NH GOP - Lynch's Failure of Leadership Continues: Let's Raise the Gas Tax

Concord, NH – Just days after experts predicted that gasoline will see “huge price increases in some places and a peak average price of $4.05 a gallon” by this spring, Governor John Lynch proved just how out of touch he is by announcing a plan to increase the gas tax.  Families across New Hampshire are struggling in a tough economic recovery, yet Gov. Lynch and New Hampshire Democrats want to force an additional burden onto their already cash-strapped budgets.

“New Hampshire families are already looking for ways to do more with less, so an additional tax increase will only make matters worse and dampen any economic recovery we might see,” said New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Wayne MacDonald.  “What’s worse is that a gas tax increase tends to hit low- and middle-class families the hardest because costs to heat their homes and drive to work already take up a larger share of their budget.”

“Department of Transportation officials said Tuesday that in order to keep up with the needs, the state needs to reinstate the $30 registration surcharge that was repealed last year, and increase both tolls and the gas tax.” (Garry Rayno, “State: Transportation Funds Inadequate for Current Need,” New Hampshire Union Leader, 2/15/2012)

Governor Lynch wrote a letter to the House Public Works Committee saying anything short of this plan would be “complacent.”  Yet, just last year even the Obama Administration came out in opposition to a gas tax increase because “people can little afford to buy a gallon of gasoline, let alone if we were to raise the tax on it.” (Link to Video)

“[L]ast week price trackers told USA Today to expect gasoline at $4 a gallon by this spring.  Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service told the newspaper that this spring will be chaotic, with huge price increases in some places and a peak average price of $4.05 a gallon.  Other analysts made similar predictions.” (Mark Hayward, “Granite State Gas Prices Heading to $4?” New Hampshire Union Leader, 2/13/2012)

NH GOP - Obama's Budget: Four Straight Years of Trillion-Dollar Deficits

While Continuing Path of Spending, Taxes & Debt, Obama Breaks Promise to Cut Deficit in Half by End of First Term

Concord, NH – New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Wayne MacDonald released the following statement after President Barack Obama announced his $3.8 trillion 2013 budget.

“New Hampshire voters should be alarmed by the fact that President Obama’s budget projects for the fourth straight year a deficit of $1,000,000,000,000.  On top of phony promises to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term, taxpayers will now foot the bill for his trillion-dollar stimulus bill and his government-takeover of healthcare. 

“Our nation’s federal debt recently passed the $15 trillion mark, yet this White House seems to have no plans to slow the rate of spending or government growth that has helped pile up this enormous strain on our economy.  Obama’s deficit spending is not only holding back our economy, it is also impeding job creation and will result in more debt, more spending and higher taxes that will limit any positive growth we have.  The reality is that this budget shows that President Obama is continuing to push his party’s agenda, even though it means breaking a campaign pledge. 

“This is the type of hypocrisy that frustrates New Hampshire voters.  We’ll continue to remind Granite Staters of President Obama’s broken promise when it comes to the deficit and our nation’s debt.  Come November, we’ll send a message to the president that ‘enough is enough.’  We simply cannot continue on this fiscally irresponsible path of trillion-dollar deficits, and that’s why we need a Republican president in the White House in 2013.”

The Washington Post's Ezra Klein: "The Obama Administration Is Officially Breaking Its Promise To Halve The Deficit By The End Of Their First Term." (Ezra Klein, "Wonkbook: 5 Things To Watch In Obama's 2013 Budget," The Washington Post’s Wonkbook , 2/13/12)

The New York Times: Obama's Budget "Will Show Mr. Obama Has Failed To Meet His Pledge To Cut The Deficit In Half By The End Of His First Term." "But the document's numbers will show Mr. Obama has failed to meet his pledge to cut the deficit in half by the end of his term, and for Republicans, that will be the bottom line." (Jackie Calmes, "Obama's Budget To Focus On Cutting Deficit And Adding Jobs," The New York Times, 2/10/12)

NHDP - How Far Do Lamontagne and Smith's Endorsements of the Reckless GOP State House Agenda Go?

