Garry Rayno
Distant Dome
Filing Period Kicks Campaigns Into Gear
Two long serving members of the House said their goodbyes. the longest serving member of the House, Democrat Laura Pantelakos of Portsmouth, and Republican David Welch of Kingston.
Feature
It’s The Calm Before the Storm at the State House
The partisan divide in the legislature was no more apparent than in the redrawing of the political boundaries for congressional districts, the executive council, and the state Senate and House, which has to be done every 10 years to align seats with population shifts.
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Distant Dome: N.H. Legislature Changing State Policies and Philosophy
The two-year budget passed last year contained major changes in state policies not seen in decades. Budgets always contain some policy changes that should require separate legislation, but not to the extent the current budget package did.
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Distant Dome: Rebuilding A Party Takes Time and a Strategic Plan
The Republicans have carefully designed a system to favor their hold on power although they are the minority party in New Hampshire and the country and the demographics are not in their favor going forward.
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Social Contract Frays Under Weight of Individual Rights in N.H.
In recent sessions, what was once unthinkable, is now law, using public money to pay for religious and private schools as well as buy textbooks that advocate one religion.
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Legislature Defies the Will of the People
The contrast between the Senate and House was apparent last week, although only the Senate was in session.
Feature
New Hampshire Has Lost One of its Best Journalists, John DiStaso
Although we both had been around New Hampshire journalism for a while, I did not meet John until a “press conference” with the executive officers of Northeast Utilities who were offering a settlement agreement to end Public Service of New Hampshire’s bankruptcy in 1989.
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Skewing the Political Process To Tip the Scales in N.H.
At the public hearings on the bills, last week, the only person to speak in favor of the new maps was the prime sponsor of both bills, Sen. James Gray, R-Rochester, who chairs the Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs Committee and the Senate Special Committee on Redistricting.
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N.H. Business Tax Money May Slow Down Soon
But while one business tax is producing significant revenue surpluses and the other is producing less than budget writers anticipated and that is important.
Distant Dome: Is There a Crack in the GOP Wall?
The 206-member Republican caucus has shown remarkable discipline this session, holding together to push through legislation that — until this term — has failed.