NH State Representative Steven Smith

Governor Hassan Directs Flags to Half Staff in Honor of Fallen Brentwood Officer Steve Arkell

CONCORD – Governor Maggie Hassan today issued the following statement and directed flags to half-staff in honor of fallen Brentwood Officer Steve Arkell:

“The entire State of New Hampshire is in mourning over the tragic loss of Brentwood Officer Steve Arkell. Officer Arkell bravely answered the call of duty and made the ultimate sacrifice, a heroic demonstration of his commitment to the safety of his fellow citizens. Like so many of our first responders do on a daily basis, Officer Arkell courageously put his life on the line to protect others, and in doing so, was tragically taken far too soon.

“It is now the responsibility of all Granite Staters to honor Officer Arkell’s sacrifice by coming together and doing everything that we can to support those he has left behind. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as everyone in Brentwood and the surrounding communities affected by this horrific tragedy.”

CACR 19 would ask voters if the NH Legislature should use your money for the reason that we gave when we took it from you.  The NH House does not want to pass this bill.  Here’s what they said:

The purpose for recommending Interim Study of CACR 19 is
to review the absolute prohibition of diverting dedicated funds and the effect upon the financial commitment
of the State of New Hampshire to programs and operations. Numerous financial problems were brought up
in committee discussions.

The first thing you need to know is that when a bill goes to Interim Study int he second year of a session, it is dead.

The second thing you need to know is that there is no “prohibition of diverting dedicated funds“.  It simply says that a 2/3 vote is required. What does that mean? It means that the two parties in the NH Legislature will finally be forced to work together. It means that they can’t invent a crisis, steal the money, and then blame the other side.  It means that bi-partisan government will finally work.

Steve

This Wednesday, CACR19 is on the Consent Calendar of the House with a recommendation of Interim Study.  In the second year of a Legislative session, this is known as “death with dignity” for bills.  I like to think that more often it is “I can’t pass this, but don’t have the guts to vote it down”.  This bill would put a question on the ballot for voters to weigh in on.  In a nutshell, if we take your money for some special purpose (usually some crisis), and put it in a dedicated fund for dealing with that issue, should it be hard for us to steal it for something else.  Here is the question:

IV. That the wording of the question put to the qualified voters shall be:

“Are you in favor of amending the second part of the constitution by inserting after article 6-b new articles to read as follows:

[Art.] 6-c. [Use of Dedicated Funds.] Whenever by statute a special fee or assessment is imposed to defray the costs of a special program, all revenue therefrom shall be devoted to supporting the special program, except for an amount that reasonably approximates the state’s actual costs of administering the special program, unless two-thirds of the house and two-thirds of the senate vote to appropriate such revenue for another purpose.”

This passed the Senate 21-2.  The House, however, has killed it.  One of the things that hurts me on a personal level the deepest, is the lack of trust that voters have in the state government, and that both parties have worked so hard to earn that mistrust.  Not passing this measure is extremely disappointing.  Trying to kill it quietly on the Consent Calendar without debate, without an up or down vote, is embarrassing and repugnant.  I’m at least going to stop that Wednesday.  I’m pulling it off of the Consent Calendar and asking for a roll call vote (the first I’ve ever requested).  People need to know that there are those in the NH House who do not want to ask voters if we should be honest when we take their money and spend it.

Steve