Lamontange endorses ending Medicare in New Hampshire

Concord, NH - Republican candidates for Governor Kevin Smith and Ovide Lamontagne were in full support of the reckless agenda at the State House this week, including repeal of equal marriage rights and the wage killing so called right-to-work bill. In addition, in an op-ed for the Union Leader this morning, Lamontagne endorsed ending Medicare in New Hampshire as we know it. Just like Concord Republicans, he wants to take over control of Medicare by turning it into a block grant, making eligibility age increases and drastic cuts care a possibility every year.

"New Hampshire is already being sued by hospitals and disability rights advocates because of decisions made by the Tea Party politicians in Concord," said Harrell Kirstein, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "Are these really the ideologues that should be put at the switch and in control over our senior citizens' Medicare?"

Just like the Republican leadership in the State House, both Kevin Smith and Ovide Lamontang have made fringe social issues their priority. On Wednesday, Ovide Lamontange attended his first major public event of 2012, a sparsely attended rally outside the State House to repeal equal marriage rights for all citizens. Just days after announcing a run for Governor, Kevin Smith filed to be a lobbyist for the out of state anti-equal rights hate group the National Organization for Marriage.

Yesterday, both Smith and Lamontagne testified at the so called right-to-work hearing. But in a stark contrast to the so-called right to work states, New Hampshire's unemployment rate is significantly lower and New Hampshire's median income is nearly 20,000 dollars per year higher.  

"The question voters want to know now is how far do Ovide Lamontange and Kevin Smith's endorsements of O'Brien's reckless State House agenda go?" asked Kirstein. "Do they support....

• Teaching religion in public schools(HB 1457)?
• Giving out of state for profit hospitals special exemptions from New Hampshire laws(HB 1642)?
• Ending the 30 minute lunch break for workers who work more than five hours(HB 1574)?
• Cutting over 60 million dollars from public schools by opting out of No Child Left Behind(HB 1413 and 1517)?
• Ending Medicare, Medicare and the Children's Insurance Program in New Hampshire(HB1560)?

These aren't the values of New Hampshire voters. But they are part of the reason why O'Brien is the most unpopular elected official in the state and New Hampshire voters consider the Republican legislature the second biggest problem in the state. [UNH Poll, 02/07/2012; 02/08/2012]

"Instead of talking about jobs, the economy, or common sense solutions to the problems facing New Hampshire, Lamontagne and Smith spent the week paling around with Tea Party conservatives and helping them force their out of touch agenda on New Hampshire." continued Kirstein. "With Valentine's Day on Tuesday, Lamontange and Smith have some serious shopping to do this weekend to demonstrate their love of Speaker O'Brien's out of touch Tea Party agenda"

NH GOP - A Bad Week for N.H. Democrats

Cilley’s Bumpy Announcement Gets Worse, Shea-Porter’s Hypocrisy Highlighted

Good Afternoon,

In what started as a week Democrats probably thought would be positive, the tides have quickly turned.  First, Jackie Cilley’s gubernatorial announcement got off to a bumpy start, as we mentioned yesterday, that turned into a focus on her income tax flip-flopping, and today the Portsmouth Herald reports on Carol Shea-Porter’s PAC and lobbyist money hypocrisy. 

With Friends Like These

In case you weren’t convinced, we’ve found more proof that Cilley’s announcement rollout didn’t go according to plan.  For most campaigns a successful rollout is followed by positive media coverage and increased website traffic from people looking to learn more about the candidate.   As of this morning, Cilley’s page (linked from www.JackieCilley.com) showed a whopping six supporters. #GotMomentum?

Carol’s Careless Hypocrisy

Meanwhile, former Nancy Pelosi puppet Carol Shea-Porter finds herself on the wrong end of campaign promises.  The Portsmouth Herald reports today on the fact that she’s taken lobbyist money, despite pledges against doing so, and that her no-PAC-promise flies in the face of the $1.2 million she’s received from PACs throughout her career.  Carol’s intentionally misleading voters with her no corporate PAC promise – she takes money from some of the most influential PACs in Washington – big labor – and she takes money from Nancy Pelosi and other Democrat leaders who do take corporate PAC money.  Carol, are you for or against PACs?  It’s that simple, no caveats please.

