Free State Observer

As members of the Free State Project my wife and I made the move to New Hampshire on December 5th, 2003. Before and during the settling in process I started to question current Free State residents and my new town neighbors on the hot-button political issues here in New Hampshire to get some feel where my actions might be best directed.

It quickly became obvious that the number one issue was taxes and schools (they are considered to be one and the same issue in New Hampshire). This issue was pressed upon me shortly after my arrival at a local gas station where I was filling up the car while it still had out of state plates on it. I tried to strike up a friendly conversation with an elderly man at the next pump. He looked at me, and then my license plates then asked me flat out, “Ya ain’t here to raises taxes, ur ya?” I assured him that I thought he was already paying too many taxes.

To tackle big issues like these requires allies and I reached out to the local Free State community for some guidance and found that there were long term organizations like Gun Owners of New Hampshire and the Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers that had been on the front lines for years. I started networking with them and a new group just forming called the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance. My civics training had begun in earnest.

Getting to know the working of a local community is not difficult as most towns have an internet presence. Town meetings are open to the public and video-taped to be shown on cable-access channels and the tapes can be taken out from local libraries. The best way to find acceptance is to get to know these local issues and make them your issues as well. The worst way is to enter a local community with the mindset that you’re there to “rescue” your neighbors. You’ll soon find yourself marginalized with that approach.

STATE POLITICS

I started out slowly during the early learning period and tackled only a few local and state level issues taking guidance from my mentors. My first time attending a state committee hearing was awe-inspiring. I entered the legislative office building immediately impressed by the historical presence surrounding me and the fact that there were no security hassles (the state troopers on duty were there mainly to answer questions). Our group then took a brief elevator ride to the community room levels of the building where the public hearing take place.

Public hearings are an integral part of a bill’s passage in the Free State. All bills are required by the NH Constitution to receive public input before a committee makes its recommendation. The bill then goes to the general assembly to be voted on by the full House attending. A committee recommendation of ITL (Inexpedient to Legislate) means the committee felt the bill should not become law. A recommendation of OTP (Ought to Pass) means the committee felt the bill should become law. The confusing part of this process for many newcomers is that the assembly votes on the committee recommendation not on the actual bill itself.

To attend a committee hearing means taking time off from work mid-week to arrive at the correct committee chamber at the correct time. That is all it takes to be a part of the committee process. If all you want to do is express your support or opposition to a bill, there is a sign-in sheet available with “Pro” and “Con” columns you can use. If you want to testify on the bill, you fill out a pink witness card and pass it to a committee member who sends it up to the committee chairperson and you get to speak when your card is selected. The witness process also allows the committee members to ask you questions to help them clarify details of the bill. The committee rules prohibit the members from engaging a witness in debate, they can only ask questions. Even after several witness appearances, I still get dry-mouth every time I sit in those witness chairs.

The Legislative Cafeteria is open to the public and a lot of work gets done in the halls, cafeteria and nearby restaurants. You will not find any group of legislators as accessible as those who serve in New Hampshire. They are true public servants as the hundred dollar annual stipend and mileage they receive is not much of a financial incentive. This is important to remember about those who disagree with you as they often have good reasons for holding to their point of view.

As the rest of the legislative year wore on there were a few victories, a few defeats but most of the battles were a draw. The NH legislature does not pass the majority of the huge volume of bills they receive. I continued to learn the ways of the House and Senate and the protocol of law-making. I was soon hooked as I saw this as the best venue for change on a state-wide level.