Advocates Of Failed Income Tax Amendment Say Their Goals Were Achieved By Emily Corwin Email

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Ballot Question One – a constitutional ban on the income tax — did not receive the 67 percent of votes it needed to become law on Tuesday. It did, however, receive 57 percent of the vote: a healthy majority.

During an otherwise Democratic sweep on Tuesday, this GOP initiative received more votes in New Hampshire than either Ovide Lamontagne – or even Mitt Romney.

Kevin Smith chaired a PAC that advocated for the amendment. He says the measure’s failure isn’t really a failure. It’s a big achievement. “I think [this] sends a loud and clear message to future governors and future legislatures,” Smith says, “that the people of NH are not keen at all about having an income tax.”

Smith says the measure was always unlikely to pass, and advocated voters support it to show their legislators that they will not support an income tax.

Brad Cook, a Manchester Lawyer, is pleased the measure didn’t pass. A vocal opponent of the amendment, Cook says the result shows “the wisdom of the framers of the constitution,” who intentionally made it really hard to pass amendments.