What a surprise! Cigarette Tax revenues down!

It bears repeating... (4.00 / 7)

Repeat after me: "The Democrats left the state with relatively low unemployment and a $26 million dollar SURPLUS."

Look what the Republicans are leaving us with.

The June 2011 unemployment rate was 4.9%.  The September rate, after only three months of Republican budget control, was 5.4%.

Please repeat to everyone you see from now til November 2012.

Here is a fact that should help you to fight a little longer.
Things that don't actually kill you outright make you stronger.

Piet Hein, Grooks

---

by: Lucy Weber @ Wed Nov 02, 2011 at 22:04:34 PM UTC

I'd be happy to repeat this! (0.00 / 0)

Where can I find these facts? As we know, our own mutated form of the GOP has been saying the opposite...that Democrats devastated the state budget and "rainy day" fund, that we left the state in debt. PEOPLE BELIEVE THIS. If I mention that this is inaccurate, they don't believe me.

And, further, if I mention there are bigger problems to worry about in the short term, I get the blank stare of the brainwashed tea party voter. Not a single one of them can tell you why they think solving a long-term problem in the short term is a good idea. I learned it at Koch Kamp, it must be true.....

I need a primer on countering this crap.

---

by: DianeR @ Thu Nov 03, 2011 at 16:33:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Google US Bureau of Labor Statistics Unemployment (0.00 / 0)

then choose State and Local Unemployment Rates, or follow this link.  If you rummage around on the Bureau of Labor Statistics site, you can pull up the historical rates--state unemployment rates in previous months as well.

Here is a fact that should help you to fight a little longer.
Things that don't actually kill you outright make you stronger.

Piet Hein, Grooks

---

by: Lucy Weber @ Thu Nov 03, 2011 at 19:29:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hate to say it but (0.00 / 0)

It doesn't matter what you show those people, they will not believe it.

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

---

by: cblodg @ Fri Nov 04, 2011 at 01:14:14 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

It's not those people (0.00 / 0)

who need to hear it.  It's all the Undeclared voters--the biggest voting block in the state--especially the ones who do not follow the news regularly.  The ones who, when you tell you what is going on, are horrified.

Here is a fact that should help you to fight a little longer.
Things that don't actually kill you outright make you stronger.

Piet Hein, Grooks

---

by: Lucy Weber @ Fri Nov 04, 2011 at 01:41:34 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

They knew they would be enhancing the profits of tobacco companies at the expense of the state ... has someone checked out the campaign contributions to O'Brien and friends from the tobacco boys??? (4.00 / 5)

From Seacoastonline July 24,2011:

"We strongly believe that reducing this tax will result in more revenue, more economic growth and more tax cuts," said House Speaker William O'Brien in a June statement about the tax cap.

The recent passing of the state budget brought the tobacco tax down from $1.78 per pack to $1.68 per pack, lowering the price of cigarettes by 10 cents a pack and $1 a carton. But that didn't last long.

Soon after the tax cut went into effect July 1, tobacco companies raised wholesale cigarette prices, essentially leaving prices as they were before....

Mike Rollo, director of government relations for the American Cancer Society, said things are exactly the same as they were before and there is no additional money in the pockets of consumers.

Rollo, a former state legislator, warned tobacco prices would increase by about 10 cents per pack when he spoke against the tax cut earlier this year. "If you're a tobacco company, why would you leave a 10-cent profit on the table?" Rollo asked.
...

"They basically gave a bailout to the tobacco companies," he said. "They certainly didn't help the consumer or the small-business owner."

AND THEY CLEARLY SHAFTED THE STATE BUDGET!

---

by: political chowder @ Thu Nov 03, 2011 at 02:04:07 AM UTC

Stay with this issue (4.00 / 1)

Who owns stock in tobacco companies? Political contributions can be tough to trace but if you own stock not so easy to dance away.  

---

by: Dave O'Brien @ Fri Nov 04, 2011 at 14:55:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

tobacco & the Framingham O'Briens (0.00 / 0)

Unless O'Bill owns a huge amount of stock in the tobacco companies, I don't think the stock holdings are much of an issue.  NH is such a small market, it can't materially effect tobacco companies' overall sales.  I would be more worried about his legal or consulting fees and/or who has been contributing to his campaign organizations.  If he owns a tobacco retailer near the border, that's something to worry about as well.

There is an O'Briens, by the way, in RJ Reynolds' family tree--- Marianne O'Brien married RJ Reynolds, Jr., son of the original RJ Reynolds after whom the tobacco company was named.  She took up smoking to please RJ Jr. and died (but not till age 70 or so) from the habit.  As far as I know, however, she is not closely related to the Framingham O'Briens.

sitting state rep: running for re-election in 2012.

---

by: TimothyHorrigan @ Sat Nov 05, 2011 at 04:30:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Does NH have a financial disclosure requirement for elected officials? (0.00 / 0)

The appearance of vs. an actuol of conflict of interest is a really a matter for review and interpretation.

How much is a "hugh" amount? 1000 shares? 2000 shares? 10,000 shares? 100,000 shares?

It seems to me that a NH citizen with voter standing ought to ask this question - not only of the Speaker but every Rep that voted for the bill.

Remember Bettencourt speculating how lucrative this would be for retailers - it would draw out-of-states to cross state lines to purchase smokes.

---

by: Dave O'Brien @ Sat Nov 05, 2011 at 15:50:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

They're trying to balance the budget with smoke and mirrors but they (4.00 / 3)

don't even have enough smoke.

---

by: cmnh @ Thu Nov 03, 2011 at 02:25:47 AM UTC

The situation is much worse... (4.00 / 1)

When you factor in lost revenue to both the general and education trust the state is behind 6.7 million compared to last year in lost tobacco at revenue.

http://admin.state.nh.us/accou...

I seem to recall a press release from DJ Bettencourt saying the nay sayers had egg on our faces for telling them this was a bad idea. Just because they hit their low balled revenue estimates for one month. Great work Deejay, maybe we can cut some more services at DHHS to give the tobacco companies more revenue! I'm sure the boys in Winston Salem appreciate it.  

---

by: Legal Beagle @ Thu Nov 03, 2011 at 03:10:31 AM UTC

THE NATIONAL FAIRTAX (4.00 / 3)

The loons pushing a national sales tax of 34% claim the reducing business's taxes will result in lower prices for the consumer.
This fiction is clearly shown to be a lie here in New Hampshire with this Sig tax scam!

WHEN WILL THE GOPERS GIVE UP ON TRICKLE DOWN !  

---

by: tchair @ Thu Nov 03, 2011 at 12:07:26 PM UTC

When will they give up on "Trickle Down"? (0.00 / 0)

Never.  St. Reagan can not be wrong... even when he clearly was and is.

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

---

by: cblodg @ Fri Nov 04, 2011 at 01:16:01 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wait? What? (4.00 / 2)

You mean lowering taxes doesn't increase revenue?!?!?!! My 30+ years of Republican 'Laffer Curve' math lessons are all for naught!

Running for State Rep 2012 in Hillsborough District 2
Aaron Gill, Deering: nhgill.com Twitter: Gill4NHStateRep

---

by: nhveedub @ Thu Nov 03, 2011 at 16:17:25 PM UTC