We learned that even when the House and Senate sit down together in Committees of Conference to settle their disagreements on really bad legislation that the resulting legislation can still be really bad legislation, especially when it comes to our State’s Budget. Proof that sometimes more than 2 heads are not better than one.
We learned that bills that we have seen and voted on before, were just as awful this time around as they were when we first debated and voted on them. It sort of reminded me of leftovers of a bad meal being reheated and served up again.
We learned that the NH State House, in its wisdom, voted for a Continuing Resolution (HJR 3) to fund the State Government for 3 months (from July 1, 2019 to October 1, 2019) using current budgeting levels, knowing full well that the Governor would veto HB1 and HB2 budget bills after being passed by the House in this session, thus avoiding a total government shut-down. This was a good thing.
We learned that despite being given documented facts about why many of their proposals like a minimum wage law (SB10), raising insurance rates on rate payers (SB279), and how higher taxes, fees and inflated revenues will have negative impacts on the NH economy (HB1 and HB2) the Majority Democrats in the House and the Senate refused to listen. Apparently a national agenda and party politics are more important to them than the overall economic health and prosperity of our State and its people. This was not a good thing.
We learned that the Majority Party Democrats who screamed all session about “tax relief” made every attempt to raise taxes and fees on everything they could get their hands on in order to spend it on “lowering the tax burden”. The notion that taking more money from everyone (in many different ways) will make their tax burden less was just ludicrous.
We learned that the Majority Party Democrats proposals to tax businesses more and pile more regulations on them essentially kills the goose that lays the golden egg. Did they not see how much money flowed into state coffers when tax rates were reduced? Why would they want to reverse that? It’s a puzzlement.
We learned that the Majority Party Democrats renewable energy schemes and subsidies made some people winners but that the majority of other energy rate payers in NH would be paying even higher energy costs after all is said and done. We all want to support renewables as an energy option, but not at the expense of everyone else on the grid. I thought the Majority Party Democrats stood for fairness and equity, but perhaps not when it comes to renewables.
We learned that at the end of the day the Majority House and Senate Democrats passed and created at least 48 new study committees and commissions, no doubt to bring about more legislation for next session and beyond. The mileage costs and fees to run these committees and commissions alone will very well cost the taxpayers of NH a very huge chunk of change.
We learned that in the Majority Democrats wanted to ban smoking for those under age 21 in NH. This would also eliminate any tax revenue/state income from those sales. Funny thing is that they completely forgot to also adjust the tobacco tax revenue projections in their proposed State budget as a result of that ban. Yet another income miscalculation which could yield a serious future budget deficit. Here’s a video clip as proof: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FeIEbD7fDBI&feature=youtu.be
We learned so much from this 2019 session overall. In reflecting on this past session, there were good bills passed. Those on the Consent Calendar were primarily bills agreed to unanimously in committee. That’s a bright spot in this session. There was some very good work accomplished there in a bi-partisan nature. Unfortunately, higher taxes, higher energy costs, increases in fees, more regulation, abrogating legislative responsibilities and decision making ability to state agencies, encroaching on gun rights, creating unfunded mandates, making unconstitutional law, exposing municipalities to higher costs and legal fees, growing government and advancing nationwide political agendas seemed to be the not so bright spots of this 2019 session. These bad bills and policies that we dealt with all session, if put into law, would erode the NH “Live Free or Die” mentality and sets us on the path to become a state like CT, CA or MA. That is not something we should strive for. Not now, Not ever.
We learned that we could have some pleasant times together like the Speaker’s ice cream social and a lovely presentation made to Rep. John Burt of the “Golden Hot Dog Award” for the great work he has done to raise money and awareness for dog shelters/rescues.
Stay tuned: Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan once said, “This is our most desperate hour, help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope”. My sentiment is the same to our Governor. As he reviews all the legislation that the two chambers together passed (somewhere around 250 bills), it is hoped that sanity will prevail and he will save this State from certain peril by delivering a boatload of vetoes back to the legislature; vetoes which can be sustained. With that in mind, the Speaker of the House may call us back into special sessions over the Summer, at his discretion, to deal with the budget bills which will require much work before moving forward. For now we have a break, and I wish you a pleasant Summer!
