Last Exit in New York, Leaving state signs and other unusual warning signs

[cl94]

How can NH afford to lose the federal funds that they don't get because they haven't enacted a seat belt law?

Zero services, one type of tax has an extremely high rate (property, I think) and everyone in Massachusetts buying alcohol at the state-run liquor stores located mere feet from the border

[The Nature Boy]

How can NH afford to lose the federal funds that they don't get because they haven't enacted a seat belt law?

As someone said above, the state practically has no services. The schools are also incredibly underfunded. The state does have a room and meals tax that is meant to hit tourists and that brings in some revenue too I'm sure. A lot of border towns hate the tax structure because they can't enact a municipal sales tax to cover for the cost of out of staters regularly.

I love New Hampshire but it really have some weird quirks.

[Pete from Boston]

How can NH afford to lose the federal funds that they don't get because they haven't enacted a seat belt law?

As someone said above, the state practically has no services. The schools are also incredibly underfunded. The state does have a room and meals tax that is meant to hit tourists and that brings in some revenue too I'm sure. A lot of border towns hate the tax structure because they can't enact a municipal sales tax to cover for the cost of out of staters regularly.

I love New Hampshire but it really have some weird quirks.

A friend in NH pointed out to me once that even its legislators are poorly compensated for their time.  Consequently the legislature is dominated by retirees and the independently wealthy, neither of whom have a strong interest in school funding. 

[The Nature Boy]

How can NH afford to lose the federal funds that they don't get because they haven't enacted a seat belt law?

As someone said above, the state practically has no services. The schools are also incredibly underfunded. The state does have a room and meals tax that is meant to hit tourists and that brings in some revenue too I'm sure. A lot of border towns hate the tax structure because they can't enact a municipal sales tax to cover for the cost of out of staters regularly.

I love New Hampshire but it really have some weird quirks.

A friend in NH pointed out to me once that even its legislators are poorly compensated for their time.  Consequently the legislature is dominated by retirees and the independently wealthy, neither of whom have a strong interest in school funding.

That's an understatement. I think they get paid just over $100 per year (with a small per diem, meals allowance and travel during sessions). There are also 400 people in their state House of Representatives.

If I recall correctly, there are also college students in the legislature too. I would imagine that being a former state legislator is a heck of a resume boost.

[hbelkins]

How can NH afford to lose the federal funds that they don't get because they haven't enacted a seat belt law?

Zero services, one type of tax has an extremely high rate (property, I think) and everyone in Massachusetts buying alcohol at the state-run liquor stores located mere feet from the border

So are you saying that the state transfers General Fund revenue into its Road Fund to make up for the loss of federal funding?

I thought that the rule was that the state loses a certain percentage of federal funding if it doesn't have a seat belt law, and that a certain percentage of what it does get has to go to safety education efforts.

A friend in NH pointed out to me once that even its legislators are poorly compensated for their time.  Consequently the legislature is dominated by retirees and the independently wealthy, neither of whom have a strong interest in school funding. 

The same is said about Kentucky legislators (that they should be paid more). I disagree. I think legislative service, especially at the state level, should be a part-time job.

[Pete from Boston]

How can NH afford to lose the federal funds that they don't get because they haven't enacted a seat belt law?

Zero services, one type of tax has an extremely high rate (property, I think) and everyone in Massachusetts buying alcohol at the state-run liquor stores located mere feet from the border

So are you saying that the state transfers General Fund revenue into its Road Fund to make up for the loss of federal funding?

I thought that the rule was that the state loses a certain percentage of federal funding if it doesn't have a seat belt law, and that a certain percentage of what it does get has to go to safety education efforts.

A friend in NH pointed out to me once that even its legislators are poorly compensated for their time.  Consequently the legislature is dominated by retirees and the independently wealthy, neither of whom have a strong interest in school funding. 

The same is said about Kentucky legislators (that they should be paid more). I disagree. I think legislative service, especially at the state level, should be a part-time job.

As has been pointed out above, in NH it's not really a part-time job so much as it's a part-time volunteer gig with paid expenses, so it skews the available/likely candidate pool. 

[The Nature Boy]

How can NH afford to lose the federal funds that they don't get because they haven't enacted a seat belt law?

Zero services, one type of tax has an extremely high rate (property, I think) and everyone in Massachusetts buying alcohol at the state-run liquor stores located mere feet from the border

So are you saying that the state transfers General Fund revenue into its Road Fund to make up for the loss of federal funding?

I thought that the rule was that the state loses a certain percentage of federal funding if it doesn't have a seat belt law, and that a certain percentage of what it does get has to go to safety education efforts.

A friend in NH pointed out to me once that even its legislators are poorly compensated for their time.  Consequently the legislature is dominated by retirees and the independently wealthy, neither of whom have a strong interest in school funding. 

The same is said about Kentucky legislators (that they should be paid more). I disagree. I think legislative service, especially at the state level, should be a part-time job.

As has been pointed out above, in NH it's not really a part-time job so much as it's a part-time volunteer gig with paid expenses, so it skews the available/likely candidate pool.

A couple of things:

1. New Hampshire loses out on about $3.7 million in federal funding because of their seat belt law. There's probably some voodoo accounting or higher gas taxes that cover up for that.

