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Originally Posted by Rusty
Did you notice who didn't vote for Huot's Bill 411 to repeal the repeal?
"189 to 153, with only 10 Republicans — and only one of 13 Republicans from Belknap County — voting with the majority."
Can you tell me why more Republicans didn't vote for Huot's Bill that would help the NH MP at least maintain their existing revenue?
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The reason being was the initial bill was supposed to include a non-lapsing provision that stated ALL fees taken in from boating registrations MUST remain in the Navigation Safety Fund and cannot be raided and switched to the general fund. Instead this bill simply sunsets the initial intent of the increase to have the increase go away after infrastructure was improved.
However as we all know once there is an increase it is difficult to go back to budgets of old. Just look at how many tolls were put in with the promise they would be removed once the road construction was paid for.
When the bill came out of legislative services without the provision to basically reinstate the Navigation Fund as truly "DEDICACTED" fund it lost almost all support from the Republicans including the cosponsor of the bill who signed on at our urging. He even spoke against the bill on the floor. If this provision had been included as intended it would have taken the house by a consent vote. Now it is in jeopardy of being killed which will be devastating to the Marine Patrol and Safety.
Unfortunately we saw this coming last session and tried to rectify the situation, however now that it is time critical some legislators felt this was an easier way to keep the increase at their higher levels without having their power limited to a "dedicated" fund. Quite simply this is now a tax on boaters. No longer a fee.
One can also argue that if the Navigation and Safety Fund had not been raided over the years to close the budget gap that the Marine Patrol would have already had enough money to build their new facility and perhaps they would not need to remove the sunset provision and our registrations would actually come back down.
Currently there is discussion of adding back the initial clause as a floor amendment, however it has not yet been finalized.
Best not to speculate and to talk to the people making the laws before jumping to conclusions. Unfortunately there is much more going on here than meets the eye.