property tax oblivion

kjbathe · 11-27-2007, 05:55 PM

Thank you to JeffK and IrishMist for posting what I was thinking and what everyone needed to hear. We can all complain about property taxes in NH and how every other state does it differently. But every other state that has tried the experiment of tax-burden-reduction through new tax redistribution has failed to accomplish either. The examples are numerous. Connecticut has been noted here. Vermont and Maine continue to battle over who has the highest tax burden in the country. Our neighbor to the south... Why do folks continue to want to follow those same failed models?

Control the spending and you control your taxes. Period.

But the point I think that most people may miss is this: FatLazyLess got a bill and has to write a check. It's a big bill and he took notice. What would our taxes look like if we got a semi-annual bill for all of them instead of paying a dollar here and dollar there? If we had to open that piece of mail and see that bill and write the check for the sales tax you pay in drips and drabs all year. What would our Federal taxes look like if we paid that bill once every year? And I'm not talking about the big bill we complain about having to pay every April because we didn't pay enough in taxes... I'm talking about writing a check once a year to cover ALL the federal deductions that were quietly hijacked from your paycheck all year? The same model FatLazyLess endorses.

If we got a bill and had to a cut a check for every tax we paid, then folks would start to get it.

Anyone still think this is anything but a spending problem?

phoenix · 11-27-2007, 06:12 PM

big problem will come next year when the legislature decides how to deal with the education issue that will require funding above what is currently raised

Irish mist · 11-27-2007, 06:32 PM

Two of the main groups of people that want a tax shift here are waterfront property owners, and out of state folks who own vacation property. I understand that they feel they are being treated in an unfair manner with the current NH tax system. But I would suggest that over 90% of the residents of NH like the tax system as it is, and do good under it.

NH belongs to the residents who live here, and make this their home.....and if you live & work here, then the NH tax system works pretty well.
________
Buy glass bongs

phoenix · 11-27-2007, 08:32 PM

i think back to Skip's comment " the only fair tax is one that the other guy pays". i am one of those waterfront out of state vacation owners ( live here six months)and i don't mind the current system because it is still based on market value. now will be interesting as property values decline they will decline more for waterfront which will shift more of the burden to non waterfront.

fatlazyless · 11-27-2007, 10:34 PM

Gee whiz...I don't know...but it's just my hunch....that pretty soon we will be hearing the LAGGING word quite a bit. As in,,,"oh, it's a LAGGING indicator," and 'of course, the assessed value will LAG the market value for at least a year, or more, or more, or more."

So, how come the assessed value as printed on my property tax bill is a lot higher than what the market is saying? "Because it is a LAGGING indicator." Got that....the assessed value will LAG the market value for....oh....maybe one....two....or threeeee years according to the good people down at the assessor's dept.

So, when you soon hear and see the LAG word pop up in assessed value realty-speak, you'll know it is just a variation of the lag screw as in hardware store lag screw....but with a different twist.

Flylady · 11-28-2007, 12:25 AM

[QUOTE=fatlazyless]Gee whiz...I don't know...but it's just my hunch....that pretty soon we will be hearing the LAGGING word quite a bit. As in,,,"oh, it's a LAGGING indicator," and 'of course, the assessed value will LAG the market value for at least a year, or more, or more, or more."

I too am only a six month resident and spoke to the assessor as to the "assessed values". I got a very lame response as to the purchase price verses the assessed vlaue. I believe the largest issue facing every NH town leadership that relays heavily on lakefront assessed values is that the are going to have to face the music about the overly valued properties and figure out how to recognize the correct values AND reduce spending. People on the "public payrolls and the largest benifactors of the last 5 year property boom and increased revenues will fight the hardest against any spending reductions, but in the end who elects the town respresentatives? If they do not follow the wishes of those that elected them then they should not get a second chance (term).

jeffk · 11-28-2007, 12:53 AM

My assessed value and my taxes declined from last year. Not by much, but since the bill usually goes up at least 7 % I figure a slight dollar drop actually equates to a real drop of the 7% increase that I didn't have to pay.

I just gotta ask, when the lake property values shot UP 20% like they did a few years ago did anyone run to their town and offer to pay their new higher fair share of the property tax?

It probably took a year or two for the assessments to catch up with the sales values. I'll bet no one complained about the LAG then.

