House Republicans advanced CACR 10, a constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds supermajority to establish or increase a state-imposed tax, a change that would make creating a sales or income tax much harder. As reported by NH Journal, Republicans framed the higher bar as long-term protection for the New Hampshire Advantage and expressed hope that Democrats might join them.
NH Journal reported that Democrats had just made their opposition to an income tax clear earlier in the week.
On Tuesday, New Hampshire Democrats wasted no time making it clear they oppose Andru Volinsky’s proposal to create an income tax to fund state education spending.
NH Journal
The NH Journal report described what the amendment would require to create a new tax.
Creating a sales or income tax — including reviving the tax on interest and dividend income — would require a supermajority.
NH Journal
According to NH Journal, Republicans said the change is meant to guard against a future legislature acting on a narrow majority.
Republicans say raising the bar to create a sales or income tax is necessary to protect Granite Staters from a future Democrat-controlled legislature that might use a narrow majority to make a major policy change like ending the New Hampshire Advantage.
NH Journal
Senate President Sharon Carson framed the measure as a long-term safeguard, NH Journal reported.
“This is about a long-term vision, because we can’t guarantee what this state is going to look like 20 years from now,” Senate President Sharon Carson said when her caucus announced its support for the amendment in January.
NH Journal
Read the full story at NH Journal.
