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 Preshow Return to index of stories... |
Next on New Hampshire Outlook. as the campaign for Governor gets into full swing.we'll take you to two different forums where candidates outlined their plans for everything from education funding to plans for a revitalized north country. AND. another glimpse at Steve Taylor's real New Hampshire. we'll see a logging operation in action. |
| Hello Return to index of stories... |
Hello. I'm Allison McNair. Welcome to NH Outlook. |
| Coalition Debate Return to index of stories... |
Soundup: Tape 1 00:04:05 Keogh says hi to supporters Soundup: Tape 1 07:00:44 The coalition has an agenda, but this forum does not. Bite: Tape 1 07;00:18 "Our goal tonight is to find out where the candidates stand, and second, to help the public gain an understanding of this complicated issue, and of the candidates' proposals about the future of public education financing in NH." Bite: Tape 1 07:10:39 The Libertarian solution, the one I am pushing, is to set the adequacy level to zero, to null, undefinable. Once we do that, the statewide property tax is finished, done. At that point, we can go to targeted aid because let's face it, the statewide property tax is nothing but a shell game. It's an accounting gimmick to raise an additional $30 million that is distributed. Tape 1 07:11:54 People make a decision where to move based on either the schools or other environments. And yet to take somebody's wealth and transfer it around, going through a Concord filter and having it chewed up by the Concord machine and then doled out on a formula that cannot be defined is ludicrous. And so this is why I'm running. To make sure we get back to our constitutional roots, to remove the statewide property tax and foster competition in education. Bite: Tape 1 07;13;350 I'd like every business in this state to adopt a school and help that school with merit pay for teachers, help with technology needs in the classroom, and help by being real mentors to walk the hallways and show kids why they need to learn the material they're learning. Bite: Tape 1 07:14:13 We need to make our classrooms ready for the 21st century. When I ran Cabletron, we wired every school and library to the internet in the entire state of NH. By doing that, we can share some of the great teachers from around the state. Some of our problems in education aren't funding, they are also the extreme teacher shortage we are going to be facing. 40% of our teachers are leaving the system in the next five years. And by using distance learning, we can help bridge some of the gap that is going to be created by those teachers leaving the system. Bite: Tape 1 07:15:20 How do we fund it? Well, we can't grow at the rate we have in the past 10 years. We've actually tripled it in the last 10 years alone. What we need to do is manage the state's finances in a much more effective way. If we grow our state's budget by 3% or less in the next biennium, that alone solves the funding issue by itself, because revenues grow faster. Bite: Tape 1 07;18:35 A community values equality and fairness. They are the glue that holds the community together. NH is a community. And one of our abiding objectives is to educate our children. How we do that and how we pay for it is the defining issue of this election and this election year. We need to talk about taxes in NH, but to talk about taxes, we first have to get rid of the myth. The myth in NH is that we have a secret formula that no one else has been able to figure out. We sell booze, we tax cigarettes, we have a sweepstakes, and we run the whole state on the cheap and aren't we brilliant? The reality is something else, and to get rid of that myth, I created a chart. Bite: Tape 1 07:19:27 This chart shows all significant sources of state and local tax revenue in NH. The sweepstakes brought in $59 million last year. All went to schools, it was just 4% of what we spent on education. Tobacco was $88 million, liquor and wine $89 million. The top line on this chart is property tax. 1 billion, $735 million. This is why we have a problem. It's about 2/3 of all the taxes we raise. Bite: Tape 1 07:20:45 The logical, the fair solution for NH is an income tax. That is my plan and it is a simple plan: 4% flat rate income tax, dedicated to education, and when I say dedicated, I mean a constitutional amendment that says the money has to go to education, so none of the money is spent in Concord, it all comes to local level where local people decide how to spend it. Bite: Tape 1 07:21:40 Let me tell you what this plan does for the state of NH. For the average homeowner, property taxes are cut in about half. It means we collect about $100 million from out of staters who come here to work. Bite: Tape 1 07:24:50 You're going to hear tonight from some of the other people who will be speaking that the courts were the problem. What