State Senate Victory

The board is proud to announce that NHLA-endorsed Rep. David Boutin won the February 16th special election for State Senate. We extend our congratulations to Senator Boutin on his victory and look forward to working with him.

This victory may indicate that the electorate is dissatisfied with tax-and-spend legislators. The NHLA Political Action Committee will play a part in advancing liberty in this year’s elections. You can help by donating to our PAC Fund http://www.nhliberty.org/donate, so that in November, we can celebrate victories by more pro-liberty candidates.

March 9 – Town Meetings All Over N.H.

Why is it important that you vote next month? Property taxes are where you are hit the most, so this is where you can vote down spending increases. Some towns are trying to build new, expensive schools that are not needed; others want to buy conservation land with tax dollars and then hand it over to private entities! Please learn all you can about town government and how you can reduce spending. Check with your town’s website for details or contact NHLA or CNHT (see below) for more info.

Candidate Training Session

On Saturday, Feb 6th the NHLA held a candidate/campaign training session for folks considering a run for State Representative or State Senator in November. There were well over 60 people in attendance with approximately half being newcomers to the organization. The atmosphere was energized with people who want to make a positive impact on New Hampshire politics.

Former State Rep. Don Gorman presented valuable information about what it takes to run for office. You can view video of the session at http://www.nhliberty.org/campaign_training.

Because 2010 is a critical year for taking back our liberty in New Hampshire, the NHLA will be hosting another candidate/campaign training session on Saturday, April 3rd at 1:00pm in Manchester. This session will focus more on the “How To’s” of campaigning, presented by current Representatives.

R.S.V.P. to chair@nhliberty.org if interested.

NHLA at The Liberty Forum

The NHLA is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the 2010 New Hampshire Liberty Forum, one of the most exciting annual liberty events in the country! Feel free to stop by our table in the exhibitors area to say hello, purchase an NHLA pin or T-shirt, make a donation to the PAC, or update your membership. We are currently seeking volunteers to help man the table and provide information to conference attendees. If you can help out, please email Vice-Chair Sandy Pierre. Table hours are Friday 3/19 9am – 5pm, Sat 3/20 9am -5pm, and Sun 3/21 9:30am – 2pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you haven’t yet purchased your ticket to the Liberty Forum, visit http://www.freestateproject.org/libertyforum/2010/register. Use discount code 2010NHLA for a special 10% discount on registration rates.

Bill Review Training Sessions

Over the past several months, the NHLA has held four Bill Review training sessions with over 50 attendees in all. These sessions proved to be quite valuable with:

• easing new people into the Bill Review process,
• helping them understand the structure of how a bill becomes law,
• explaining what to look for in proposed legislation, and
• familiarizing them with the ins and outs of the online Bill Review system.

Kudos to NHLA volunteers who have already read, reviewed, and scored more than 700 bills this year! But with over 150 unreviewed bills still left in the system, your help is needed. We will be hosting another Bill Review training session in the upcoming weeks. Date, time, and place have yet to be determined. Please email chair@nhliberty.org if you’re interested.

Public Testimony

The NHLA Board of Directors provides training for those interested in offering testimony at public hearings in Concord. Only those who have undergone the training, and are given special permission by the Board, are allowed to testify as a representative of the NHLA. The Board appreciates and encourages all members to continue their participation in the political process, and when providing testimony at public hearings, we ask that you do so only as a private, concerned citizen and never on behalf of the NHLA. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in maintaining the reputation of the NHLA in Concord.

Meet The Reps Event

The NHLA is sponsoring a Meet The Reps event on Tuesday, March 16th from 3-5pm at The Draft Restaurant in Concord. This is a great opportunity for you, the membership, to get acquainted with some pro-liberty representatives and conduct meaningful conversation on the topics you care most about. This informal event will have appetizers provided by the NHLA, a 50/50 raffle, and merchandise for sale. Admission is only $8 for Basic Members and $5 for Full or Lifetime Members. If you would like to attend, please email Mark at chair@nhliberty.org.

Board Elections in April

This April, two Board positions (Treasurer and Membership) are coming up for election. These positions are currently held by Steve Villee and Michelle Levell, respectively, both of whom intend to run for re-election. If you would like to nominate someone (including yourself) for either office, please email Mark at chair@nhliberty.org.

Remember, in order to vote in NHLA elections, members must have a Full or Lifetime Membership. If you are still a Basic Member and would like to participate in the April election, you will need to upgrade your membership soon. Full Membership is $20 for 2 years and Lifetime Membership is $100. All membership fees go directly into the PAC Fund (unless the member directs otherwise).

Membership Update

The NHLA Board is again asking members to please update their account information. There are still many accounts in our system that have outdated or incomplete information. Failure to update the required information could result in suspension of your account. NHLA by-laws require all registrants to provide their name and mailing address in order to become a member. If you wish to keep your account active, please login to the website, click on “My Account,” and update the required fields. Or you can email us at membership@nhliberty.org and provide the correct information. Thank you for your cooperation.

Other Activism

If taxes and government spending in New Hampshire are your issues, below is a list of some of the pro-liberty taxpayer watchdog groups you may want to get involved with.

(Disclaimer: This list is provided for informational purposes only. The NHLA does not necessarily endorse these groups. We encourage you to do your own research. If you know of others, please tell us about them.)

• The Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers (CNHT) — cnht.org. CNHT is a New Hampshire-only grassroots taxpayer advocacy group that strives to keep taxes low, government small and honest, protect individual rights and freedoms, and preserve the "New Hampshire Advantage."
• New Hampshire Advantage Coalition (NHAC) — www.thenhadvantage.com. NHAC is looking to send a message to lawmakers on all levels that the only way to keep our low-tax advantage is to hold the line on spending.
• The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy — www.jbartlett.org. An independent think tank focused on state and local public policy issues that affect the quality of life for New Hampshire’s citizens, the Center has as its core beliefs individual freedom and responsibility, limited and accountable government, and an appreciation of the role of the free enterprise system.
• Several national groups have affiliates or links to NH-based organizations as well. Try National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Tax Reform, FairTax.org, and Cato.org.

There are many more around the state; add your thoughts to the forum discussion at http://forum.nhliberty.org/index.php?topic=2855.0.

NHLA Policy Discussion

On February 17th, the House voted on legislation that was aimed at amending the NH Constitution regarding marriage. Although the Board was inclined to include our objection to this bill on the weekly Gold Standard, it was argued by some members that we should remain silent on this legislation since the NHLA had not taken a position on the issue in the past.

In the coming months, the Board will be deliberating the review process of the long-standing, informal policy of “don’t touch” issues (marriage, immigration, beginning of life, end of life) for when similar legislation is proposed in Concord in the future. All NHLA members are welcome to email us at dti@nhliberty.org to offer your input and suggestions on this matter.

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