"$45,680 put plenty of effort in opposition to legislation to set boating speed limits on lakes and ponds. 2005 was a record year for lobbyists." Dec 18, 2005, Kevin Landrigan, Nashua Telegraph...writing about the NH Marine Trades Assoc.(N.H.M.T.A.) of Gilford, a tax-exempt and non profit lobbying group.
While the motorboat speed limits issue is not a totally partisan issue, it was a somewhat partisan issue in the house and senate.
Two years ago on Feb 2, 2006, when HB162 got to the NH house it was passed by a vote of 193-139. When it went on to the senate, it got nixed by a vote of 15 to 9.
Now, we have HB847 about to come to the floor of the NH house, only this year things may turn out differently. What's the big difference? In the election of November 2006, all the New Hampshire state house, state senate, executive, governor's council, and both congressional seats, (no US senate seats up for election in 2006) all changed colors. They all switched from a Republican red to a bright and hopefull Lake Winnipesaukee, Democratic shade of blue!
Ha....so....so...so.... Senator Robert Clegg of Hudson, Representative Mike Whalley of Alton and Representative Gene Chandler of Bartlett, Republican leaders - all three, better go take that now and run it through the exhaust pipes of their go-fast, be- loud, power boats because their fast times will soon be slowed down to a much, much safer 45day-25night mph speed limit!
What exactly has happened here in New Hampshire is that the N.H.M.T.A has just done gone and run out of enough friendly politicians to whom it can CHANNEL its' political contributions..........too, too bad about that....so-sorry-to-hear....fellas!
Yes, the NH House of Representatives has a Democratic majority, and most signifigantly, now in the NH Senate it is 14 Democratic verses 10 Republican. Last time around, it was 8 D verses 16 R........way-to-go....D-team.....and way-to-go.... NEW HAMPSHIRE!