New Hampshire Weighs Measure to Ban Income Tax

New Hampshire, whose residents have “Live Free or Die” etched on their license plates, is weighing an amendment its constitution which states: "No new tax shall be levied, directly or indirectly, upon a person’s income, from whatever source it is derived."

The measure’s supporters say it will make the state more attractive if the uncertainty over the possibility of new taxes is erased completely. Among New England states, New Hampshire has a competitive advantage over the four other states because of its lack of income and sales taxes.

Opponents, such as the Keene Sentinel newspaper, say that logic “just doesn’t add up.”

“Today’s lawmakers have no more idea what the future holds than those who served centuries ago…If the people of New Hampshire decide down the road that an income tax is in their best interest, they should be able to elect lawmakers who will act on their wishes,” it argued.