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July 03. 2012 9:25PM
State Democrats blast GOP for `Tea Party'-driven agenda
CONCORD — House and Senate Democrats blasted House Speaker William O’Brien and what they called his radical Tea Party agenda on Tuesday, which they claimed hiked property taxes, made higher education unaffordable and attempted to decimate health care for women.
“This Republican majority has had the wrong priorities for New Hampshire’s middle-class families and the wrong priorities for our economy,” said House Minority Leader Terie Norell at a news conference on the recently completed legislative term.
Republican leaders shot back, saying it was more tax-and-spend rhetoric from the Democrats. Republicans also touted their accomplishments such as a balanced budget and long overdue Medicaid and retirement system reforms.
“Republicans’ top priorities were to balance the budget, protect taxpayers and create jobs for working families,” said Senate President Peter Bragdon and Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley in a joint statement. “We made the difficult but necessary decisions to accomplish this and the contrast between the Democrats is clear.”
Democrats claimed Republicans pushed a radical right-wing social agenda driven by outside interests.
“This legislature has, at every occasion, chosen to side with radical special interests instead of siding with New Hampshire’s middle-class families,” said Sen. Molly Kelly of Keene. “Nowhere is that more true than in their misplaced education priorities.”
Republicans tried to eliminate kindergarten, to tell children they don’t need to attend school and cut state aid to schools driving up property taxes, she said.
“Simply put, Bill O’Brien’s Tea Party legislature has made it easier to break the law and buy cigarettes, but harder to afford an education,” Kelly said.
Sen. Lou D’Allesandro of Manchester said the reductions in state revenues passed by Republicans are devastating, noting the 10-cent reduction in the cigarette tax accounts for the loss of nearly $12 million. He predicted the 2012 fiscal year budget that ended June 30 would have a deficit of $30 million or more.
But Republicans said the tax and fee reductions have spurred the economy.
“Once again it was made clear that House and Senate Democrats are solely interested in undermining our economy by creating, expanding and increasing taxes that directly hurt our state’s job creators,” said House Majority Leader Pete Silva. “In November the choice for voters will be very clear, continue with the path of economic prosperity that has lead to our state having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, or revert back to high taxes and big government, which serves to stifle our economic growth and cost us countless good new jobs.”
Sens. Bragdon and Bradley echoed those sentiments.
“We resolved the $800 million budget deficit inherited from the Democrats who increased spending by 24 percent in four years. We balanced the budget without increasing taxes, borrowing for operating expenses, or relying upon accounting gimmicks,” they said. “Our accomplishments regarding jobs and the economy speak for themselves.
“In November 2010, when Democrats controlled the State House, the New Hampshire unemployment rate was 5.8 percent. Today because of Republican leadership it has fallen to 5 percent.”
Democrats said for all the talk about their focus on jobs, the economy and fiscal responsibility, the real focus for Republicans has been social issues.
“For a group of people who came into office at the start of 2011 promising to focus on the economy like a laser, we have to ask: Do they really understand how a laser is supposed to work,” said Rep. Steve Shurtleff, D-Concord. “The only laser-like focus I’ve seen this legislative session has been in advancing a radical and far-right social agenda.”
He noted the Republicans brought guns back into the State House and tried to put guns in college dorms, the veterans home and nursing homes, while passing “stand-your-ground” legislation similar to Florida’s that has lead to violence and attempting to repeal the state’s domestic violence laws.
Rep. Gary Richardson, D-Hopkinton, noted the lack of civility and respect in the House over the last two years under O’Brien’s leadership.
“The only protection against people like Bill O’Brien is the ballot box,” Richardson said.
Republicans outnumber Democrats by three-to-one margins in the House and Senate.
grayno@unionleader.com
“This Republican majority has had the wrong priorities for New Hampshire’s middle-class families and the wrong priorities for our economy,” said House Minority Leader Terie Norell at a news conference on the recently completed legislative term.
Republican leaders shot back, saying it was more tax-and-spend rhetoric from the Democrats. Republicans also touted their accomplishments such as a balanced budget and long overdue Medicaid and retirement system reforms.
“Republicans’ top priorities were to balance the budget, protect taxpayers and create jobs for working families,” said Senate President Peter Bragdon and Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley in a joint statement. “We made the difficult but necessary decisions to accomplish this and the contrast between the Democrats is clear.”
Democrats claimed Republicans pushed a radical right-wing social agenda driven by outside interests.
“This legislature has, at every occasion, chosen to side with radical special interests instead of siding with New Hampshire’s middle-class families,” said Sen. Molly Kelly of Keene. “Nowhere is that more true than in their misplaced education priorities.”
Republicans tried to eliminate kindergarten, to tell children they don’t need to attend school and cut state aid to schools driving up property taxes, she said.
“Simply put, Bill O’Brien’s Tea Party legislature has made it easier to break the law and buy cigarettes, but harder to afford an education,” Kelly said.
Sen. Lou D’Allesandro of Manchester said the reductions in state revenues passed by Republicans are devastating, noting the 10-cent reduction in the cigarette tax accounts for the loss of nearly $12 million. He predicted the 2012 fiscal year budget that ended June 30 would have a deficit of $30 million or more.
But Republicans said the tax and fee reductions have spurred the economy.
“Once again it was made clear that House and Senate Democrats are solely interested in undermining our economy by creating, expanding and increasing taxes that directly hurt our state’s job creators,” said House Majority Leader Pete Silva. “In November the choice for voters will be very clear, continue with the path of economic prosperity that has lead to our state having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, or revert back to high taxes and big government, which serves to stifle our economic growth and cost us countless good new jobs.”
Sens. Bragdon and Bradley echoed those sentiments.
“We resolved the $800 million budget deficit inherited from the Democrats who increased spending by 24 percent in four years. We balanced the budget without increasing taxes, borrowing for operating expenses, or relying upon accounting gimmicks,” they said. “Our accomplishments regarding jobs and the economy speak for themselves.
“In November 2010, when Democrats controlled the State House, the New Hampshire unemployment rate was 5.8 percent. Today because of Republican leadership it has fallen to 5 percent.”
Democrats said for all the talk about their focus on jobs, the economy and fiscal responsibility, the real focus for Republicans has been social issues.
“For a group of people who came into office at the start of 2011 promising to focus on the economy like a laser, we have to ask: Do they really understand how a laser is supposed to work,” said Rep. Steve Shurtleff, D-Concord. “The only laser-like focus I’ve seen this legislative session has been in advancing a radical and far-right social agenda.”
He noted the Republicans brought guns back into the State House and tried to put guns in college dorms, the veterans home and nursing homes, while passing “stand-your-ground” legislation similar to Florida’s that has lead to violence and attempting to repeal the state’s domestic violence laws.
Rep. Gary Richardson, D-Hopkinton, noted the lack of civility and respect in the House over the last two years under O’Brien’s leadership.
“The only protection against people like Bill O’Brien is the ballot box,” Richardson said.
Republicans outnumber Democrats by three-to-one margins in the House and Senate.
grayno@unionleader.com
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