Problem is, everyone outside NH thinks "Live Free or Die!" is grand libertarian philosophy.
Folks moving here discover it is public fiscal policy, and you get what you pay for in quality of services, like public transit and schools. TANSTAAFL. Taxing property made sense 200 years ago, when the size of your apple orchard or sugarbush determined your income. Times have changed. Things like property tax exemptions, well as one of our town budget committee members commented in a public meeting "what you pay I don't have to pay" so there's a *lot* of reluctance to abate anyone's tax burden, especially in smaller towns. Sometimes it makes me think that the "Granite State" appellation was earned as a description of the inhabitants' cardiac equipment. The "Free State" folks will find it interesting if they do come and take control, and have to figure out how to pay for and organize the cooperative services that modern society requires. Solid waste disposal anyone? Or water/sewer plants? Meanwhile we try to cultivate competitive business climate, and it's hard to stay competitive for labor and services without some investment in infrastructure - public works doesn't show a direct ROI, so it's a tough nut to crack. -Bruce McCulley (former Budget Committee member/chair, former Selectman/chair) ---- Original message ---- >Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 11:28:34 -0400 >From: Jared Watkins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: On Nh living and commutes.. >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Thanks for the info and discussion around this subject... > >After reading what everyone had to say... I'm now not so excited about >the prospect of living up there... it seems that if I'm not able to >find a good position in NH then it makes little sense from a quality of >life and tax standpoint. > >Thanks again, >Jared >_______________________________________________ >gnhlug-discuss mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss _______________________________________________ gnhlug-discuss mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss
