring it into line with our rising revenues, the governor and Democratic leaders of both the House and Senate want to raise still more taxes and fees,” said Deputy House Republican Leader David Hess.

 More Republican response:

Rep. David Hess, R-Hooksett, pointed out that revenues this year are $76 million ahead of last year, up 3.8 percent.

“The bottom line is not that we have a revenue problem, it’s that we have a spending problem,” Hess said.

 I am gong to say it once again: NEW HAMPSHIRE WAKE UP! We can’t afford another term of Governor Lynch and we certainly can’t afford another term with Democrats in charge of every branch of the state government. We are being spent into oblivion by Lynch and his cronies. We are being taxed to death. We need to remove this irresponsible tax and spend liberal from office. These are just the first of many tax increases. Do you think that spending will be curbed under this administration? Wrong. We are talking about a $200 million plus shortfall here, without even including the disastrous education funding that the governor didn’t have the balls to estimate a cost on.

 These taxes may not affect you, but they won’t end here. You have to ask yourself, are you a sinner? If you are, watch out, the governor will come for you eventually. What is your vice? Whatever it is, it will soon cost you more.

 WAKE UP NEW HAMPSHIRE, WAKE UP! It may already be too late.

 I hope not.

 Read more here.