Tag: Belknap County

Laconia Rep. Hout Wants Your AR-15

The Laconia Daily Sun reports on February 24, 2018:

State Rep. David Huot, D-Laconia, who was a judge for 33 years, said that, if re-elected, he will introduce a bill that would ban the sale or transfer of AR-15 rifles.

“My view about these things is you deal with the immediate issue,” he said. “All the mass murders that you have are with AR-15s, so I guess that’s what you try to attack.

“The objective would be to tamp this thing down a bit. I don’t want to take anybody’s gun away.”

Rep. Hout doesn’t want to ‘take’ anybody’s gun, but he does want to keep you from buying or selling an AR-15.  Having been a judge Rep. Hout should be familiar with the term ‘taking’.

Many types of government action infringe on private property rights. Accordingly, the Fifth Amendment’s compensation requirement is not limited to government seizures of real property. Instead, it extends to all kinds of tangible and intangible property, including but not limited to easements, personal property, contract rights, and trade secrets.

To put it very simply, if you can not sell your AR-15, its value has been greatly diminished.  Rep. Hout swore an oath to the Constitution and his proposal is a direct violation of his oath.

Perhaps the people of Laconia will make sure that Rep. Hout is not re-elected so they can be certain that he will not be coming for their guns.

You can't hide your intentions Rep. Hout.
You can’t hide your intentions Rep. Hout.

 

March Jury Outreach

We will be handing out juror rights flyers to potential jurors in March and April. Dates for the March 2018 jury pool; March 19, April 2, and April 16.  We will start at 8:30 and likely cross the street for a coffee at 9:00.

GlennMikeJanuary2018

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Fake News

It’s nothing new;

I will add, that the man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them; inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods & errors.

The Laconia Daily Sun reported on the county budget meeting.  If one takes the time to read the source documents they will find that the Sun seriously lacks credibility, their spin on the facts could provide material for The Onion.

Here are the real details:

Representative Sylvia’s proposed budget appropriates approximately $400,000 for spending in 2018 over the actual spending of 2017.  The reader should observe that the year end spending spree, approaching $150,000, reduced funds available to be returned to surplus.  Much of that spending paid for items included in the commissioners’ 2018 budget.

Sylvia’s budget trims $23,211 from the corrections department from their 2017 spending level.

The bloated nursing home budget was reduced by $399,817 from the 2017 spending level.

The sheriff’s department has an increase over 2017 spending by $55,374.

The county attorney receives and increase of $31,854.

The Sun rounded up the cut to county maintenance from $38,954 to $40,000, but who can blame them, we all like round numbers.

Speaking of round numbers, not reported by the Sun, Sylvia rounded up UNH Cooperative Extension to $153,000, B.C. Conservation District to $62,000 and Community Action Program to $48,000.

More fun to come next Monday Jan. 29 at the county complex in Laconia.

Dangerous Delay

The Belknap County delegation met on Monday Jan. 22 to work on the county budget for 2018.  The county operates on a calendar year, so beginning on January 1, the county has no appropriations.  While the county has long practiced a policy of continuing spending until a budget is finally set (generally in March), there is no authority in the statues which allow such a practice.  In fact, the statutes are very clear, with no appropriation the county commissioners can spend no funds from the county treasury.

At the meeting a vote was taken which unanimously rejected the commissioners’ $29 million budget proposal.  Another budget proposal, which would have set the budget level with 2017 spending, was also scrapped.

Rep. Sylvia had prepared a budget proposal to offer as a reasonable compromise.  His budget kept the property tax increase down to 11%, and allowed for a 1.5% increase in spending for county operations.

Rather than taking a serious look at a well formed budget, Rep. Hout of Laconia, preferred to deploy a stalling tactic, and moved to adjourn the meeting.  This irresponsible motion passed, and the delegation departed with no consideration of the lack of appropriations necessary to fund county operations.

This stalling adds another unnecessary meeting for which the taxpayers will shell out $600.  Further, the taxpayers face a serious possibility of being forced to pay the legal costs of defending the county commissioners for misappropriating county funds.

33 Percent Tax Increase

The Belknap County board of commissioners have proposed a budget for 2018 which will have a whopping 33% increase on your property taxes payable to the county.  Fortunately, the commissioners don’t have the power to make the appropriation.  The county delegation has that authority, and they will meet on Monday January 22, 2018 to discuss and possibly vote on the appropriation.

You can find your delegation member/s (your state representatives) at the delegation page on the county web site.  You can call or email to let them know how much more you would like to pay in your property tax bill.  If you rent, you still pay property tax through your landlord, so feel free to voice your opinion.

Belknap County

I’m sure the delegation would be happy to see you watching over them as they decide how much to raise your taxes.  The meeting is held at the county complex (next to the nursing home) at 34 County Drive, Laconia.  The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. so get there early to get a seat before the county employees fill the room.

January Jury Pool

NH Constitution from Jury Information flyer.
NH Constitution from Jury Information flyer.

Belknap County Superior Court will assemble a new jury pool on January 8, 2018.  We’ll be there to distribute some helpful information on the juror’s rights.  We’ll be handing out flyers starting at 8:30.

We’ve been out regularly, every other week for each pool, for longer than I can recall.  If you’d like to contribute to the effort we’ll be happy to accept a small donation. Bitcoin let’s you send funds with a minor transaction fee. Well that was the idea of Bitcoin. Now SegWit bitcoin cost $20-30 in fees, screw that.

bitcoin_cash-logo-643756With Bitcoin Cash your transaction fee is less than a dime!

Bitcoincash-jury1CMr2FWzj7fTUt8QNTVVZbcwQHEiTg9Lep
bitcoincash:1CMr2FWzj7fTUt8QNTVVZbcwQHEiTg9Lep?label=JuryFlyer&message=JuryOutreach

Thank you for your support!

Jury Information Flyers

NH Constitution from Jury Information flyer.
NH Constitution from Jury Information flyer.

Belknap County Superior Court will assemble a new jury pool on October 30, 2017.  We’ll be there to distribute some helpful information on the juror’s rights.  We’ll be handing out flyers starting at 8:30.

We’ve been out regularly, every other week for each pool, for longer than I can recall. We need to restock on flyers. If you’d like to contribute to the effort we’ll be happy to accept a small donation. Bitcoin let’s you send funds with a minor transaction fee. Well that was the idea of Bitcoin. Now SegWit bitcoin cost $2-3 in fees, screw that.

bitcoin_cash-logo-643756With Bitcoin Cash your transaction fee is less than a dime!

Bitcoincash-jury1CMr2FWzj7fTUt8QNTVVZbcwQHEiTg9Lep
bitcoincash:1CMr2FWzj7fTUt8QNTVVZbcwQHEiTg9Lep?label=JuryFlyer&message=JuryOutreach

Thank you for your support!

Constitution Day at LRCC

Professor Scott Cracraft has graciously invite the public to attend the Lakes Region Community College in their celebration of Constitution Day.  On Wednesday, September 20th at noon in the College Academic Commons they will present “The Constitution and the Presidency.”  They will celebrate the 230th anniversary with refreshments and a birthday cake.

ConstitutionDayLRCC2017