Amherst Republican Committee

To the Editor,
10 years ago those legislators opposed to exploiting more domestic oil resources rejected the idea because “we wouldn’t see any oil for 10 years”. Had these short sighted irresponsible obstructionists been ignored we may not be looking at gasoline heading towards $4 a gallon today. We are the only nation on earth that simply refuses to take advantage of its own natural resources. We insist on staying dependent on other, often unstable, nations for our crude oil. We have an entire federal department created to alleviate our dependence on foreign oil. The Department of Energy costs us $24 billion annually. How good a job have they done? Like most federal agencies they have failed miserably. So have those who scoffed at the idea of “drill, drill, drill” as an energy policy. That’s certainly better than anything the Dept. of Energy has come up with during its lifetime. Call your Congressman and Senators today and insist that we begin to make use of our own American sources of oil. Or would you prefer to rely on Libya and Saudi Arabia? I would rather rely on ANWR and offshore drilling. Drill early and often.

– Mark Vincent
– Amherst

To the Editor

Before the November election every candidate for state office should be asked two questions. First: What is your vision for New Hampshire in the future? After the first is answered, the second question is: What is needed to achieve your vision?

New Hampshire has always been a high quality and special place in which to live, vacation and raise a family. But if your desire is to keep your children and grandchildren in the state we must provide quality and high paying jobs and professions. Without this New Hampshire will become a retirement state offering nothing but low paying service jobs at best.

New Hampshire must begin to offer benefits to encourage businesses, especially manufacturing companies. Business taxes must be reduced to counteract the high cost of utilities in New Hampshire. This means lower business taxes and greater incentives to encourage new businesses to start here and out-of-state companies to relocate to New Hampshire.

Unfortunately I see this business incentive program as being number two in our priorities. First, and immediately, when the legislature meets in January 2011, we must reduce the size of government and make the resulting government more efficient, smaller and open. All branches of government and departments within those branches must prioritize its programs. Then we must evaluate each program on a cost/benefit basis. We must continue to provide our citizens with the necessary needs, but not every want. Only then can we be able to move into a major business development effort for New Hampshire that will result in greater employment and business tax revenue

Obtaining fiscal soundness will be difficult considering that in the past four years we have increased the state budget 24%. We have instituted 60 new or increased taxes and fees. Even with this increase in taxes and fees we have not been able to meet our higher budget and will go into our next budget with a $700 million shortfall.

You might ask: What has happened to the frugal, self sufficient New Hampshire that I thought I lived in?

Sincerely yours,
Representative Robert H. Rowe
Amherst and Milford