Steven 'JP' Dionne: Years of GOP state control have led to budget crunch

To The Daily Sun,

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.” — Groucho Marx

As the state's budget concerns burgeon to a crisis, remember that since 2015, Republicans have controlled state government for eight years.

Rep. Mike Bordes recently wrote a "self-aggrandizing" piece about HB 592. This same law was amended in 2018, 2024 and 2025. Years Republicans controlled every level of state government. That history represents a six-year expenditure of taxpayers' dollars to achieve a single piece of legislation.

While Rep. Bordes self-applauds his efforts relating to the signing of 592, the New Hampshire ACLU has labeled the legislation, "anti-liberty/anti-due process" (aclu-nh.org). The NH Municipal Association suggests the bill potentially downshifts costs to municipalities (indepthnh.org).

The palaver of narcissistic self-promotion is the centrifuge of "political speak". While Rep. Bordes challenges others' commitment to public safety, he has voted against every attempt to improve gun safety laws in the face of overwhelming public opinion (politifact.org, pewresearch.org, Gallup.org, Quinipiac.org).

Recall, Bordes reminded Laconians in 2024, "Kelly Ayotte will keep NH on the Sununu Path". A decade of GOP-controlled government has created an $80 million budgetary shortfall in 2025.

The NH Education Freedom Account Program has cost $53 million to educate less than 5% of our school children. The elimination of the NH Dividends Tax is estimated to cost the state $135 million in 2025. The reduction of the Business Profits Tax creates a projected revenue loss of $1 billion.

Odd, how the economic policies along the "Sununu Path" benefit the wealthiest 10% of NH taxpayers, while creating record property taxes.

Before readers begin the usual non-sequitur gaspiping, about how business and dividend tax reductions, lower prices, create more jobs, and increase business opportunities, understand that the socio-political BS doesn’t change the numerical outcome(s) (newhampshirebulletin.org, nhfpi.org).

Steven "JP" Dionne

Laconia