What else?  Shea-Porter’s been a leading critic of super PACs, but a recent announcement by a liberal super PAC “will ultimately make Shea-Porter a beneficiary” of the same groups she so strongly opposes.  Even President Obama considers this hypocrisy: “You can’t say yesterday you don’t believe in [super PACs] and today you are having three-quarters of a million dollars being spent for you.” Will Carol flip-flop on super PACs just like Obama has?

Portsmouth Herald on Shea-Porter’s PAC, Lobbyist Hypocrisy: “While Shea-Porter Wednesday pointedly noted her refusal to accept corporate PAC donations, the New Hampshire Republican State Committee was quick to release a statement on what it called the ‘Shea-Porter hypocrisy.’ The committee pointed to a statement made by Shea-Porter in 2009, in which she claimed to take no money from lobbyists as well as corporate PACs, despite receiving contributions from a registered lobbyist: James Demers, president of the Demers Group and a former Democratic congressional candidate. At that time, Shea-Porter defended her decision to accept money from Demers, a former state legislator, whom she said contributed ‘as an individual.’ Tory Mazzola, executive director of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, noted Shea-Porter raised nearly $500,000 from PACs in 2010 and that, over her entire career, has raised nearly $1.2 million from PACs. Wednesday's statement by the Shea-Porter campaign has ‘brought hypocrisy to a new low,’ he charged.” (Danielle Ryan, “Shea-Porter Takes Aim at Guinta’s PAC Donations, Portsmouth Herald, 2/9/2012)

NH GOP - Is this what Cilley wanted?

Good Morning,

As you scan the headlines and coverage today from Jackie Cilley’s gubernatorial announcement yesterday, you’d be hard-pressed to say she had a smooth rollout.  James Pindell, writing for WMUR’s Political Scoop, noted that much of Cilley’s platform, specifically on an income tax, has been “widely rejected” and that “this past year was particularly tough” for those on the far edge of the Democrat Party.  And, in what will prove to be a self-inflicted wound, Cilley re-affirmed her flip-flopping stance on a statewide income tax. 

Included below you will find key excerpts from news reports covering Cilley’s stance on an income tax, comment from the NHGOP and additional coverage of the Democrat’s latest tax-and-spend candidate to enter the race.

Reports Covering Cilley’s Latest Income Tax Stance

Concord Monitor: “Cilley's refusal to take an anti-income tax pledge could rally support within the state's Democratic base, but her stance will be a tougher sell to the wider electorate.” (Matthew Spolar, “Cilley Vows No Pledges As Governor, Concord Monitor, 2/8/2012)

N.H. Public Radio: “Cilley also she won’t be taking a pledge to veto a sales or income tax.” (NHPR, “Cilley Declares for Governor,” 2/7/2012)

NHGOP Comment

“It should come as no surprise to New Hampshire voters that both candidates in the Democrat primary for governor have flip-flopping records on a statewide income tax.  The hard truth is that in order to spend more tax dollars and grow the size of government, Democrats need to leave open every option to tax individuals, tax businesses and tax anything else they can get their hands on.” – Tory Mazzola, New Hampshire Republican State Committee Executive Director

Additional Coverage of Cilley’s Announcement

Foster’s Daily Democrat: “In the GOP response to Cilley’s gubernatorial announcement, Republican State Committee Chairman Wayne MacDonald said in a statement, ‘Jackie Cilley and Maggie Hassan both fit into the narrow ideology of the Democrat Party – higher taxes, increased spending and more government control. I’m confident that the Republican Party will retake the governor’s office in November because there’s a sharp contrast between the two sides,’ he stated.” (Liz Markhlevskaya, “Cilley Announces Bid for Corner Office: Barrington Democrat has Plans to Lead State as Next Governor,” Foster’s Daily Democrat, 2/8/2012)

N.H. Union Leader: “But before Cilley even arrived at an event announcing her candidacy on Tuesday morning, she was facing criticism from Republican operative Patrick Hynes, who questioned her position on a statewide income tax. Hynes sent out an email early Tuesday morning calling the state senator ‘Slippery Cilley.’ He accused her of refusing to directly answer questions about her stance on an income tax, ‘saying only that she will respect the wishes of her state senate district.’” (Beth LaMontagne Hall, “Former state Sen. Cilley Enters Race for Governor,” New Hampshire Union Leader, 2/8/2012)