Introduce a LSR.
Friday, November 14, 2008 at 09:08PM
In November 2007 I asked then Rep. Martha Mcleod (D-Franconia) to consider legislation and/or a LSR directed at needed economic development and jobs in New Hampshire.
It didn't go anywhere.
If Rep. Mcleod had been elected to Senate District #1 which I thought was a given I was planning on asking her office to consider this again. I'm not sure what Sen. Gallus is planning on doing this session.
November 17, 2007
To: Representative Martha Mcleod.
From: Steven J. Connolly
RE: Legislative Service Request (LSR).
Relative to economic development, tax base expansion and the
improvement of railroad transportation in northern New Hampshire.
The Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) as the lead state economic development agency, and the North Country Council (NCC) as the primary regional economic development agency would be required to create an economic development study that would be defined by the following:
A study of the economic impact of the development of at least three but not more than five casinos in areas of northern New Hampshire in immediate need of economic revitalization and taxbase expansion. This study will include the following comparative statistical analysis from 1998 to 2007.
-Per capita crime statistics.
-Tax base and property valuations.
-Tourism and gaming revenues.
Conway, New Hampshire. Tunica, Mississippi.
Laconia, New Hampshire. Biloxi, Mississippi.
Littleton, New Hampshire. Kansas City, Missouri.
Berlin, New Hampshire. Bethlehem, Pennsylvana.1
Groveton, New Hampshire. Verona, New York.
Gorham, New Hampshire. Blackhawk, Colorado.
Stewartstown, New Hampshire. Cornwall, New York.
Bethlehem, New Hampshire Bettendorf, Iowa.
The study will also include the following:
1. The market feasibility of scheduled intercity Amtrak passenger trains from Montreal and Portland, Maine via the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR) to tourist and gaming destinations in northern New Hampshire. This would be similar to the operations of the pending start-up of the Amtrak Atlantic City Express Service (ACES).
2. The feasibility of using NH state loan guarantees or tax incremental financing bonds
for the construction of gaming facilities and allow operations of Amtrak intercity
trains into the Berlin and Groveton areas. In addition to the preservation and
improvement of existing SLR freight railroad operations.
3. A summary of the current Bethlehem Steel Mill revitalization in Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania including market forecasts. (Scheduled opening late 2008).
4. A listing of what the above states are doing with their taxes, fees collected from
gaming and the related policy positions are for these expenditures.
End ###
Footnotes
1 There is currently no gaming or casinos in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The former
Bethlehem Steel Mill is being converted into a casino and related type of real estate
development. (See enclosed information).
Reader Comments (7)
Are you sure what NH needs is a whole gaggle of gambling bobbyists in a legislature full of Democrats?
While you are comparing the "benefits' of gambling in other states how about the bad side.
Google Lincoln Park R.I. some time.
Gaggle of Lobbyists. The influential Concord lobbyists are already Democrats!
Partial Listing:
Gallagher Law Firm.
Bouley & Associates.
I'm not sure on the Dupont Group.
Okay Mr. Naile. Rather than sit on the sidelines like a coward and throw rocks. What is your plan? Please feel free to create an LSR.
Over 1200 people have lost their jobs. I'm waiting. And so isn't New Hampshire.
Get a life.
You are covering a broad spectrum here. With a predicted unemployment rate in NH of 7% by spring and 8% regionally the issue of getting people gainfully re-employed is more powerful than a locomotive and more important than the throw of the dice.
Many of those folks are dislocated workers moving from one collapsed industry to another and are finding themselves on the brink of financial and familial ruin with little end or help in sight.
There is hardly time to wait while the red suspender crowd, all wrangling for the top of the heap recognition and who lack the perspective of back street and main street needs.
The commissioner for DRED is on the workforce investment board according to the “organization of state agencies in relation to Governor Lynch”. With the board count of 42 members surely you could get a few of these fine people to align with your goals.
Casinos are an idea that should have rocks thrown at it.
The Lincoln Park ZBA took bribes to undercut an Indian Casino in favor of a British based one. Just like there was a gambling money laundering operation in NH two years go, no state is left untouched by the crime gambling brings every time.
It is a BAD idea for NH.
My plan:
NO new LSR's except ones to abolish other LSR's that hinder growth of legit business.
Stop over-spending at the State level and live within our means.
Cut the Business Profits tax and lure real business here.
Stop taxing the daylights out of and over regulating trucks and the logging industry.
Spend the gas tax revenue on roads not courts and a miriad of other "worthy" projects. We have years of catch-up to do.
Stop inflating the last years of state employee's pay to gut the retirement system.
Stop letting the DER fine the DOT for digging up non-existent paint chips in Franklin. $330,000.00.
There's the word. Predicted. Exactly, really, absolutely. Are you a consultant? More important than the throw of the dice? How do you arrive at this. What would you propose for these jobs. Gainfully re-employed. I'm confident you don't have any answers here.
"Many of those folks are dislocated workers moving from one collapsed industry to another and are finding themselves on the brink of financial and familial ruin with little end or help in sight."
Exactly, really and absolutely!
And whose fault is this. Pass the casino legislation watch the tourism numbers start to climb through the roof. Think doubling the size of the Manchester airport.
"There is hardly time to wait while the red suspender crowd, all wrangling for the top of the heap recognition and who lack the perspective of back street and main street needs."
I served two terms in the NH House. 1994-1998. What does this statement mean?
The commissioner for DRED is on the workforce investment board according to the “organization of state agencies in relation to Governor Lynch”. With the board count of 42 members surely you could get a few of these fine people to align with your goals.
See my post: "Commissioner Bald does not work here."
Name one thing that has been accomplished by these 42 people. I'm confident they are all very well qualified to be in their positions. I'd really like to find this evidence. Take a drive through Coos County papermaking has been a part of the landscape since at least 1856.
Worked 11 hours today. Long day.
So you propose to change House rules? Perhaps we should go back to biennial sessions. When I was there it was 13 million a year to have the legislature in session.
"Stop over-spending at the State level and live within our means."
Please define this over-spending? If you could cite specific departments and exactly where they are over-spending.
"Cut the Business Profits tax and lure real business here."
Please state what types of businesses would move to New Hampshire because of the the BPT. There might be some cross border moves from Vermont but I'm confident the number of jobs would be less that 500. And the overall economic impact, fair to marginal. Because with more business, means more families and costs associated with schools and infastructure. This is in addition to the loss of tax revenue from the decreased BPT. If you have a compelling counter arguement I hope that you will share it.
"Stop taxing the daylights out of and over regulating trucks and the logging industry."
The mills are already closed. So you propose a tax decrease to help the remaining papermills in Maine and New York? Is this fair for NH taxpayers?
"Spend the gas tax revenue on roads not courts and a miriad of other "worthy" projects. We have years of catch-up to do."
What other "worthy" projects are you describing? I'm very surprised there has not been a bridge collapse or failure here.
"Stop inflating the last years of state employee's pay to gut the retirement system."
I'd have to agree with you on this. Reform is needed with respect to state employees. But it won't happen. Simply too powerful. This is the reality.
I'd love to show you some of the research I've done about the economic impacts of the legalizing casino gamining in Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. Interesting statistics.
I've worked 11 hours today. Another time.