CONCORD, NH – Jeanne Shaheen today will kick off the first day of the general election by trying to re-brand, recycle and reinvent the same tired, liberal economic policies that failed New Hampshire families and taxpayers during her six years in office.
Granite Staters remember that as Governor, Shaheen raised taxes, increased spending, lost thousands of manufacturing jobs and increased state spending by $1 billion. On the campaign trail, Shaheen has adopted the standard liberal economic talking points and has failed to discuss her disastrous fiscal policies and abysmal record. Below are the facts on the real Shaheen economic record:
THE FACTS ABOUT JEANNE SHAHEEN’S ABYSMAL ECONOMIC RECORD
FACT: Jeanne Shaheen Signed The State’s First Statewide Property Tax
Union Leader: “Here’s what Shaheen said at a Wednesday press conference about a solution to the school funding crisis… ‘I think it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get to the amount that is going to be required without including the (statewide) property tax in some way.’” ( Union Leader , 2/5/99)
Union Leader: “It also means the state has its first broad-based tax. The new statewide property tax forces communities able to raise $4,220 per pupil at an equalized rate of less than $ 6.60 per $1,000 to eventually raise taxes to that level for schools anyway, and send the excess to the state for redistribution to poor communities.” (Union Leader, 4/30/99)
FACT : New Hampshire Lost More Than 16,000 Manufacturing Jobs During Shaheen’s Watch
While Shaheen was Governor, New Hampshire lost more than 16,000 manufacturing jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, inDecember 1996, the month before Shaheen took office, New Hampshire had 99,400 manufacturing jobs.And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in December 2002,Shaheen’s last month in office, New Hampshire had 82,900 manufacturing jobs.
FACT: As Governor Jeanne Shaheen Doubled State Spending
During her term in office Jeanne Shaheen doubled state spending. She increased the state budget by over $1 Billion dollars during the six years that she occupied the corner office. (Union Leader, 10/12/2008)
FACT : New Hampshire Had A Budget Deficit When Shaheen Left Office
“For fiscal 2002 revenues underperformed by approximately $44 million, and spending exceeded the budget by about $20 million, resulting in an unaudited $40 million deficit on June 30, 2002…..The recent widening of the fiscal 2003 projected deficit by some 10% to the now projected $77.4million for the June 30, 2003 biennium.” (Business Wire, 6/30/03)
FACT : Jeanne Shaheen Depleted New Hampshire’s Rainy Day Fund, Which Lowered The State’s Bond Rating
Bartlett Center For Public Policy President Charlie Arlinghaus : “The last two problem years were 2002-2003, at the end of the Jeanne Shaheen administration. The resulting deficit depleted the state’s rainy day fund and led to the state’s bond rating being lowered. Then, the two-year revenue shortfall was … $70 million.” (Union Leader, 4/9/08)
FACT: Jeanne Shaheen Proposed A 2.5% Sales Tax That Would Have Devastated New Hampshire’s Economy
Union Leader: “Gov. Jeanne Shaheen proposed a tax reform package to fund education yesterday that includes a new 2.5 percent sales tax…” ( Union Leader , 2/8/01)
FACT: Jeanne Shaheen Proposed A 4.5% Capital Gains Tax
Union Leader : “Gov. Jeanne Shaheen said yesterday a 4.5 percent capital gains tax will raise enough money to solve the school funding crisis…” ( Union Leader , 11/20/99)
FACT : Jeanne Shaheen Indicated That She Would Support An Income Tax
Concord Monitor: “Last year, Shaheen proposed a 2.5 percent sales tax that would have lowered the statewide property tax but increased some business taxes. After the sales tax failed, she agreed to sign an income tax, which failed as well.” (The Concord Monitor, 2/10/02)
FACT : Jeanne Shaheen Vetoed A Repeal Of New Hampshire’s Death Tax
Associated Press: “Shaheen vetoed a bill repealing the inheritance tax last year.”(Associated Press, 4/6/96)
FACT: Jeanne Shaheen Proposed A Cigarette Tax Increase
Associated Press : “Shaheen’s proposal would, using a statewide property tax, video gambling, a cigarette tax increase…pay for education.”(Associated Press, 3/12/99)
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