did the courts rule? The court said in Claremont 1 in 1993 and Claremont 2 in 1997 that the state's duty is to provide an adequate education. Bite: Tape 1 07:27;02 We must repeal the statewide property tax, which I tried to do this year. We tried to repeal it, couldn't do it. We ended up trying a bill from the House which I signed onto with Rep. Norellli. We tried to sunset it. Couldn't do it. Why? The reason we couldn't repeal it or sunset it was we didn't have a means to replace it. So the discussion here tonight is to make sure we find a way in which we can fund the cost of the education that the state needs to pay for. That's what it's all about, and that's what we need to do. And I believe that we need to repeal the state wide property tax in total and we need to replace it with an income tax and dedicate it to education. Then we can start to move on to the things that are needed by the rest of the people of the state. Bite: Tape 1 07:28:36 It is the result of shoddy jurisprudence. It is worse, the result of violation of the constitution itself by the supreme court, inasmuch as the supreme court reinterpreting, redefining that word "cherish", rewrote the constitution, a power that is reserved to the people themselves. Bite: Tape 1 7:30:13 Let me define what the right way is by first saying what the wrong way is. The wrong way is to repeal it if the result is an income tax. If I stand for anything, it is NH without an income tax and I will veto any such tax as I will veto a sales tax or any increase in the Business Enterprise tax or the Business Profits Tax, or casino gambling for that matter. So the wrong way to repeal the statewide property tax is to do it in such a way that one of those other worse things eventuates. The right way to repeal the statewide property tax is, as I have already suggested, amend the constitution. That's putting the horse before the cart. Bite: Tape 1 7:31:35 I propose a program of tuition tax credits which over a few years will empower more and more parents to choose another public school if they wish, a charter public school, a private religious school, private secular school, or home schooling with no strings attached. Here's the problem with education: we need to look at the cost side. It's unreasonable. Why is that? It's a monopoly. When you order parents to send their child to the nearest public school, that's a choice of one. If that isn't a monopoly, I don't know what is. Bite: Tape 1 7:35:30 My plan maintains the level of real state help at $443 million which is next year's level. That is more than enough money to have excellent schools in NH provided we spend it in the right places. My plan sends more money to more places that need help by considering income and other factors when we determine the need of any community. This will ensure that communities that can stand on their own two feet stop getting state money that could be better spent elsewhere. Bite: Tape 1 7:37:37 We don't need an income tax, we don't need a sales tax, we don't need to increase business taxes, and we can eliminate the statewide property tax. Bite: Tape 2 07:44:20 The legislature has tried a number of times to enact a constitutional amendment. If you are elected, what would guarantee that the 19th or 20th time trying to pass a constitutional amendment would work? Bite: Tape 2 07:44:35 We've never had a governor champion a constitutional amendment. Quite the contrary. We've never had a governor use the bully pulpit in this area. If I have one skill, and I don't have that many, I think I'm a pretty good communicator and I'm energetic and I'm determined and I'm passionate and I will raise the money to mount a referendum-style campaign such as they have in referendum states - a paid media campaign to rally public opinion behind this measure. Tape 2 The problem with our education funding money - which doesn't go to education - is the towns get it a couple of months before it's due to show up and open the schools and they don't know exactly how much they'll get so they spend it almost like a drunken sailor because they don't know how much will come next year. Under my proposal, we would tell people - give them a 5-year forecast of how much money they're going to get so that they could make long-term decisions with that money, and be able to make significant investments in their school systems so that we can have an adequate education. Bite: Tape 4 8:53:25 Towns don't pay taxes, properties don't pay taxes; people pay taxes. The constitution requires us to have a taxation that is fair and equitable and that means it should be based on the ability to pay. Those people who are millionaires in this state who are not paying their fair share need to pay their fair share. Bite: Tape 4 08:53:53 It is absolutely unfair that the face of Portsmouth is going to be changing because we cannot have senior citizens living in their homes anymore. That