In less than a month, New Hampshire voters will choose our next governor, and the contrast between the accomplishments and competence of the two leading candidates is stark. Among the greatest concerns for our citizens are public safety and the cost of living.
As longtime mayor of Manchester, Joyce Craig presided over the downward spiral of that city into a sewer of unsafe streets and public spaces littered with drugs, feces, and serious crime. And when asked whether she would govern New Hampshire as she governed Manchester, she reportedly replied that, yes, she would do so. In other words, what she accomplished in Manchester, she would seek to accomplish across the state, displaying her usual level of competence.
As the pocketbooks of our citizens are being stressed by high prices for most everything as well as high taxes, Craig advocates restoring the infamous interest and dividends (I&D) income tax that is finally, after many decades, being phased into oblivion as of next year. Although Craig claims that the phaseout of the I&D Tax is designed to benefit the rich, the data from the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration puts a lie to that claim. The I&D Tax actually hits average citizens and especially seniors and savers, with its initial tax rate higher than the rate of the personal income tax in states that actually acknowledge that they have a personal income tax. Further, the I&D Tax represents the “Big Lie” of New Hampshire – the state has long claimed that it has no personal income tax, but the I&D Tax is a personal income tax and, in fact, is contained in the Chapter 77 of the New Hampshire statutes entitled “Taxation of Incomes.”
Inasmuch as birds of a feather stick together, Craig has been proud to campaign for the highest elected office in New Hampshire with the active participation and support of the antigun and high-tax governor of Massachusetts.
The history of Craig’s accomplishments and attempted accomplishments clearly shows her love of any and every tax she has seen or considered. Given the opportunity and the power to do so, she would raise taxes across our state, and we could end up being very much like Massachusetts.
On the other hand, Kelly Ayotte has a distinguished record as a former homicide prosecutor, in which role she put many violent criminals in prison, rather than encouraging or allowing them to go free or to reside in tents in city parks or on the banks of our rivers.
And as the state’s attorney general, Kelly continued her efforts to enhance public safety, and, in dramatic fashion, personally successfully prosecuted the murderer of Manchester Police Officer Michael Briggs, whose killer was the last person to receive the death penalty in our state, remaining on our death row, at taxpayer expense, today, after many years and many appeals.
Ayotte has vowed not to seek a return of the I&D Tax and to veto any efforts to impose any other personal income taxes or a general sales tax on our citizens.
Although it is fairly well known that Ayotte was not an enthusiastic supporter of former President Donald Trump’s first campaign, it is fairly obvious that she became impressed with his actual accomplishments in office, for when it came time for Trump to nominate a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, he nominated Neil Gorsuch and Trump specifically chose Kelly to shepherd the Gorsuch nomination through the confirmation process in the Senate, at which she succeeded.
Bottom line: Kelly Ayotte has a long and distinguished record of competence and real significant positive accomplishments.
Thus, when it comes time to choose our next governor, the contrast between Ayotte and Craig is truly stark. Ayotte will continue to protect the New Hampshire Advantage, while Craig is likely to be a disaster for all of us.
