Also on today’s menu at the News Café:

Tax Amnesty Program Outperforms Expectations

New Hampshire Ranks Well For Low Stress, Tax Structure

Belknap County Sheriff Bill Wright says his office’s partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement through the 287(g) program gives him the ability to divulge information, and have a seat at the table to know what is going on with ICE locally. Wright says he is a “constitutional officer” who believes in transparency, and he will provide as much information as possible.

The Belknap County Sheriff’s Department is the only Lakes Region law enforcement agency directly involved in the partnership program, although local police have assisted in apprehensions. Alton, Gilford, Holderness, and Tilton police encountered people with ICE warrants against them and assisted in their apprehension.

Wright said that Belknap County’s sheriff’s deputies will never wear masks, and, unlike other areas of the country, there are no vast sweeps to round up undocumented immigrants. With the Lakes Region being a tourist destination between Canada and Massachusetts, it is a good place to apprehend individuals with ICE arrest warrants, he said.

Laconia Mayor and New Hampshire Representative Mike Bordes has praised the partnership, saying it gives deputies the ability to act immediately, instead of waiting for federal agents to arrive. “I’ll be direct: I support our sheriff, and I support the decision to join the 287(g) program,” Bordes told the Laconia Daily Sun. “The recent arrests in Laconia and across Belknap County prove exactly why this partnership matters. These weren’t random stops. They were targeted individuals ICE was already looking for, some with warrants or prior violations. They were here in our community, not following our laws, and our sheriff’s department did exactly what they’re sworn to do.”

Discussion: The US Congress created the 287(g) partnership program in 1996, but it was not implemented until 2002 after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Under the memoranda of agreement among 40 states, the federal government provides the training, but the participating agencies are responsible for the payroll and overtime costs of assisting ICE. New Hampshire is the only state in New England with local departments in the partnership.

Tax Amnesty Program Outperforms Expectations

New Hampshire’s tax amnesty program collected more than $103 million from businesses and individuals with overdue tax payments, according to the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. The program, which ran from December 1 through February 15, offered reduced fees and penalties for paying down tax obligations.

Businesses with overdue tax bills paid $96.7 million, while people with unpaid interest and dividends taxes paid $4.4 million, and hotels and restaurants with overdue meals and rental tax balances paid $1 million.

The revenue more than made up for a shortfall in business tax collections during the first eight months of the new budget cycle. Business tax collections were $39 million below revenue forecasts through the end of February, and other anticipated tax revenue was $8 million short.

Discussion: The money raised will go into the state’s general fund. DRA Commissioner Lindsey Stepp said, “This effort not only helped taxpayers eliminate debt but also generated meaningful revenue for the state.”

New Hampshire Ranks Well For Low Stress, Tax Structure

April is Stress Awareness Month and WalletHub conducted a study of 40 key indicators of stress across the 50 states, finding that New Hampshire has the lowest share of the population living in poverty, and ranked 47th overall in “Most Stressed States”. It was 45th in work stress, 47th in money-related stress, 43rd in family-related stress, and 38th in health and safety stress.

Other findings include that Vermont has the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health; Massachusetts has the most psychologists per 100,000 residents; South Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate; and Utah has the lowest separation and divorce rate.

April also has tax day, and WalletHub found that New Hampshire came out on top for the best taxpayer return on investment. It also ranked first with regard to total taxes per capita, health, and safety. It was third on economy and 12th in education. The study found New Hampshire has the fifth-best school systems.

Discussion: The study attributed the high taxpayer return on investment to the fact that there is no state income tax. It found that the Granite State’s tax resources “have had a good impact on crime prevention and the environment, as the state has the lowest crime rate and the third-lowest air pollution in the country. It has one of the best public school systems as well.” However, “Aside from those areas, the quality of the rest of New Hampshire’s government services doesn’t stand out much. However, New Hampshire residents are still doing very well for themselves, considering they’re paying out less money in taxes, and the state has some of the lowest unemployment and poverty rates in the country.” Governor Kelly Ayotte has touted the findings as proof that “The New Hampshire Advantage is worth protecting, and we’re doing exactly that. By keeping taxes low, spending responsibly, and staying focused on results, we are making sure New Hampshire remains the best place in America to live, work, and raise a family.” Those stressed by high property taxes may not agree with that.