LIforrelaxin · 11-28-2007, 02:18 AM

Taxes are never going to be fair. They are always going to be a pain in the rear. It doesn't matter how they get it the gov't is always going to get enought money to do what they want. So the choices are simple. The people of NH either need to take a more active role in there govt. and let represntatives know how they feel about spending etc. And then decided whether or not the current tax system is the best way to meet the needs.

Being a resident of Vermont for a while. Sure they got all types of tax put into place. But I don't see people having to give up dream homes because they can't pay property taxes. Vermont also has many things in the tax stadgy to help people. out, so that they can try and better themselve. I am not saying that vermont is a good model. What I am saying is that NH needs to wiegh its options, the people need to get involved, something will change, and when it does you can either be satisfied that you help mold the change by getting involved, or sit by the sidelines and realize you need to stay quiet because you didn't stand up....

ITD · 11-28-2007, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffk

My assessed value and my taxes declined from last year. Not by much, but since the bill usually goes up at least 7 % I figure a slight dollar drop actually equates to a real drop of the 7% increase that I didn't have to pay.

I just gotta ask, when the lake property values shot UP 20% like they did a few years ago did anyone run to their town and offer to pay their new higher fair share of the property tax?

It probably took a year or two for the assessments to catch up with the sales values. I'll bet no one complained about the LAG then.

I seriously doubt they complained either, in fact some people's lake property value lagged for 20 or 30 years and they said nothing. Perhaps if the towns went after these laggards retroactively it would lower the rest of us sap's taxes for a year or two while they caught up.

hockeypuck · 11-28-2007, 01:33 PM

Stop crying. You don't pay an outrageous amount of taxes. Everyone, everywhere pays taxes and most don't like it. Unfortunately, people loose their homes to taxes all over the country. At least you live in the best region of the best state in the best country in the world. Bite the bullet and enjoy what you have.

The Big Kahuna · 11-28-2007, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hockeypuck

Stop crying. You don't pay an outrageous amount of taxes. Everyone, everywhere pays taxes and most don't like it. Unfortunately, people loose their homes to taxes all over the country. At least you live in the best region of the best state in the best country in the world. Bite the bullet and enjoy what you have.

I think the rate the towns have raised taxes are to quick. My property values have gone down the past two years, but my taxes went up, what is up with that?

kjbathe · 11-29-2007, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Big Kahuna

I think the rate the towns have raised taxes are to quick. My property values have gone down the past two years, but my taxes went up, what is up with that?

What is up with that is SPENDING. If spending is flat, your property value could have doubled and you'd still pay the same amount in taxes. In the simplest terms, the rate gets set so that when multiplied by the assessed values the town ends up with the required budget.

Control the spending, and you control your taxes.

jeffk · 11-29-2007, 10:59 AM

I agree the first line of defense against paying higher taxes is controlling spending.

However, you have to understand how property taxes work. If your property value drops 4% and everyone else's property value drops 7%, congratulations you win higher taxes as "compared to everyone else". This can often be the case in a vacation area where expensive second home prices may be hit harder than smaller residential home prices. This effectively shifts some of the tax burden to the residential homes which now, comparatively, are worth more. The tax follows the comparative value. Even if spending is absolutely flat

the amount of tax paid by any one individual can change based on the comparitive value of their property.

The Big Kahuna · 11-29-2007, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjbathe

What is up with that is SPENDING. If spending is flat, your property value could have doubled and you'd still pay the same amount in taxes. In the simplest terms, the rate gets set so that when multiplied by the assessed values the town ends up with the required budget.

Control the spending, and you control your taxes.

Now that we are a new Republic, I don't see that happening, spending will do nothing but increase.

Argie's Wife · 11-30-2007, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjbathe

What is up with that is SPENDING. If spending is flat, your property value could have doubled and you'd still pay the same amount in taxes. In the simplest terms, the rate gets set so that when multiplied by the assessed values the town ends up with the required budget.

Control the spending, and you control your taxes.

Well said.

And as someone who sits through the review of my town's budget, I will say that if you want to have a personal impact on the spending in your town, then you should attend the budget committee meetings. There's always room for public input at any meeting and it could be a great opportunity for you to voice your concerns about spending. It's also a great way to see how the budget is justified - or NOT!

idigtractors · 12-02-2007, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

Well said.