young people cannot afford the community they were raised in. And people in the work force - our police and our fire and our teachers - cannot live in the communities they grew up in. Property taxes cause the problem. It will not solve the problem. Bite: Tape 3 08:23:36 As governor, would you support and sign legislation similar to HB 140 which passed the House this past session, that would sunset the state property taxes as of April, 2004? Tape 3 8:23:50 pick up shot of Babiarz grinning Bite: Tape 3 8:24:10 I would not. I would look at - that particular bill was meant to create an income tax or a sales tax and I don't think that's what we need in the state of NH. My long term goal is to eliminate the statewide property tax but first we need to get rid of the donor towns. That's what I would do. My preference is not to repeal the statewide property tax but to exempt homeowners on their first home. And the reason for that is, if we eliminate the statewide property tax entirely, the second home owners, those that live out of state, are going to get a free ride. Bite: Tape 3 8:25:05 Yes, I would repeal it. In fact, I sponsored legislation to do that and I also worked with a piece of legislation to sunset it so yes, I would definitely do either. Bite: Tape 3 8:25:57 We need to amend the constitution first. That's our insurance policy. That will put an end to these ten years of lawsuits. That will return the supreme court to it's proper bounds. Then we can joyously repeal this awful handiwork of Claremont 1 & 2 and the supreme court - which is the statewide property tax. Bite: Tape 3 8;26:38 I'm quite comfortable we can repeal the statewide property tax without replacing it with an income tax or a sales tax when I am governor, because I will veto an income tax or a sales tax when I'm governor. Soundup: Tape 4 08:55:27 applause |
| Intro No Country Return to index of stories... |
Earlier in the week, most of the gubernatorial candidates were in the North Country. While some backed out of the planned event at the last minute, others sent representatives. Theresa Kennett was there. |
| No Country Debate Return to index of stories... |
1:30:14 - 1:30:39 Hollingworth Sixty-three percent of business taxes increased this year. Those of you who are in business, 300% increases in the BPT, and who did it, the republicans. these are supposed to be the ones who don't like taxes. And yet they increased every single tax, fee, they could find that's against the NH advantage you can't let them do it again. 1:59:38 - Humphrey The new Hampshire advantage, ladies and gentlemen is freedom, we live in the free-est state in the free-est nation in the history of mankind. I suggest to you that that's a rich heritage. Stand up - outside of the Town and Country Motor Inn.: Education, taxes, jobs were all discussed here today and are obviously important to everybody, but in the North Country, it's also the land that matters. 2:04:00 John Harigan - on Dais Its often said that the Berlin/Gorham area are the cities that the trees built. John Harrigan, publisher of the Colebrook News and Sentinel, was the moderator. John Harrigan @ 16:46 The potential closing of the woodchip electrical plants is a big big problem for land owners and I'm one of them You simply can't afford to go into the woods and do a good job unless you can sell every thing. And Its so important, people only see it as a price per kilowatt issue and its not, it's a land issue. So I hope the next governor will be really tuned into the landscape. Edith Tucker, reporter for the Coos County Democrate and contributor to NH Outlook share's John Harrigan's concern. Edith Tucker Coos County Democrat @ 28:16 People want to be respected for the kind of lifestyle they have developed here, that openness that is characteristic of the north county that independence of mind. Its more the personal characteristics in a governor that respects the personal characteristics up here. John Babariarz @ 1:19:22 -:41 Its good industry, its been part of the NH way for many years. It provides us with paper with lumber for our homes and also our power. One of the things that we have here in this north county is that natural resource that has to be protected. Jump cut 1:20:14 - 1:20:23 That's why the pulp to power plants are very important. It's a way of helping to thin the forest, a thin forest is a healthy forest. While all of the candidates expressed support for the wood industry, they also said that the north country needs to diversify its economy. 01:24:48 - 01:25:07 Keough In my view if the state of NH could authorize over 200 million dollars in bonding capacity to redevelop Pease Air force base and get that area back on its feet, it can help the North country out with infrastructure improvements to get the North country back on its feet as well and as Governor I will make sure that happens. 