[Editor’s Note: CNHT and other grassroots tax organizations were not invited to participate]
CONCORD – The New Hampshire House Ways and Means Committee will hold a seminar on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22 to solicit opinions and information on how well the state’s revenue structure fits the state economy, according to committee Chair Susan Almy, D-Lebanon.
The first session will be held beginning at 9 a.m. in Rooms 202-204 in the Legislative Office Building. The second session also begins at 9 a.m. but moves to Rooms 206-208 in the LOB.
Participants will be asked to address the current situation and what they perceive the revenue structure would be in the near future. Guest presenters will also be asked their opinions about what they like and dislike about the current structure and make recommendations for improvement.
The seminar will be opened by three national tax experts, one from the American Legislative Exchange Council, one from the Tax Foundation and one from the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy.
Other speakers on the first day include some well-known local economists: Ross Gittell, Daphne Kenyon, Brian Gottlob, Dennis Delay, Russ Thibeault and Lisa Shapiro. A group of business leaders will wrap up the first day, including K. Mark Primeau of Laconia Savings Bank, Kendall Buck of Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of N.H., Peter Powell who is a Realtor and president of the North Country Economic Development Council, Judy Tomlinson of Franklin Pierce University and Donna Goodrich of Gorham’s Top Furniture.
Business leaders also open the second day’s session, including Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield Farm, Andy Sanborn of The Draft, Alex Ray of The Common Man families and Frank McDougall from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
Community perspectives will be presented by Richard Ober of the N.H. Charitable Foundation, Larry Jelly of the Tri-Town Community Action Program, Lauren Redden of the Granite State Fair Tax Coalition, Peter Francese who is the author of Communities and Consequences, Charlie Arlinghaus who is a columnist for the N.H. Union Leader and Brad Cook who is a columnist for the N.H. Business Review.
A re-cap of the presentations will be offered by Joe Magruder, retired Northern New England news editor for the Associated Press.
The seminar is open to the public, although questions will only be allowed from members of the committee and any senators who might attend, Almy said. The sessions will be taped and the tapes will be accessible on the House web site.