And as someone who sits through the review of my town's budget, I will say that if you want to have a personal impact on the spending in your town, then you should attend the budget committee meetings. There's always room for public input at any meeting and it could be a great opportunity for you to voice your concerns about spending. It's also a great way to see how the budget is justified - or NOT!

I think the biggest thing is the voting on the articles that appear for the town to vote on. I can almost guarantee that the tax rate would go down if seasonal people were able to vote.

Argie's Wife · 12-02-2007, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idigtractors

I think the biggest thing is the voting on the articles that appear for the town to vote on. I can almost guarantee that the tax rate would go down if seasonal people were able to vote.

Perhaps... but the problem with the warrant articles is that they're generally worded in a way that's so ambiguous that people have trouble comprehending what they're REALLY for. And there's generally too darn many of them - we had over 40 last year here in Alton and always have a bunch. Some have a $0 fiscal impact but most have a price tag attached. By attending the deliberative sessions, it's much easier to understand what you're voting for. Those deliberative sessions are televised but only on the local cable access. The warrant articles are in the papers, but there's also petition warrant articles that are presented at the deliberative sessions - and all the justification for them. (By the way, Alton is SB2 and I'm writing this from that experience - might be a bit different for your town.)

In short, I would welcome seasonal residents' vote - if they were INFORMED voters. I question how they would really be able to make a good, informed decision if they weren't as tuned-in to the local happenings like you are...

I don't know how that would happen - perhaps that fodder for another thread, eh?

This'nThat · 12-14-2007, 11:59 AM

Seems to me one way of getting lower property taxes in Alton is to build those cell towers. The Town is already on record that the towers will be an eyesore that affects our "View". And, since our property taxes now include a "View" tax, all of our property assessments should drop -- dramatically -- if the cell towers are built. Not only do we get lower taxes, as a result -- we also get cell service for the first time.

A win-win!

Sunbeam lodge · 11-28-2007, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffk

My assessed value and my taxes declined from last year. Not by much, but since the bill usually goes up at least 7 % I figure a slight dollar drop actually equates to a real drop of the 7% increase that I didn't have to pay.

I just gotta ask, when the lake property values shot UP 20% like they did a few years ago did anyone run to their town and offer to pay their new higher fair share of the property tax?

It probably took a year or two for the assessments to catch up with the sales values. I'll bet no one complained about the LAG then.

I didn't have to run to the assessors office. They jumped on the bandwagon very quickly'
Starting in 1996 Tax $7953, up 14% from 1995
1999 tax $9251, up 14% from 1998, 2000 tax $13057 up 41% from 1999,
2002 tax $14254 up 9.2% from 2001, 2003 $16964 up 18.9%
Overall Taxes up 127% for exactly the same house I built when I retired.
Completely wiped out my social security. Only live here 6 months, no children in schools. But my real problem is the way this country has lost any form of leadership and the candidates still mouth meaningless words. They do not have any plan to change the degradation of the currency, education, medical, immigration policies or deficit spending. Oh, by the way just received my oil bill, yup you guessed it up 68% from the beginning of the year. Fortunately we continue to have a low inflation rate.
system, immigration policy or deficts caused by this administration.

hockeypuck · 11-28-2007, 04:20 PM

Sunbeam, we all feel the pain. Let me see if I have this right. The dollar is worth less, my house is worth less, taxes are going up, stock market is going down, energy cost are going up because dollar is worth less, food prices are going up partrially because of energy cost and use of corn for ethanol. I think there is inflation in the things we all need; food, energy and shelter. A good friend of mine is in the export business and says that it is difficult to find space on any boat of plane for cargo going out of the US to overseas. Everything in the USA is on sale at a discount to those overseas. I don't know if that is a good thing or not. See what happens when the dust settles.

ITD · 11-28-2007, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hockeypuck

Sunbeam, we all feel the pain. Let me see if I have this right. The dollar is worth less, my house is worth less, taxes are going up, stock market is going down, energy cost are going up because dollar is worth less, food prices are going up partrially because of energy cost and use of corn for ethanol. I think there is inflation in the things we all need; food, energy and shelter. A good friend of mine is in the export business and says that it is difficult to find space on any boat of plane for cargo going out of the US to overseas. Everything in the USA is on sale at a discount to those overseas. I don't know if that is a good thing or not. See what happens when the dust settles.

