Andy Sanborn sees government as an economic enabler, one that promotes low taxes, limited regulations and lots of commerce.

In an interview with Monitor editors, Sanborn, a Republican candidate for state Senate, called for a streamlined government that stays out of private enterprise. Why, he wondered, does the state run a tree nursery? Why isn’t the state buying electricity in bulk? How can the Legislature help attract more small businesses to New Hampshire?

Focusing on economic expansion, he says, is the only way for the state to repair its troubled finances and avoid similar problems in the future.

“There is no magic bullet to fix this,” he said. “The problem is bigger than that. It’s naive to say we can just go in and cut (the budget). There are so many things we can’t just cut from an operational standpoint.”

Sanborn lives in Henniker with his wife, Laurie, who is running for the state House of Representatives. The couple owns The Draft, a sports bar in downtown Concord, and Sanborn serves on the board of directors for the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association.

This is Sanborn’s second bid to represent Senate District 7, which includes 19 small towns to the north and west of Concord. In 2008, he challenged Democratic Sen. Harold Janeway, losing by just more than 1,000 votes. This year, he faces Boscawen resident Michele Tremblay, who decided to run after Janeway announced plans to retire.

Even before formally announcing his candidacy, Sanborn was drawing attention as he rallied opposition to the so-called LLC tax, which changed the way many small businesses were taxed. The tax has since been repealed, but Sanborn continues to advocate for a government favorable to small business owners.

Sanborn favors boosting tourism through marketing, improvements to the state parks and road projects that make it easier for visitors to reach rural areas of the state.

“How many people are we missing because every Friday, Saturday and Sunday we’re a parking lot from the tollbooth to Tilton?” he said.

To pay for such efforts, Sanborn suggests trying to avoid pricey lawsuits like the one that delayed the expansion of Interstate 93 and using the money for projects beneficial to both the state and environmental groups.

He tends to “lean against” gambling, but if the state were to allow casinos he’d like to see the money used to reduce existing taxes.

Sanborn has spent ample time on the campaign trail since announcing his candidacy, attending close to a dozen parades and hosting pasta dinners throughout the district. The mood, he says, is different from two years ago. People are more vocal, more frustrated and more focused on the bottom line. He hasn’t received a single question about abortion or crime. Rather, he says everyone wants to know about jobs.

“They ask how are you going to cut my taxes? I need to find a job,” he said. “People minds are really on ‘how do we make it?’ ”

(Meg Heckman can be reached)

http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/219635/sanborn-grow-economy

http://nrapvf.org/grades-endorsements/2010/new-hampshire.aspx

CONCORD — Safe Boaters of New Hampshire received some high-power endorsements when Republican gubernatorial candidate John Stephen said during the organization’s semi-annual meeting at The Draft Restaurant in Concord that he supported the group’s efforts and commended its mission.

Senate District 4 candidate James Forsythe who, along with Representative John Hikel of Goffstown, had joined the group’s first rally and tour of Lake Winnipesaukee in July, recounted traveling around the lake in a variety of different-style boats that afternoon and he backed Safe Boaters of New Hampshire’s efforts to address issues facing boaters on Lake Winnipesaukee and elsewhere.

Hikel said, “You have my commitment to maintain safety and enjoyment for all boaters on New Hampshire’s waters,” reaffirming his support of Safe Boaters of New Hampshire.

“Although SBONH was started to oppose the ending of the speed limit study period, we have grown well beyond that one issue and are now involved in almost every facet of Safety and Freedom for all New Hampshire’s lakes and waterways,” said Safe Boaters President Scott Verdonck. “It is absolutely amazing how quickly the organization has grown from the early days of a dozen people meeting in a basement of my home, discussing ways to make Lake Winnipesaukee a better and safer place. It just shows you how our mission and goals are that of the majority of all boaters.”

