VNews Editorial on "The New Hampshire Disadvantage"
by: Dean Barker
Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 10:17:26 AM EDT
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Uh-oh. I'm pretty sure you can get a copy of the Valley News in Orford. Meldrim's ghost will not be happy:
The $11.5 billion two-year spending plan, which takes effect July 1, exemplifies what happens when a state has no place to turn for revenue because it refuses to adopt an equitable, broad-based tax. Not only do programs and services suffer; the hunt for alternative revenue sources becomes an exercise in desperation, bordering at times on absurdity. Call it the New Hampshire Disadvantage.
...The bottom line: Even with new fees and taxes, the 2010-2011 budget relies heavily on non-tax revenue to pay for vital programs, including K-12 education...
...The use of one-time revenue sources is an old trick. But old tricks won't solve the state's structural deficit. What will lawmakers do next time around?
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