Keith Forrester: CO2 tax rebate unfair to property owners

To The Daily Sun,

Remember the Feb. 14, 2020, Laconia Daily Sun Article by Rick Green, covering the Meredith town warrant article supporting a carbon tax on fossil fuel producers and New Hampshire resident rebate system?

Have you noticed the recent sharp increase in fuel prices?

I spoke against the warrant article for a variety of reasons, one being that the oil companies will profit from the liberals proposed blame-taxation, and all of us will pay the price.

For those that want the inside-track on how oil companies respond to (and why I opposed) the warrant article, here are my talking points for the 2020 town meeting.

The CO2 tax will increase fossil fuel producers profits

The NH CO2 production tax will not penalize producers, but will gladly be passed on (starting spiral inflation) to NH fossil fuel buyers while also providing a new profit line to fuel producers. Our neighbor socialist states of Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine will also profit, as NH fossil fuels cost will spiral upwards to cover the new CO2 tax, thus driving oil and gasoline sales away from NH distributors. 

As the former corporate environmental specialist for Exxon Co., I predict that the proposed NH CO2 tax will be used by Exxon (and other fossil fuel producers) as the basis for an additional line item on your next fossil fuel and electricity invoices entitled “NH CO2 Fee.” It is also very likely that fossil fuel suppliers and Eversource will also add a new CO2 tax management fee to their bill, and charge users more than their tax paid.

The fossil fuel producing corporations will also mail its users a tri-fold glossy flyer with green trees and clear water, with a lab technician looking at some graduated flask containing blue water, claiming to be proud to join NH in protecting mother earth by eliminating global warming.

The corporate flyer will be slicked over with petroleum derived plastic, contain bright colored cadmium and lead inks, and please the happy fools.

The proposed rebate will be unfair to NH property owners

The proposed NH CO2 tax rebate, a uniform payout to NH citizens regardless of tax burden, appears more suited to our socialist neighbors in Vermont.

The NH CO2 tax will be funded on the backs of large fossil fuel buyers (cities, towns, schools) who will then pass their CO2 tax burden on to their clients (landowners and homeowners). The NH CO2 tax should be returned to payers based on CO2 tax paid under property taxes.

Spreading the tax refund to all NH citizens regardless of tax burden, is just another way to tax the large and “wealthy” users, and then offer free cash to the hood. 

Robin Hood taxes always end up robbing the hood, and never end up taxing the kings. 

Keith Forrester

Meredith