When the dust settles we're going to find out that the wholesale outsourcing that has happened was only a good idea for Jack Welch and his ilk who profited handsomely at the expense of our long term security. Lake Winnipesaukee (added so that somehow this topic gets back on track.)

PS Lots of goods leaving the US to other markets is a good thing.

Silver Duck · 11-28-2007, 08:44 PM

Can anyone tell me how the state government raises money for operating expenses?

Somehow it seems unlikely to me that the few revenue sources that I'm aware of (i.e., taxes on tobacco, gasoline, hotel room rental, meals, and maybe booze) would be enough to take care of the state's revenue needs.

Silver Duck

Irish mist · 11-28-2007, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Duck

Can anyone tell me how the state government raises money for operating expenses?

Somehow it seems unlikely to me that the few revenue sources that I'm aware of (i.e., taxes on tobacco, gasoline, hotel room rental, meals, and maybe booze) would be enough to take care of the state's revenue needs.

Silver Duck

That's the beauty of NH state government. It struggles just to make ends meet. That keeps it weak, and distracted. Without a lot of tax streams it stays small, and lacks the power to really put the screws to the public like Massachusetts can with all of its resources to tax.
________
S1

wifi · 11-28-2007, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish mist

That's the beauty of NH state government. It struggles just to make ends meet. That keeps it weak, and distracted. Without a lot of tax streams it stays small, and lacks the power to really put the screws to the public like Massachusetts can with all of its resources to tax.

Bravo IM

Argie's Wife · 11-28-2007, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Duck

Can anyone tell me how the state government raises money for operating expenses?

Somehow it seems unlikely to me that the few revenue sources that I'm aware of (i.e., taxes on tobacco, gasoline, hotel room rental, meals, and maybe booze) would be enough to take care of the state's revenue needs.

Silver Duck

Since no one has responded to your question, I'll tell you that the State of NH raises revenue through fees, certifications, registrations, and the lottery. Revenues may come from the State Liquor Stores, vehicle registrations, dog licenses, scratch tickets, fishing and/or hunting licenses, toll booths, tax on prepared foods (but not groceries), hotel rooms... I'm sure there's some I've missed but these are some of it...

jeffk · 11-29-2007, 01:09 AM

I pulled this off the state website a while ago.

2005 Revenue
Interest & Dividends Tax 66,929,900
Estate & Legacy Taxes 11,909,724
Business Profits Tax 209,747,332
Business Enterprise Tax 236,162,258
Communications Svs Tax 69,557,473
Electricity Consumption Tax 6,229,864
Meals & Rentals Tax 192,196,642
Tobacco Tax 99,307,075
Real Estate Transfer Tax 160,430,527
Utility Property Tax 20,087,776
Excess State Ed Prop Tax 20,934,231
Other (includes RR) 871,900
TOTAL 1,094,364,703

Also consider that NH reps are essentially not paid, a minor stipend ($100) and expense reimbursements only. That in itself keeps costs down a bit. There are 400 in the House and 24 in the Senate. To pay them each 50K (similar to Mass) would cost over $21 million a year.

ApS · 12-02-2007, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunbeam lodge

"...Taxes up 127% for exactly the same house I built when I retired. Completely wiped out my social security..."

Boomers must fund the "Live Free or Die" state's mandatory property taxes with funds collected from mandatory Social Security accounts.

11-27-2007, 05:55 PM	#1
kjbathe Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 284 Thanks: 3 Thanked 21 Times in 11 Posts	Some folks never learn... Thank you to JeffK and IrishMist for posting what I was thinking and what everyone needed to hear. We can all complain about property taxes in NH and how every other state does it differently. But every other state that has tried the experiment of tax-burden-reduction through new tax redistribution has failed to accomplish either. The examples are numerous. Connecticut has been noted here. Vermont and Maine continue to battle over who has the highest tax burden in the country. Our neighbor to the south... Why do folks continue to want to follow those same failed models? Control the spending and you control your taxes. Period. But the point I think that most people may miss is this: FatLazyLess got a bill and has to write a check. It's a big bill and he took notice. What would our taxes look like if we got a semi-annual bill for all of them instead of paying a dollar here and dollar there? If we had to open that piece of mail and see that bill and write the check for the sales tax you pay in drips and drabs all year. What would our Federal taxes look like if we paid that bill once every year? And I'm not talking about the big bill we complain about having to pay every April because we didn't pay enough in taxes... I'm talking about writing a check once a year to cover ALL the federal deductions that were quietly hijacked from your paycheck all year? The same model FatLazyLess endorses. If we got a bill and had to a cut a check for every tax we paid, then folks would start to get it. Anyone still think this is anything but a spending problem?

