Stop raiding the highway fund!!!

You should get the Weirs Times or read it online and read the rest of her article.  She is right, if we didn't raid the taxes already collected, we wouldn't need this new tax.  As she said later in the article, they always tell us it will only cost a little bit but don't buy it. This is a lie.  The truth is all these LITTLE increases end up being one LARGE increase.  She is so right.

I read the article and Rep Cormier is complaining about a 23% hike in the gas tax, while failing to mention that it has been 23 years since the tax was last raised. She complains about money going to other departments, but doesn't say where the replacement money is coming from if that funding is brought back to the highway fund. She sounds just like another whiney Republican who would rather commit suicide by jumping off her wallet than pay another 4 cents per gallon of gas !  

She is smart enough to know there is plenty of wasteful spending.

WHL wrote:She is smart enough to know there is plenty of wasteful spending.

Then why doesn't she tells us exactly where the money is being wasted ? That's a favorite angle for the Republicans that there is wasteful spending, but they rarely tell us exactly where the money is being wasted. Just because they're moving money to another part of the budget it doesn't mean that it's being wasted. NH hasn't raised the gasoline tax in 23 years while the roads and bridges are falling apart. The shame of this hike is that a good chunk of the money is going to widen Rt 93, while the state roads around here are crumbling.

Wolfeboro presented it's annual road maintenance warrant article in March for $625 thousand and it passed with an 89% approval from the voters. That's a clear sign that our citizens want their roads maintained !   

You always ask where the waste is too and very often I tell you but you keep asking.  There is waste everywhere in government.  In her article, she stated 67% of people in the state were against the new tax yet they passed it.  And yes, she also said that most of the increased funds go toward the I-93 widening project, "including paying off the new $200 million in new debt.  It does nothing to end the continual diversion of gas taxes away from our deteriorating roads and bridges."

Even many of the Republicans in Concord voted for the tax hike because they know the situation with the deteriorating roads is very serious. I'm glad the Tea Party lost it's grip in Concord. I'm willing to bet that the diversion of funds from the highway trust was started by the Republicans to not raise taxes at some point. Smoke and mirrors is a favorite trick of theirs and they are just as bad at spending as you say the Democrats are.

Yes, the roads are a mess but if they had put the money they already collected into the roads instead of into other things that are not necessary the roads would be in perfect shape.

WHL wrote:Yes, the roads are a mess but if they had put the money they already collected into the roads instead of into other things that are not necessary the roads would be in perfect shape.

No way ! You can't tell me that cost of everything has remained stagnant since 1991. You know better than that. It's OK for prices to go up in the private sector, but God forbid your taxes go up 4 cents a gallon after 23 years !  Heaven forbid !     

This reminds me of Long Island. People will cry a million tears if their taxes go up a hundred bucks, but then they'll go up to Foxwoods and pour three grand into the slot machines in one night. There is a certain lack of credibility about people's complaints when you see them dumping money all over the place. There is definitely a class of people who are on hard times, but that's why we have our social programs. (which the Republicans are trying to take away)

ARe you saying taxes haven't gone up in 23 years????  GAs tax maybe, but others have.

WHL wrote:ARe you saying taxes haven't gone up in 23 years????  GAs tax maybe, but others have.

I made it very clear that the gas tax hasn't gone up in 23 years. That's what we're talking about here. If you're going to complain about taxes you have to factor in the cost of doing business. Governments deal with the same increases in the CPI that private industry does. I've never heard you make a peep about how the Koch brothers and Wall St manipulates gas prices, but God forbid New Hampshire raise it's gas tax 4 cents. Corporate greed in America makes one think that Socialism isn't a bad thing.

Here in lies the problem. Most (not all) members of the GOP have gotten themselves into a pickle about taxes. They automatically say NO to taxes, but for every action (or inaction) there are consequences. So if there are no additional taxes to pay for the rising cost of services then it stands to reason that accounts that are in the black will be raided. Look at the Navigation Safety Fund, the Fish and Game account and now, as you say, the Highway Fund. If no new income is generated how do you think the few services NH provides will be paid for?

Regarding the Gasoline tax, I have always wondered why boaters can apply for and receive a rebate on the gasoline tax for our boats. It really does not make any sense to me and eliminating that rebate program could have prevented the latest gasoline tax increase...just saying. Talk among yourselves   

The Republicans would be happy with a lot less services than the Dems.  You Dems want everything from cradle to death taken care of while we Repubs believe in personal responsibility-taking care of yourself.  For instance, why does Fish and Games since you mentioned them need a million dollar piece of property in Alton to let a few people put their boats in the water.  There are other places they can launch.  And the tax gas rebate is an off road refund, that is vehicles that are not used on the roads therefore not hurting the roads, don't have to pay for what they are not using.  That is the theory, of course a lot of us pay for things we don't use.  I don't apply for the rebate, we use a lot of gas so I should, but I just don't bother with the hassle which is just what they are hoping people will do.

...so give us specifics.

The Republicans would be happy with a lot less services than the Dems.

Speciafically, what would you elimniate?

You Dems want everything from cradle to death taken care of while we Repubs believe in personal responsibility-taking care of yourself

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What "cradle to death" programs exist in New Hampshire?

why does Fish and Games since you mentioned them need a million dollar piece of property in Alton to let a few people put their boats in the water.

Show me a listing for a piece of alternative waterfront property on Lake Winnipesaukee big enough to handle a boat launch, vehicle and trailer parking that is listed at less than a million dollars.

And the tax gas rebate is an off road refund, that is vehicles that are not used on the roads therefore not hurting the roads, don't have to pay for what they are not using.

Unless you own waterfront property, you have to trailer your boat from lake to lake therefor you do use the roads with your boat and should pay for them.

of course a lot of us pay for things we don't use

Like people whose children are no longer in school and school taxes.

What I'm seeing is long on rhetoric with no specifics. So tell me, exactly what are we spending money on that you would cut or eliminate and explain your cuts and their ramifications.  Keep in mind that your original post was in regard to the STATE raiding a fund, so keep your cuts to STATE programs.

I already mentioned one which you disagree with, and any other which I mention you would disagree with so why waste my time?  Just to listen to you argue with me?  Thanks, but no thanks.

You brought up all that rhetoric, not me. I just pointed out that if the priority is no taxes then accounts that are running in the black will be raided to pay for service, it's not rocket science.