…or why we might want to NH HB 1534.
HB 1534 reminds us of one of those ingredients in the sausage of government that we know are going to be bad for us. Somehow the New Hampshire Department of labor was allowed to collect fines into a restricted fund that is then used to fund the Department of Labor. Need more revenue, collect more fines. What could go wrong?
I don’t know…a bunch of bureaucrats, looking to pad their own budget, free to fine whomever they please… no worries. Just make a “donation” to the Department of labor Budget expansion fund, and you’ll be in the clear comrade. We won’t come back for another month. Or, do we have to fine you for something now…?
It is most certainly not that insidious, but having been in management a large chunk of my life, I am familiar with the ability of a state bureaucracy to “find” things to trouble you with. I’m also familiar with the tendency of bureaucrats to embezzle so letting a state department control a restricted fund with which to grow their own budget through their own enforcement efforts is just a bad idea.
So that is where HB 1534 comes in. It would allow the Department of Labor to continue its otherwise fine work, but eliminate the restricted fund, and move the fines it collects into the general fund as unrestricted revenue under the supervision of the state Treasurer. Instead of giving them the option of fining their way to a bigger budget, they’d have to justify their spending like every other department should.
Seems simple enough, but important. Don’t let it get lost while the press is focused on more “newsworthy” bits of legislation.