11-27-2007, 06:12 PM	#2
phoenix Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: phoenix and moultonboro Posts: 1,559 Thanks: 61 Thanked 276 Times in 194 Posts	big problem will come next year when the legislature decides how to deal with the education issue that will require funding above what is currently raised __________________ it's tough to make predictions specially about the future

11-27-2007, 06:32 PM	#3
Irish mist Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 686 Thanks: 128 Thanked 85 Times in 49 Posts	Two of the main groups of people that want a tax shift here are waterfront property owners, and out of state folks who own vacation property. I understand that they feel they are being treated in an unfair manner with the current NH tax system. But I would suggest that over 90% of the residents of NH like the tax system as it is, and do good under it. NH belongs to the residents who live here, and make this their home.....and if you live & work here, then the NH tax system works pretty well. ________ Buy glass bongs Last edited by Irish mist; 02-27-2011 at 11:03 PM.

11-27-2007, 08:32 PM	#4
phoenix Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: phoenix and moultonboro Posts: 1,559 Thanks: 61 Thanked 276 Times in 194 Posts	i think back to Skip's comment " the only fair tax is one that the other guy pays". i am one of those waterfront out of state vacation owners ( live here six months)and i don't mind the current system because it is still based on market value. now will be interesting as property values decline they will decline more for waterfront which will shift more of the burden to non waterfront. __________________ it's tough to make predictions specially about the future

11-27-2007, 10:34 PM	#5
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,796 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 301 Thanked 1,026 Times in 746 Posts	...lag, lagging, lagged, laggest Gee whiz...I don't know...but it's just my hunch....that pretty soon we will be hearing the LAGGING word quite a bit. As in,,,"oh, it's a LAGGING indicator," and 'of course, the assessed value will LAG the market value for at least a year, or more, or more, or more." So, how come the assessed value as printed on my property tax bill is a lot higher than what the market is saying? "Because it is a LAGGING indicator." Got that....the assessed value will LAG the market value for....oh....maybe one....two....or threeeee years according to the good people down at the assessor's dept. So, when you soon hear and see the LAG word pop up in assessed value realty-speak, you'll know it is just a variation of the lag screw as in hardware store lag screw....but with a different twist.

11-28-2007, 12:25 AM	#6
Flylady Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: So. California & Lakes Region Posts: 256 Thanks: 225 Thanked 106 Times in 61 Posts	Lagging..... [QUOTE=fatlazyless]Gee whiz...I don't know...but it's just my hunch....that pretty soon we will be hearing the LAGGING word quite a bit. As in,,,"oh, it's a LAGGING indicator," and 'of course, the assessed value will LAG the market value for at least a year, or more, or more, or more." I too am only a six month resident and spoke to the assessor as to the "assessed values". I got a very lame response as to the purchase price verses the assessed vlaue. I believe the largest issue facing every NH town leadership that relays heavily on lakefront assessed values is that the are going to have to face the music about the overly valued properties and figure out how to recognize the correct values AND reduce spending. People on the "public payrolls and the largest benifactors of the last 5 year property boom and increased revenues will fight the hardest against any spending reductions, but in the end who elects the town respresentatives? If they do not follow the wishes of those that elected them then they should not get a second chance (term).

11-28-2007, 12:53 AM	#7
jeffk Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,173 Thanks: 207 Thanked 437 Times in 253 Posts	My taxes dropped this year My assessed value and my taxes declined from last year. Not by much, but since the bill usually goes up at least 7 % I figure a slight dollar drop actually equates to a real drop of the 7% increase that I didn't have to pay. I just gotta ask, when the lake property values shot UP 20% like they did a few years ago did anyone run to their town and offer to pay their new higher fair share of the property tax? It probably took a year or two for the assessments to catch up with the sales values. I'll bet no one complained about the LAG then.