1:16:16 - Benson I propose 3 opportunity regions that are five miles in diameter allowing people to wire them for internet access and cell phone services and enticing business to come here on the basis of being responsive. Jump cut When I say responsive I mean a call back from the governor within 24 hours. Then we ought to bend over backwards. Couple that with an incubator which allows small companies to be successful and I think you have got a recipe for success. Humphrey at 1:08:49 I want to create an enterprise zone in Berlin, Gorham and Shellbourn with stubborn high unemployment, places where employers will be rewarded with lower taxes for creating new jobs. Humphrey also promised affordable high speed internet access to every home and business that wants it. Humphrey 1:45:00 Why isn't it happening because Verizon is utterly dragging its feet. I guarantee you that I will move mountains, heaven and earth, and verizon to make this happen. Its critical to economic development in the rural parts of the state. 2:24:19 The private sector is getting there but its never going to make financial sense to provide high- speed service at affordable rates in Errol Peter Rivera has been working with a network of north country communities to bring affordable high speed internet access to the region for over two years. Every business plan says yes lets do Conway , Littleton, Berlin, nobody wants go to Colebrook. Riviere says, faced with that reality, the rural areas will be looking for the government's help. And Mike Neal, Executive Director of the Northern White Mountain Chamber of Commerce agrees. @ 2:28:57 - 2:29:04 It's the northern part of the state and its important to concord and they realize that they need to make an investment up here. Tourism is the second largest industry in the state and a lot of those tourists come here so I think that we will maintain the kind of attention we have been so fortunate to get over the last year. 1:03:40 - Keough As Governor, I would veto a sales or income tax. While many issues were debated, taxes dominated the discussion. 2:03:54 -:07 -Hollingworth We would make 100 million dollars if we put an income tax in today because right now the people who are working in NH and living in another state are paying the income tax to other states. Jump cut to interview at 2:08:25 We know its going to be an uphill battle, most people don't understand that they would benefit from it. 1:09:59- 1:10:15 - Benson Having that unique advantage of no sales tax and no income tax means we can be successful in the future. If we look at VERmont and Maine you can see they are old line industries that are dying. 1:10:58 - Steve Marchand sitting in for Mark Fernald When Mark proposes an income tax, he's not doing it because he wants a lot of new programs, what he's saying is that there is a fairer way to raise about the same amount of revenue to make sure our economy grows and get back that business advantage that we used to have. 1:58:30 - Babiarz They keep saying fairness from each according to his ability to each according to his needs. Well guess what, that's from the communist manifesto and I'm not going to put up with that. That is wrong and this is a constitutional republic and that's the way it should be with the freedom to choose our lives, thank you. Clapping, pan out to show all of the candidates. From the Town and Country Inn in Shellburn, I'm Theresa Kennett for NH Outlook. |
| Tag Debate Return to index of stories... |
The republican candidates for Governor debated Tuesday night on WNDS-TV. The democrats meet there Thursday night. |
| Benson Campaign Return to index of stories... |
In other news, a campaign worker for Craig Benson is apologizing for sending two fake letters to the editor of a newspaper. The associated press reports the letters were sent to the Eagle-Tribune in Lawrence, Mass praising Benson for his plan to expand internet access to government. They were sent on behalf of real people without their permission. A Benson opponent says while it's a common practice for campaigns to encourage letter-writing by voters, sending them without approval is not. The aide says the letters were sent by mistake. |
| Bike Week Costs Return to index of stories... |
The rain and fear of violence that apparently cut attendance at Motorcycle Week in New Hampshire could cost Laconia an estimated 20-thousand dollars. As we showed you Monday night, police were out in force. The city spent 175-thousand dollars on overtime and related costs. Last year, the city cleared three-thousand dollars from the event. |
| Intro Mt. Washington Return to index of stories... |
The weather was more seasonable Tuesday as temperatures reached the mid 70's. We checked in earlier with Chris Peruzzi at the Mount Washington Observatory to see what we can expect Wednesday. |
| Mt. Washington Return to index of stories... |
