Feb

14

2013

The magnificent small-government activists of Grafton, New Hampshire

by Tim Condon

I have written and spoken in the past that because of the Free State Project, “New Hampshire is the luckiest state in the history of the United States.” (State Rep. Cynthia Chase—a statist transplant from statist Rhode Island—recently

The Town Seal of Grafton, NH

The Town Seal of Grafton, NH

reinforced that view with her public outburst that “Free Staters are the single biggest threat New Hampshire is facing today”; after my Grokster buddy Steve MacDonald broke the story on GraniteGrok.com it went viral, resulting in priceless national publicity for the Free State Project).

The power of native New Hampshire activists joining with Freestater immigrants was demonstrated Monday night at the annual town meeting in the Free Town of Grafton where efforts to increase local spending and taxing were decisively defeated and reversed. An initial motion to reduce— instead of increase—the annual town spending budget by 20% failed by a single vote. A following motion to reduce the budget by 10% passed. Successive motions to reduce various spending warrant articles by 10% also passed. How could this happen? Easy….

The basic attitude at the town meeting was “The economy is awful, and lots of us have had to reduce our own family budgets by 10% or more…so why does town taxing and spending have to go up every year?” The message was greeted with repeated majority votes that cut proposed spending by the town. The votes were driven by people born and raised in Grafton, joined by long-time residents, joined by relative newcomers who have moved to the small town in recent years as part of the Free State Project migration. The results are a tribute to Grafton and its people: Cheers and kudos to you all!

Find out more about the Free Town of Grafton!

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by Tim Condon

I’ve been political my entire life, starting out with Barry Goldwater and The Conscience of a Conservative in the1960's. In 1967 I enlisted in the U.S. Marines for four years, spending nearly two of them in South Vietnam. In 1972 I was a Florida presidential elector for Prof. John Hospers, the first Presidential candidate of the national Libertarian Party which was founded that same year. During the late 1970's and into the 1980's I was a contributing editor and monthly columnist for Reason magazine, and I’ve authored numerous articles in the print and online media about various subjects relating to individual rights and personal freedom. Today I'm a lawyer by profession; I divide my time between New Hampshire and Florida all year long, spending much of my time practicing law in Florida. As an early supporter and past member of the board of directors of the Free State Project, I was drawn to the Live Free or Die state of New Hampshire in late 2003 when it was chosen by a vote of the first 5,000 FSP participants. In 2004 I founded the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, and continue today to work within the state political system to advance the traditional NH values of frugal small government, low taxes, small business, free enterprise, and self-responsibility. To all, I say "Come and see what we are building in the beautiful, healthy, livable Free State of New Hampshire!"

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Leave a Comment

  • http://www.facebook.com/george.zeiter George Zeiter

    A great post to read. My town is also looking at reducing the budget. I am not a Free Stater but came here from the Peoples Republic of Kaifornia with a rabid dislike of progressives and today’s so called Demorats. Progressives are a destructive sort, bringing plague, pestilence, WMDs and turn to crap anything they touch or meddle in. Ms Chase epitomises all the worst one can find in today’s progressives and like her politics, just as attractive as 10 miles of bad road.

    • kevin777

      Agreed.. Progressives (really regressive) are a disease…. Whatever they touch they destroy…

  • IWKAGGP

    Yet another reason why Grafton remains a great place to hunt, fish and pursue other forms of outdoor recreation . . . and a shitty place to do just about anything else, like work, go to school, raise a family, etc, etc.

    • kevin777

      Yes. and if we just give the town more money to spend that will make the schools better, create jobs and help you raise your family better.

      • C. dog e. doG

        You forgot the pixie dust.
        – C. dog

  • Pingback: Free Staters Have BIG Impact on Grafton, NH Town Budget | NH For Liberty

  • IWKAGGP

    Jesus! I knew that you Groksters had some subjects that got your holier-than-thou dander up and made you lash out in self-righteous anger and delete posts that crossed your “solid moral lines” . . . but I never knew one of these “lines which no one shall cross” was that “nobody can say anything negative about the “free” town of Grafton! LOL!

  • emmagee

    Speaking of transplants, Al Baldasaro has been here exactly as long as Cynthia Chase. No problem there, though, right boys?

  • Pingback: Grafton Voters Speak – No Wind Farms and No to Free Staters | Progressive Action New Hampshire

  • Pingback: Calvin Coolidge—and Jefferson—come to Grafton, Part II — GraniteGrok

  • Pingback: And in the Free Town of Grafton…a story of abuse of small-town government power — GraniteGrok

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