Other dignitaries attending last Saturday’s event were state Sen. Robert Letrouneau and his wife, Ann-Marie, state Rep. Al Baldasaro, state Senate District 7 candidate Andy Sanborn, state Rep. candidate Laurie Sanborn of Henniker, state Rep. candidate Guy Comtois of Barnstead, Lakes Region Sail and Power Squadron members Tom Roscoe, Nancy Miner and Norman Miner and Brian “Bulldog” Tilton of WTPL.

http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101006/GJNEWS02/710069930/-1/CITNEWS

Concord: Andy Sanborn spoke today with Brian Tilton on the Bulldog Live show. You can listen to the conversation here:  http://www.briantilton.com/audio/AndySanborn060410.mp3

Concord, NH: Andy Sanborn, small business owner and 4^th generation New Hampshire native, was the first candidate in New Hampshire to file his petition to run for elected office early this morning.  He was surrounded by his wife of 20 years; with friends, family and supporters.

“The current political leadership in Concord has only one answer to our challenges, constantly raising more taxes against the working families in our great State. Today, we need common sense solutions to solve the $300 million dollar deficit our current tax and spend politicians have put us in.  Raising more taxes is not the answer to job creation and economic expansion.  It’s time to replace special interest politicians with ordinary working people who understand how to balance a budget,” said Sanborn.

Sanborn’s primary focus will be on helping small businesses create jobs for the over 50,000 unemployed citizens in the State.  This would include lowering taxes and putting more control on the $2 Billion dollars in new, increased government spending over the past two years.

Sanborn continued, “Runaway spending must end. I will work to restructure state spending so we can cut taxes, balance the budget, and improve the business climate so that employers have opportunities to create jobs.”

“Two years ago, I was mad and just walked in with a reactionary decision to run.  Now, after working so hard to be the right candidate for the past two years, it was really different.  We got there early (way too early…), put on some Eva Cassidy and just chatted about what it means to do the right thing, to inspire, to lead in troubled times.  Some belittle our State and its old world way of politics, but today, to be sitting in a dark hallway with our forefathers looking down, it was inspirational and motivating.

“I’ll work hard to make New Hampshire proud,” Sanborn concluded.

The State Senate District #7 includes the towns of Antrim, Bennington, Boscawen, Bradford, Canterbury, Deering, Francestown, Hanover, Harrisville, Henniker, Hillsborough, Loudon, Northfield, Nelson, Salisbury, Warner, Weare, Webster, and Windsor

For more information contact

Andy Sanborn, Small Business Owner and State Senate Candidate District 7

Phone: 682-1165

E-mail: andy4senate@gmail.com

###

Andy Sanborn, small business owner and Candidate for State Senate announced today, 2 outstanding additions to the campaign staff. Jacob Avery has come on board as Field Director and Ben Hartford as Field Manager.

Avery, a political activist since the 2006 campaign cycle has worked from New Hampshire to up-state New York to Washington DC. In addition to strong experience in social media outreach and data management, Jacob has extensive experience in community outreach and organizing.

Benjamin Hartford, a US Army Veteran with the 82 Airborne, balances a hectic schedule from being a part time Political Science student at New England College in Henniker with being a great husband and father to his 3 kids.

As said by Andy Sanborn “Our campaign is in full swing already and I can’t tell you how excited I am to have Jacob and Ben as part of our team. Our message of fighting for ordinary working families to help create jobs and make a smaller, more efficient government is resonating with all voters of NH. Today, more than ever we need to focus on those traditional New Hampshire Yankee values of personal responsibility and limited government and working to get our State back on track”.

Sanborn organized and led the fight against the damaging LLC income tax on small business owners and is fighting against the new local Sales Tax passed by the House and Senate last week.

“The current political leadership in Concord has only one answer to our challenges today, constantly raising more taxes against the working families in our great State. Today, we need common sense solutions to solve the $300 Million dollar deficit, these tax and spend politicians have put us in. Raising more taxes is not the answer to job creation and economic expansion. Its time to replace special interest politicians with ordinary working people who understand how to balance a budget” said Sanborn.