Mount Washington Observatory\Tuesday on the Summit\In the fog with showers\High: 41 \Peak Gust: W 40 mph\Visibility: 30 Feet Wednesday\North\Partly sunny \Scattered showers and thunderstorms\Highs: 72 to 77\Winds: SE 5 to 10 mph Wednesday\South\Patchy fog then partly sunny\showers and thunderstorms\Highs: 75 to 80\Winds: SE 5 to 10 mph |
| Intro Logging Return to index of stories... |
If you ever wondered where those big logging trucks you pass are coming from stay with us. Steve Taylor our Commissioner of Agriculture is going to take us to a modern day logging operation, as he continues to share bits and pieces of his "Real New Hampshire" with us. |
| Tomorrow Return to index of stories... |
On the next New Hampshire Outlook - our deer and elk are at risk. the silent threat of chronic wasting disease. |
| Goodnight Return to index of stories... |
That's it for this edition of our program. For all of us here at New Hampshire Public Television, I'm Ally McNair. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| founders Return to index of stories... |
Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook: New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Public Service of New Hampshire Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust Putnam Foundation Stratford Foundation |
| Tonight 10:00 Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. candidates for governor debate education funding and more tonight at 10pm on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| WEB promo Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on NH Outlook. the silent threat of chronic wasting disease on New Hampshire elk and deer. Tonight at 10 only on NH Outlook. |
| Church Latest Return to index of stories... |
Lawyers representing alleged victims of sexual abuse want Boston Archdiocese officials to open their books. And they are threatening to take the church to court. Lawyers are challenging the church's claims that the sex abuse scandal is draining donations and limiting its ability to make financial settlements with the alleged victims. A church spokesman said Sunday that a drop in church donations could limit the ability to pay alleged victims of abuse by priests. |
| key: state politics / government Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:6/18/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 11:53 In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a report on a debate in Portsmouth. Six candidates for governor gathered for the first time to debate the issues facing New Hampshire. The forum was sponsored by the coalition of communities, a group of towns and cities that oppose the statewide property tax. That controversial tax was just one of many topics the candidates addressed. PRODUCER/REPORTER: NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: John Babiarz\Libertarian Gubernatorial Candidate Craig Benson\Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mark Fernald\Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Beverly Hollingworth\Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Gordon Humphrey\Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Bruce Keogh\Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Daphne Kenyon\Josiah Bartlett Center Roger Wood\Forum moderator |
| key: state politics / government Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:6/18/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 5:11 In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included coverage of a gubernatorial debate in northern New Hampshire. PRODUCER/REPORTER:Theresa Kennett NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Beverly Hollingworth\Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Gordon Humphrey\Republican Gubernatorial Candidate John Harrigan\Moderator Edith Tucker\Coos County Democrat John Babiarz\Libertarian Gubernatorial Candidate \Bruce Keough\Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Craig Benson\Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Peter Rivier\Coos County Econ Development Mike Neal\No White Mt Chamber of Commerce Steve Marchand\Fernald Campaign Manager |
| key: economy / business Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:6/18/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 5:30 In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a feature report on modern day logging operations in New Hampshire. PRODUCER/REPORTER: NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Steve Taylor\NH Comm Of Agriculture Jeff Eame\Fort Mountain Land & Timber |
| WEB PROMO Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. . Tonight at 10pm on New Hampshire Public Television. |
| website Return to index of stories... |
For information on our program, and links to our guests and interviews, visit our web site at nhptv.org. You can see and hear streaming video of our broadcasts. If you've got a story idea or comment on our program, click the feedback button on our website. Or, call us at 800-639-2721. |