11-28-2007, 02:18 AM	#8
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard and NH, Long Island Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,877 Thanks: 1,037 Thanked 892 Times in 524 Posts	Taxes Taxes are never going to be fair. They are always going to be a pain in the rear. It doesn't matter how they get it the gov't is always going to get enought money to do what they want. So the choices are simple. The people of NH either need to take a more active role in there govt. and let represntatives know how they feel about spending etc. And then decided whether or not the current tax system is the best way to meet the needs. Being a resident of Vermont for a while. Sure they got all types of tax put into place. But I don't see people having to give up dream homes because they can't pay property taxes. Vermont also has many things in the tax stadgy to help people. out, so that they can try and better themselve. I am not saying that vermont is a good model. What I am saying is that NH needs to wiegh its options, the people need to get involved, something will change, and when it does you can either be satisfied that you help mold the change by getting involved, or sit by the sidelines and realize you need to stay quiet because you didn't stand up.... __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

11-28-2007, 01:33 PM	#10
hockeypuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Southern CT Posts: 169 Thanks: 19 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Stop crying. You don't pay an outrageous amount of taxes. Everyone, everywhere pays taxes and most don't like it. Unfortunately, people loose their homes to taxes all over the country. At least you live in the best region of the best state in the best country in the world. Bite the bullet and enjoy what you have.

11-29-2007, 10:59 AM	#13
jeffk Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,173 Thanks: 207 Thanked 437 Times in 253 Posts	Property value down as "compared to what" I agree the first line of defense against paying higher taxes is controlling spending. However, you have to understand how property taxes work. If your property value drops 4% and everyone else's property value drops 7%, congratulations you win higher taxes as "compared to everyone else". This can often be the case in a vacation area where expensive second home prices may be hit harder than smaller residential home prices. This effectively shifts some of the tax burden to the residential homes which now, comparatively, are worth more. The tax follows the comparative value. Even if spending is absolutely flat the amount of tax paid by any one individual can change based on the comparitive value of their property.

12-14-2007, 11:59 AM	#18
This'nThat Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 534 Thanks: 19 Thanked 134 Times in 61 Posts	Combine Alton Cell Towers with lower taxes Seems to me one way of getting lower property taxes in Alton is to build those cell towers. The Town is already on record that the towers will be an eyesore that affects our "View". And, since our property taxes now include a "View" tax, all of our property assessments should drop -- dramatically -- if the cell towers are built. Not only do we get lower taxes, as a result -- we also get cell service for the first time. A win-win!

11-28-2007, 04:20 PM	#20
hockeypuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Southern CT Posts: 169 Thanks: 19 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Sunbeam, we all feel the pain. Let me see if I have this right. The dollar is worth less, my house is worth less, taxes are going up, stock market is going down, energy cost are going up because dollar is worth less, food prices are going up partrially because of energy cost and use of corn for ethanol. I think there is inflation in the things we all need; food, energy and shelter. A good friend of mine is in the export business and says that it is difficult to find space on any boat of plane for cargo going out of the US to overseas. Everything in the USA is on sale at a discount to those overseas. I don't know if that is a good thing or not. See what happens when the dust settles.

11-28-2007, 08:44 PM	#22
Silver Duck Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Billerica, MA Posts: 364 Thanks: 40 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Can anyone tell me how the state government raises money for operating expenses? Somehow it seems unlikely to me that the few revenue sources that I'm aware of (i.e., taxes on tobacco, gasoline, hotel room rental, meals, and maybe booze) would be enough to take care of the state's revenue needs. Silver Duck

11-29-2007, 01:09 AM	#26
jeffk Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,173 Thanks: 207 Thanked 437 Times in 253 Posts	I pulled this off the state website a while ago. 2005 Revenue Interest & Dividends Tax 66,929,900 Estate & Legacy Taxes 11,909,724 Business Profits Tax 209,747,332 Business Enterprise Tax 236,162,258 Communications Svs Tax 69,557,473 Electricity Consumption Tax 6,229,864 Meals & Rentals Tax 192,196,642 Tobacco Tax 99,307,075 Real Estate Transfer Tax 160,430,527 Utility Property Tax 20,087,776 Excess State Ed Prop Tax 20,934,231 Other (includes RR) 871,900 TOTAL 1,094,364,703 Also consider that NH reps are essentially not paid, a minor stipend ($100) and expense reimbursements only. That in itself keeps costs down a bit. There are 400 in the House and 24 in the Senate. To pay them each 50K (similar to Mass) would cost over $21 million a year.