Anti-business lawmakers must be stopped now

Foster's editorial page weighs in on the New Hampshire Senate's budget, and its decision to tax New Hampshire businesses during a recession:

New Hampshire's reputation as a state with a business-friendly environment is at risk. It might mean a slower recovery from the recession than was previously thought. We may be in for many more months of hard times. And it is all because of an irresponsible legislative proposal.

The Senate Finance Committee wants the Legislature to suspend the business enterprise tax credit. Why? Because members of the committee and others in the Senate and House are afraid to engage in common sense government — afraid to attack the $11.5 billion budget for 2010 and 2011 from the spending side. The lawmakers have turned to what they see as an easy escape from the budget woes created by runaway spending and overestimations of revenues.