AFPNH - Learn How the Liberals Plan to Raise Your Taxes

Granite State Gatherings January 31 – Second Amendment “Line in the Granite” Rally at Noon at the Statehouse in Concord. January 31 – Somersworth Town Democrat Caucus at 7PM at City Hall. Click here for more information.

We all know New Hampshire is a great place to live and work. The NH Advantage is real to all of us who get to call this state home. Unfortunately, just as real is the threat to our advantage by liberals in Concord who want to increase state spending.  Because the state cannot live beyond its means and must balance its budget, the liberals must turn to revenue increases, a fancy phrase for raising taxes, to pay for their reckless spending. So far this session, the liberals have proposed raising taxes on beer, cigarettes and gasoline. Thanks to your efforts the beer tax increase has been voted down in Committee and is very unlikely to pass. Keep up the great work! You can read more about the Committee vote HERE. Amid the clamor for increased revenue, a bill introduced by Rep. Weyler (Rockingham-13) stands out. Rep. Weyler’s bill, HB 335, would repeal the sunset clause in last year’s cigarette tax reduction, thereby ensuring that cigarette taxes remain at their current rate. Beyond tax increases, the liberals are also targeting tax credits of any kind. Under assault this week will be the education tax credit program passed by the legislature last year despite Governor Lynch’s veto. The program allows businesses to receive a tax credit for donations to fund scholarships that empower parents to make the best possible choice regarding their children’s education. The liberals dislike the program for two reasons – first, it shifts control away from the state and to NH families and second, it reduces the taxes they need to fund their pet programs. The House Ways & Means Committee will hold a public hearing on the move to repeal the program tomorrow at 12:30PM in Representatives Hall. Ironically, this hearing comes in the middle of National School Choice Week. Repealing this program will be a step backward for NH families trying to ensure their children receive the best education possible. Another piece of legislation sure to enrage the liberal spenders in Concord receiving a hearing this week is a bill aimed at reducing and eventually repealing the state’s Business Enterprise Tax (BET).  NH currently has the third highest business taxes in the nation.  This bill, supported by Representatives Rideout (Coos-7), Richardson (Coos-4), Tucker (Rockingham-23), and Baldasaro (Rockingham- 5), is good news for all of us striving to make our business climate more competitive. Of course the idea is bad news for liberal spenders who are reliant upon the taxes from NH businesses to increase the size of state government. We support the BET tax reduction bill. Finally, we support this year’s Right to Work bill.  This legislation presents NH with an opportunity to become the first Right to Work state in New England and give workers in the state the choice as to whether or not to join a labor union. States that adopt Right to Work see increases in employment numbers and attract new employers to their state. CLICK HERE to read more about why we support this important piece of legislation. Sincerely,  Corey R. Lewandowski State Director Americans for Prosperity New Hampshire P.S. For more updates, Like us on Facebook today!

SGP - January 29 Education Alert

Greetings!  YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE  Be Visible - be Vocal!  Be a Smart Girl! CACR 3 - Parental Rights Amendment Public Hearing - Tuesday, January 29 1:15 PM Legislative Office Bldg. (LOB) Rm. 206 SB 53 Repeal Parental Opt-Out of Objectionable Materials Public Hearing - Tuesday, January 29 10:30 AM Legislative Office Bldg. Rm 103 HB 323 Right to Work Act Public Hearing - Wednesday, January 30 9:30 AM Legislative Office Bldg. Rm 305-7 LINE IN THE GRANITE RALLY Defend the 2nd Amendment - Thursday, January 31 12 Noon - 2 PM State House Courtyard    NEXT SGP MEETING  February 13 Self Defense   Michelle Clarke - RAD   Encourage one another!  Share this with your friends   Sincerely, Susan Olsen & Karen Testerman UPCOMING EVENTS  SATURDAY, JANUARY 19 CONCORD MARCH FOR LIFE 9 AM Memorial Service - Concord Landfill Old Turnpike Road 11:15 AM - Rally in State House Courtyard 11:45 AM - March for Life from State House to St. John's Parish Hall  SCHOOL CHOICE IN EDUCATION EXPOS Finding Educational Opportunities Thursday, January 24 - 7-8:30 PM TURBOCAM International Cafeteria 607 Calef Highway Barrington  Monday, January 28 - 4-8 PM Hampton Inn 195 Laconia Road Tilton Saturday, February 2 - 10 AM - 3 PM Liberty Harbor Academy  1230 Elm Street Manchester

ABOUT SMART GIRLS Our Mission: To revalidate America's constitutional heritage and principles through the engagement, education, and empowerment of New Hampshire's conservative women. Awakening the voice of conservative women

Franklin Center - This is about our kids

Dear Supporter,

For far too long politicians and much of the media have ignored our failing school system and the need for education reform. The start of a new year and new legislative terms throughout the county gives us the opportunity to thoroughly examine how we invest in education and pursue the methods that benefit our children best.

National School Choice Week, January 27 to February 2, provides the opportunity to discuss options and revolutionize how we approach education.

