Tax group preparing new ‘pledge’ for candidates
By JOHN DISTASO
Senior Political Reporter, the Union Leader
May 1, 2008
A NEW “PLEDGE.” The conservative anti-tax New Hampshire Advantage Coalition is taking its push for local spending and tax caps a step further.
As charter amendments calling for Consumer Price Index-based property tax caps are filed in four communities, with seven more community filings planned, the group next week will ask state and local officials and candidates to sign a pledge not to vote for any spending increase beyond the CPI rate.
Chairman Michael Biundo said it will be “especially important” for state representatives, who control not only state spending but also county budgets, to go on the record.
He said the new pledge is not meant to usurp the traditional anti-broad-base tax pledge, but to “complement and protect” it. The precise wording of the new pledge will be unveiled at a news conference and will apply to the November elections and next year’s municipal elections.
Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta, who earlier this year explored running for governor, continued to show his interest in statewide fiscal issues by joining the coalition this week as honorary chairman.
Former congressional candidate Jim Forsythe is the group’s new finance chairman and veteran grass-roots organizer Chris Wood is coordinating the tax cap initiative.