July 18, 2006
by Ed Naile
I know we are all ga-ga at the doings of our governor (the press and questionable polls anyway) and his endless photo-ops at changing weather patterns and all, but the credit for getting Massachusetts to pay up for a past agreement to reimburse New Hampshire for land lost to flood control projects designed to protect property south of our border should be directed where it belongs – with State Representative Stretch Kennedy.
Stretch started nudging our taxpayer organization several years ago about Massachusetts’s failure to pony up $3.2 million they owed us per the interstate agreement. His thoughts were that if US Senator John Kerry was running for president he may want to grease the NH wheels with paid up back debts due our state but not coming out of his wife’s campaign chest.
That did not work out so Stretch asked CNHT to start mentioning to candidate Mitt Romney when we see him that it may be wise to pay up. Smart move, good timing!
Enter the photo-op governor and his threat of a lawsuit on the heels of Stretch’s plan. I don’t know if this lawsuit deal was in fact a reality or another campaign production but to sue Massachusetts over $3.2 million would probably cost $3.2 million and take forever.
Besides, the possibility that a real live effective Governor like Mitt Romney would be intimidated by a more or less pip-squeaky one like we have is pretty remote – in my humble opinion.
So once again Stretch, thanks for doing the old-fashioned political arm wrestling no matter who tries to take the credit.