CACR22

The N.H. legislature is basically a volunteer position. Volunteers don’t get paid. The state should keep the money and put it to better use. Considering the $200 term salary in 1887 was worth $7000, today it’s not some quaint relic from the past but rather an insult to the hard work the Legislature does. Either get rid of it or pay N.H. legislators a salary comparable to other states.

It is IMPERATIVE we pay our state reps more so that working-class people can run for these positions. These positions are a big a commitment and for the working-class, it could mean choosing between being a rep and financial stability. Most people can not afford to NOT work, so the commitment of the position too often deters everyday-people people from running. We need more working-class people in office to really understand what the constituents want and need!

Dear Committee Members, I am writing to you today in support of CACR22. I would like to serve my town of Newmarket as a State Representative. However, due to the limited financial compensation, I am unable to do so. I cannot afford to drive to Concord several times a week, from January until June for no money. New Hampshire's $100 legislative stipend is unchanged since 1889. It has become an economic barrier that excludes working-class citizens from serving. This violates Article 10 of our State Constitution, which guarantees government exists for the "common benefit... not for the private interest... of any... class of men." WHAT OTHER STATES PAY: New Hampshire is an extreme outlier among citizen legislature states. All other states compensate their legislature. For example: State Annual Compensation Per Diem % of Median Income New Hampshire $100 $0 0.5% Maine $16,244 $70/day ~24% Vermont ~$14,000* $134/day ~22-27% New Mexico $0 salary $203/day Varies *Based on $775/week during 18-week session Providing meaningful legislative stipends is remarkably affordable: If the state were to begin paying each of NH's 424 legislators $10,000/year it would cost $4.24 million · New Hampshire's biennial budget: ~$15 billion · Annual share: ~$7.5 billion · Legislative pay at $10,000 each: 0.056% of annual spending · For every $100 New Hampshire spends, less than 6 cents would fund a representative legislature Current system results in: · Only 8 of 420 legislators are working-class · 60% of legislators earn >$100k vs. 34% of NH households · Households earning <$50k = 3% of legislature Article 10 requires government for the "common benefit"—not just for those who can afford to work for free. When an entire economic class is excluded from representation, government becomes government by a class, not for the people. Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.

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