New Hampshire: The Real Facts

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From: Vaillancourt, Steve
Sent: Mon 6/2/2008 2:20 PM
To: ~All Representatives
Subject: Road Toll Revenues Down As Predicted By Ways and Means Minority

Gas Tax Revenues Fall As Predicted by Ways and Means Committee Minority

By Rep. Steve Vaillancourt, Hills. 15
Ways and Means Committee member

The June revenue sheet is out and as predicted by the Ways and Means Committee minority on the House floor last week, we are headed south in road toll (gas tax) revenues. The plan is off $400,000 for May ($10.4 million as opposed to $10.8 million) on top of the $400,000 we were off in April. For the year, we are down only $100,000 ($125.5 vs. $125.6 million) due to the cushion we had built up thanks to one of the best snow seasons in memory (not to mention the traffic due to the first in the nation primary).

This 3.8 percent decline for the two months is most likely just the tip of the iceberg, and it's time to realize that the Ways and Means minority (so mockingly and haughtingly derided by Rep Daniel Eaton last week) was correct in asking that we reduce the 2009 estimate by at least five percent.

For Rep Eaton to have suggested that our gas sales will continue as projected because our gas prices are lower and people will drive to New Hampshire to buy gas is the kind of absurdity that, unfortunately, we've come to expect from the "head in the sand" majority.

When the issue was debated on the House floor, we already had evidence from a Zogby poll that more than half of Americans planned to significantly reduce their driving. Now, the very same day we get the May revenue numbers, we have a new Rasmussen poll showing that 69 percent of Americans say the price of gas will impact their vacation plans. Specifically, just 37 percent of Americans say they plan to take a summer vacation this year, down dramatically from 55 percent two years ago. Ignoring economic reality is precisely what led us to where we are today, with a $50 million deficit this year with a month to go and with another $150 million deficit projected for next year.

The Governor and his Democratic projectors on Ways and Means prefer to blame the economic downturn for the problem we're in, but this ostrich mentality merely exacerbates the problem. One can only wonder whether Lynch and his minions deliberately overstated revenue estimates last year so they could spend more. Either they deliberately deceived us or they deceived themselves. Who is to say which is worse.

We should not allow the deceit to continue another week. The House Wednesday should revisit the gasoline road toll estimates, so the next Legislature is not hit with sticker shock when it is sworn in in December.

Mass Cigarettes Are No Different

There was another curious comment this weekend, from Ways and Means Chair Susan Almy as reported in the Sunday Union Leader. She is quoted as saying that since smokers don't like the New Hampshire fire-safe cigarettes, "they cross the border to buy Mass cigarettes that stay lit longer." Isn't that curious? Either the reporter has misquoted the Chair or she apparently doesn't realize (as certainly she must) that Massachusetts also mandates fire safer cigarettes, so no reasonable person could expect cigarettes purchased there to stay lit longer. The six states that earlier passed fire safer cigarette legislation, according to an article by Chris Hamby on Stateline.org as far back as Aug. 1, 2007, were New York, Vermont, California, Illinois, New Hampshire and Massachusetts!! 17 more states are coming soon and--guess what--"each state has used to standard established by New York."

So much for the different tasting Massachusetts cigarette argument. Let's start telling the truth to people.