FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:               April 15, 2008

Contact:          Fergus Cullen, Chairman, New Hampshire Republican Party

                        603-225-9341 office

THE DEMOCRATS FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR

CONCORD – On April 15, Tax Day, Americans are reminded that Uncle Sam’s hand remains in their pocket while they try to earn an honest living. If Jeanne Shaheen, Carol Shea-Porter, and Paul Hodes have their way, every day will be Tax Day.

“Jeanne Shaheen won’t fool New Hampshire taxpayers with her double talk on taxes,” said Fergus Cullen, Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party. “She had her chance as Governor to lower taxes, but instead she broke her pledge to the voters and raised them. Now she has flip-flopped again on the tax cuts.”

“We can’t trust Jeanne Shaheen on taxes, which is why New Hampshire voters will reject her record of failed leadership and broken promises.”

As Governor, Shaheen pledged to never support a broad based tax, but instituted the first ever statewide property tax. Shaheen also proposed a 4.5% capital gains tax, and attempted to enact a 2.5% sales tax, which would have had a devastating effect on the state’s economy.

In Washington, both Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes have taken their marching orders on taxes from Nancy Pelosi and the liberal Democrats. They opposed making the tax cuts permanent and voted for big Democrat budgets that include massive tax increases.

In Concord, Governor John Lynch has followed the lead of his party’s national leaders. Lynch has raised taxes and fees by $100 million dollars, including increased fees on car registrations and two toll hikes.

“In this time of economic uncertainty, the Democrats’ prescription of higher taxes and spending is bad medicine,” said Cullen.

SHAHEEN’S TAX FLIP-FLOP

Last fall Shaheen Proposed Rolling Back The 2001 Tax Cuts. “‘Nationally, we've got to do something, not just about costs, but about the 47 million who are uninsured and underinsured,’ said Shaheen adding that rolling back the bush tax cuts of those who earn more that $200,000 per year would pay for about half of that expense.” (Gail Ober, “In Laconia: Shaheen Meets With Leaders,” The Laconia Citizen, November 30, 2007)

However, earlier Shaheen Said She Would Have Voted In Favor Of The Tax Cuts If She Had Been In The Senate. Shaheen: “One is on the Bush tax cut, where I said that I would have voted for the Bush tax cut had I been in the Senate.” (Harry R. Weber, “Leadership, Abortion, Taxes, Independence, Education,” Associated Press, October 26, 2002)

SHEA-PORTER AND HODES RECORD OF FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY

In 2007, Hodes And Shea-Porter Voted To Pass A $2.9 Trillion FY2008 Budget Resolution That Includes The Largest Tax Increase In U.S. History. (S.Con.Res.21, Roll Call Vote #377, Adopted 214 - 209: R 0 - 196; D 214 - 13, May 17, 2007, Hodes and Shea-Porter voted Yea)

This Year, Both Shea-Porter and Hodes Voted for a Budget That Paves the Way for an Even Larger Tax Increase. In the House, every single Democrat -- including New Hampshire Reps. Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes -- voted for a budget resolution that would officially raise taxes by $683 million, The Post reported. (H. Con. Res 312, Roll Call #141, Adopted 212-207, March 13, 2008, Hodes and Shea-Porter voted Yea)