2. A part time job actually pays something. In NH, you get $100 and some expenses paid. The governor is also elected every two years so their electoral system is definitely antiquated.

It's a miracle that NH is always near the top in quality of life surveys. Their system of state governance is quirky to say the least. The state's biggest strength is the amount of power that individual towns have, it has to act as a buffer against the state on some issues.

[abefroman329]

How can NH afford to lose the federal funds that they don't get because they haven't enacted a seat belt law?

As someone said above, the state practically has no services. The schools are also incredibly underfunded. The state does have a room and meals tax that is meant to hit tourists and that brings in some revenue too I'm sure. A lot of border towns hate the tax structure because they can't enact a municipal sales tax to cover for the cost of out of staters regularly.

I love New Hampshire but it really have some weird quirks.

A friend in NH pointed out to me once that even its legislators are poorly compensated for their time.  Consequently the legislature is dominated by retirees and the independently wealthy, neither of whom have a strong interest in school funding.

It's also the third-largest legislative body in the world, behind Parliament and Congress, for a state of about 1.3 million people.  I doubt the state can afford to pay much more than the modest annual per diem mentioned above.

[lordsutch]

It's also the third-largest legislative body in the world, behind Parliament and Congress, for a state of about 1.3 million people.  I doubt the state can afford to pay much more than the modest annual per diem mentioned above.

Huh? There are far larger legislatures in the world, including the German Bundestag, India's Lok Sabha, and Chinese NPC, to name just three.

That said there is no reason why NH needs a 400-member House of Representatives for a population of 1.3 million. Cut it to 100 or so and give them a decent salary.

[english si]

Don't forget the 650 member UK House of Commons!

We'll leave off the House of Lords (775-members currently) and the 751-member EU Parliament, as they don't have full legislative powers - merely the power to propose amendments and veto bills (I'm not sure the EU parliament has even the latter - not that it's ever been tested). And I'm not sure about the EU Parliament (for which Parliament is a nonsense word as it implies some sort of 'parley' or talk - they vote without formal debate and then have short periods of time to proclaim why they have voted one way or another for the record while other people have private conversations loudly behind them).

[The Nature Boy]

It's also the third-largest legislative body in the world, behind Parliament and Congress, for a state of about 1.3 million people.  I doubt the state can afford to pay much more than the modest annual per diem mentioned above.

Huh? There are far larger legislatures in the world, including the German Bundestag, India's Lok Sabha, and Chinese NPC, to name just three.

That said there is no reason why NH needs a 400-member House of Representatives for a population of 1.3 million. Cut it to 100 or so and give them a decent salary.

Small nitpick but it is the third largest in the English speaking world.

[jp the roadgeek]

From what I remember, New Hampshire makes up for its lack of sales tax with a restaurant and hotel tax of 9%.  It explains why in the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua the mall itself is in NH while most restaurants are across the MA state line in Tyngsboro where the sales tax is only 6.25%.

[KEVIN_224]

There is tax on prepared foods. At least there was on a sandwich I bought along NH Route 9 in Chesterfield a few weeks ago. To get this back to roads, I was just past "MILE 0.4", heading up the hill from the Connecticut River bridges.

[NJ]

In NJ it's common seeing "Last exit in N.J." and "Last exist before toll" which I like

[roadman65]

In NJ it's common seeing "Last exit in N.J." and "Last exist before toll" which I like

You got that right.  I-295 before the DMB has "Last Exit Before Toll" at NJ 49 in Pennsville.  NJ 495 at the Weehawken exit uses "Last Exit in NJ" as well as I-78 in Greenwich at US 22.

It is interesting how different roads use the different headers though.  Its even more interesting how at I-80's eastern terminus in the Express Lanes how it signs the I-95 south exit as "LAST EXIT IN NJ" when there is one more left on I-95 North in Fort Lee.

[cl94]

In NJ it's common seeing "Last exit in N.J." and "Last exist before toll" which I like

You got that right.  I-295 before the DMB has "Last Exit Before Toll" at NJ 49 in Pennsville.  NJ 495 at the Weehawken exit uses "Last Exit in NJ" as well as I-78 in Greenwich at US 22.

It is interesting how different roads use the different headers though.  Its even more interesting how at I-80's eastern terminus in the Express Lanes how it signs the I-95 south exit as "LAST EXIT IN NJ" when there is one more left on I-95 North in Fort Lee.

They probably don't want people using that exit for obvious reasons. It is quite substandard and difficult to use when traffic is heavy.

[signalman]

In NJ it's common seeing "Last exit in N.J." and "Last exist before toll" which I like

You got that right.  I-295 before the DMB has "Last Exit Before Toll" at NJ 49 in Pennsville.  NJ 495 at the Weehawken exit uses "Last Exit in NJ" as well as I-78 in Greenwich at US 22.

It is interesting how different roads use the different headers though.  Its even more interesting how at I-80's eastern terminus in the Express Lanes how it signs the I-95 south exit as "LAST EXIT IN NJ" when there is one more left on I-95 North in Fort Lee.

They probably don't want people using that exit for obvious reasons. It is quite substandard and difficult to use when traffic is heavy.

It is indeed substandard.  However, traffic is always heavy in Fort Lee, unless one is traveling overnight or on Sunday.  In any case, traffic seems to manage fine.