Garry Rayno
Politics
Historically Taxes Are a Reflection of the State of Our Democracy
In New Hampshire, the third rail of politics — thanks to people like William Loeb and Meldrim Thomson and now the Americans for Prosperity — is the word tax.
Education
Distant Dome: Shucking Their Responsibilities for Public Education
Gov. Ayotte signed the bill into law Friday, the first day it reached her desk, one day after the Senate passed it. The governor’s signature was a foregone conclusion as she had earlier said the judge’s decision in the Rand was wrong because state spending on public education is among the highest in the country per pupil.
Environment & Science
Distant Dome: Who is Being Served?
There was one prominent group opposing both bills, the Koch Foundation’s Americans for Prosperity, and following its lead, the Free Stater jihad led by House Majority Leader Jason Osborne.
Op-Ed
Distant Dome: A Dark Time For the State
The political climate in New Hampshire took a dark turn this month as lawmakers were in the middle of the last year of the current two-year term.
News
Distant Dome: Do You Know What Your Legislator Is Doing?
Some time in the future, people will look back at the first six years of this decade and wonder what drug lawmakers were on when they passed these laws.
Op-Ed
Distant Dome: Going to Hell in a Handbasket
The real plan has been cut taxes and that has been what Republican majorities in the Legislature have been doing with the blessing of former Gov. Chris Sununu and current Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who in her State-of-the-State address received a knowingly cheap applause line with her call for no new or increased taxes.
Op-Ed
Distant Dome: Legislation Will Cause Harm
Two bills coming before the House this week are indicative of the New Hampshire Legislature: where it is heading and where it has been for the last three terms.
Op-Ed
Distant Dome: Student Reading Scores Follow the Money
In my public school days, there were no cell phones to find information in an instant, or communicate with friends or family or someone across the universe, or a mind-boggling number of games to play while sitting in class.
Education
Distant Dome: GOP Lawmakers Hell Bent on Open Enrollment
Last week the Senate was in a hurry to pass two bills that will significantly harm the majority of school districts and students in public schools, while property wealthy districts and well-to-do families will benefit, all in the name of school choice.
Op-Ed
Distant Dome: Recycling Unused Paint Becomes a Political Saber
Most people never know the ingredients that coalesce to become legislation, the back-room deals, “you vote for my bill, I will vote for yours,” the compromises hammered out in late night conversations, the stroking, the threatening and the money that may not change hands, but fuels future campaigns.