Lawmaker, Understanding What He's Up Against, Backs Income Tax in New Hampshire

Among the slate of economic measures state lawmakers will consider next session is a bill to impose an income tax. The sponsor is well aware of what he’s up against.

“I know that proposing an income tax has political baggage with it. I accept that,” says Paul Henle, a third-term Democrat from Concord. “But so be it. This is something we have to do.”

New Hampshire lawmakers have long rejected a broad-based income or sales tax. Each political season, candidates on both sides of the aisle routinely pledge to vote against such a measure.

But Henle says the way New Hampshire currently raises its money is no longer viable. His proposal would dramatically slash both business taxes and state property taxes, and instead impose a 3.95% income tax on residents. He says last year’s business tax breaks, a politically divisive issue that put the state budget on ice for months, didn’t go far enough.

Read more: http://nhpr.org/post/lawmaker-understanding-what-hes-against-backs-income-tax-nh