This designated week is a national effort to start a meaningful conversation on education reform. There will be hundreds of events across the country to engage and help educate citizens on the multitude of school choice options available.

Please join me in shining a light on this important debate.

Go to www.schoolchoiceweek.com to find an event near you. And whether you get involved by attending an event, writing a letter to the editor of your local paper, tweeting with the hashtag #scw, or sharing a story on watchdogwire.com - please take a moment to reply to this email and let me know how you got involved!

This year’s most anticipated string of events is NSCW's Whistle Stop Train Tour from Los Angeles to New York. The old-fashioned train tour will stop in 14 cities and towns around the country.

K-12 education is the top spending item in nearly every state budget and per-pupil spending has increased more than 65 percent over the past 25 years.

Every child deserves an opportunity for an education that is tailored to their specific learning needs and allows them the chance to excel, and parents should be given the option to choose what educational program fits their child best. 

Sincerely,



Jason Stverak
President
The Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity

American Federation for Children Spent More Than $7 Million in 2012

Expands Educational Choice Support Across the Country

New report shows that leading educational choice group and its affiliates influenced more than 200 political races

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 10, 2012)—A new report released today by the American Federation for Children—the nation’s voice for educational choice—reveals that the Federation and its affiliated organizations spent more than $7 million on political races in 2012, helping elect nearly 200 candidates from across the country who have pledged to enact, expand, and strengthen educational choice for America’s children.

The Federation’s 2012 Election Impact Report—the third annual report detailing the organization’s investments in political races nationwide—profiles its investments in 219 races in nine different states—Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. In total, 83 percent of the candidates supported by the organization and its affiliates in 2012 won their elections.

This year’s political involvement by the Federation and its affiliated organizations represents one of their largest investments ever, reinforcing their pledge to ensure that high-quality, accountable school choice legislation is enacted for children in greatest need of better educational opportunities.

“Our work in these elections is fundamentally important to the future of creating more, better, and higher-impact education reform across the country,” said Kevin P. Chavous, executive counsel to the American Federation for Children and a former Washington, D.C., Council member. “Through supporting a dynamic coalition of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers who are committed to improving the lives of children, especially those from low-income families, we can transform the lives of more young people than ever before through educational choice.”

Approximately 40 percent of the Federation’s total contributions to candidates in 2012 went to Democrats, an indication of the growing bipartisanship present in the educational choice movement.

The Federation and its affiliated organizations use candidate questionnaires to determine which candidates will support educational choice if elected.  Support comes via combination of direct contributions, independent expenditures, and in-kind expenditures, as well as strategic placement of radio and television advertisements.

The 2012 Election Impact Report also features profiles of some of the most noteworthy newly-elected choice supporters as well as incumbents from across the states, including: Arizona Sens. Barbara McGuire (D) and Kimberly Yee (R), Florida Rep. Bruce Antone (D), Indiana Gov.-Elect Mike Pence, North Carolina Sen. Malcolm Graham (D), North Carolina Reps. Marcus Brandon (D) and Rob Bryan (R), Ohio Rep. Bill Patmon (D), Pennsylvania Reps. Jim Christiana (R) and Vanessa Lowery Brown (D), Tennessee Reps. John DeBerry (D) and Tony Shipley (R), as well as Wisconsin State Sen. Rick Gudex (R) and Wisconsin Rep. Kathy Bernier (R).

Nationwide, there are 32 publicly-funded private school choice programs in 16 states and the District of Columbia. This year, it is anticipated that approximately 250,000 children will participate in these programs.

To download the Federation’s 2012 Election Impact Report, click here.

Read this release online here.

www.FederationforChildren.org

NH House Republican Leaders React to Lawsuit Challenging School Choice Law

CONCORD – Today House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) and Deputy House Republican Leader David Hess (R-Hooksett) offered the following comments in reaction to the lawsuit filed by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, American Civil Liberties Union and the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union challenging the constitutionality of the school choice law passed by the New Hampshire legislature in 2012. The law allows businesses to donate to scholarship programs for lower income families in exchange for credits against their state business taxes.

House Republican Leader Gene Chandler

“We believe the school choice law is constitutional. The policy committees that worked on this issue did a thorough job in ensuring we had a constitutional bill. This law is intended to help less fortunate New Hampshire families expand their education choices. It is a shame that we now have an out of state special interest group leading the charge to challenge this law. This frivolous lawsuit will no doubt cost the taxpayers of New Hampshire money and tie up resources. In the end, we believe the law will stand and New Hampshire will be able to continue this program to empower families by having the opportunity to do what they think is best for their children.”

Deputy House Republican Leader David Hess

“The legislation we worked on for several months and passed last year was modeled after similar legislation that was fully vetted and successfully passed in a number of other states. We wanted to ensure we had a bill that would withstand such a challenge. This is a privately funded scholarship opportunity that makes programs of academic excellence available to moderate and low income families. We are not giving funds to religious institutions we are giving scholarships to families. It is the families’ choice where they choose to use the scholarships.”