In his "State House Dome" column found in today’s New Hampshire Sunday News (Union Leader), Tom Fahey writes about some new taxes being raised (foisted) upon certain NH persons and businesses. "But wait, Doug. Don’t we live in ‘tax-free’ New Hampshire?" Oh, sure. While it’s true we don’t (yet) have an official broad-based tax, we have a slew of other taxes disguised as "fees". While it might be (supposedly) dangerous for a NH politician to advocate enacting new taxes, raising the already existing ones seem to be fair game. And naturally, especially with Democrats now in the driver’s seat of NH government, when it comes to running the state, cutting costs and trying to find ways to save money is NEVER an option. Raising taxes is the ONLY solution. Writes Fahey:
Be honest. You knew some taxes would go up. But if you drive a big truck or smoke, it’s going to be painful..The House Ways and Means Committee last week settled on the tax increases it will recommend to make the next two-year budget work..Truckers would pay an extra $200 in state registration fees each year..Car owners will pay an extra $6 a year. The money is meant to help the state Highway Fund regain its fiscal health..Smokers might have thought it was bad that Lynch proposed the second 28-cent tobacco tax increase in two years. Ways and Means went him one better — actually 17 cents better — and raised the tax by 45 cents..The real estate transfer fee will go up by 30 cents each for buyers and sellers of land and buildings. That’s about a 4 percent increase on the current $7.50 per $1,000 of value per party.
Oh, you don’t smoke? Don’t drive a truck and don’t plan on selling your house? Don’t worry, they’ll come and find what YOU do, and raise the fee on that next. You’ll see…