In yesterday’s House session, the GOP clearly demonstrated what their priorities are for the Granite State. They opposed HB 626, which would move administration of Education Freedom Accounts (i.e., the state voucher program) from the private contractor that takes 10% of the fund they manage as a fee – about $2.3 million each year – and moves it to the Department of Education, where there is more transparent oversight.
In their opposition to the bill, GOP lawmakers argued that the millions of taxpayer dollars paid to the private contractor were insignificant, and that the savings from moving administration of the fund would be a mere trifle. (Fortunately, we were able to overcome opposition and send this bill to the Finance Committee.)
Remarkably, but not surprisingly, those same GOP lawmakers went on to oppose several other pieces of legislation involving much smaller amounts of money that would be going directly into New Hampshire communities. For example, they opposed HB 487, which would establish a New Hampshire farm-to-school program that would reimburse schools up to $1200/year for the purchase of locally grown and produced food. This bill would be a win-win-win for New Hampshire farmers, schools, and students. (This bill was tabled.)
They also opposed (and defeated) two election-reform measures, in part on the grounds that they place a financial burden on taxpayers. HB 324, the “Voter Owned Elections” bill, would give every New Hampshire voter four $25 certificates which they could donate to the Executive Council or gubernatorial candidates of their choice. The intent of the bill is to increase the power of local, transparent campaign fundraising, diminish the power of out-of-state dark money, and give our citizens a more direct investment in our representative democracy. For the Republicans, this was all too expensive at $6 million (= $8 per voter per election cycle in taxes).
Even the $100,000 per election cycle that would be allocated by HB 508 for pre-paid postage on absentee ballots was deemed outrageous by the same GOP lawmakers who didn’t blink at the millions we pay in administration fees for vouchers. Rep. Jonah Wheeler of Peterborough argued passionately and eloquently that postage on absentee ballots was a form of poll tax and the New Hampshire citizens who have requested and been granted permission to cast an absentee ballot should not have to pay Uncle Sam to exercise their right to vote.
The fact that the cost of this program would be a mere fraction of the cost of the administration fees for the state voucher program, and the fact that Republicans are usually the first to argue that we need to stop sending so much of our hard-earned money to the federal government leads one to believe that they had other reasons for opposing legislation that would make it easier for people to vote.
For those keeping score at home: NH House GOP lawmakers are thrilled to send our tax dollars to a private contractor to administer a program that is more than $20 million over budget – but giving schools financial support to buy locally-grown produce from New Hampshire farmers; giving Granite Staters the means to take back some ownership of our elections; and abolishing a poll tax that hinders the ability of some of our fellow citizens to participate in the system of representative democracy, these are a burden we just can’t afford.