As you know, as of today, the State is facing a $300 Million dollar deficit, based primarily on Democrat Leadership predicting Business Tax revenue would go up in this economy…..

Our issue today is the Democrat plan on how the State is planning on closing the gap, as effectively, they already spent the money and now need to find a way to replenish the coffers.

The Senate and House each have their own plans and this week they will come together and try to find a compromise in what is called a Committee of Conference.  There are a bunch of new proposed taxes on the table, including a Capital Gains Tax (yea, this is 3^rdor 4^th time this year on this one), Death Tax, new Electric Use tax, Pet Shop owner tax, more taxes on Tobacco products and more.  Additionally they are looking to take out a 20 year mortgage to pay for current year operating expenses.

The real issue is the implementation of a Local Sales tax on food and lodging. Basically the current leadership has decided to withhold revenue sharing money from all the State’s local communities, to balance their books.  But in return, they plan to allow local towns to institute a local sales tax against anyone who dines out, stays at a hotel or rents a car.  Think about the effects this will have if Hanover institutes the tax, but Lebanon does not.  If Portsmouth, Concord, Keene and Laconia do, but New Castle, Loudon, Swanzey and Alton don’t.  I don’t believe our State residents ever envisioned confronting our neighbors economically.  We are supposed to work together to compete against Mass or Maine for customers, not each other…..

This tax will allow any single town or city to enact an unlimited rate new level of taxation on everyone who goes out to eat.  How many people want to pay a 20%, 30% or 50% higher tax on food or drinks… how many tourists will we lose when they hear of the new taxes…  If we are working on coming out of this recession, we need to expand the economic base, not retract it.   Remember, today New Hampshire’s food and lodging tax is almost 30% higher than Mass or Maine, without any new local tax.

So, Please take a couple of minutes and help kill this disastrous new level of Taxation.

Below I have provided links to the email addresses and phone numbers of the Governor and 14 Senators and House members who have the complete power to institute this new tax or not.  Most New Hampshire residents would be very appreciative if you each took a few minutes to send an email or phone call and express your wish to see this new tax (and any other taxes you feel may be anti business or economically challenging….) stopped.

For those of you living in the 19 towns for Senate District 7, the seat I am running for, you will see that your current Senator, Harold Janeway is on this committee.  As you know, Harold has voted FOR every single one of the 68 new taxes and fees the state has passed since he gained office.  So, please reach out and tell Senator Janeway he has to stop raising taxes against all of us working families, small business owner and taxpayers.

Governor John Lynch        271-2121           Tell Gov Lynch No Local Sales Tax!
Senator Sylvia Larson       (H) (603)225-6130   sylvia.larsen@leg.state.nh.us

Senator Lou D’Allasandro   (H) (603)669-3494   dalas@leg.state.nh.us

Senator Harold Janeway    (O) (603)271-7585 harold.janeway@leg.state.nh.us

Senator Kathleen Sgambati    (H) (603)286-8931   kathleen.sgambati@leg.state.nh.us

Senator Deborah Reynolds    (H) (603)536-5553    deb.reynolds@leg.state.nh.us

Senator Margaret Hassan      (H) (603)772-4187    maggie.hassan@leg.state.nh.us

Senator John Gallus                (H) (603)752-1066   john.gallus@leg.state.nh.us

Senator Bob Odell                   (H) (603)863-9797   bob.odell@leg.state.nh.us
House Rep Marjorie Smith                marjorie.smith@leg.state.nh.us

House Rep Dan Eaton                       daniel.eaton@leg.state.nh.us

House Rep Sharon Nordgren             sharon.nordgren@valley.net

House Rep Linda Foster                     linda.foster@leg.state.nh.us

House Rep Robert Foose                    rfoose@tds.net

House Rep Neal Kurk                          neal.kurk@leg.state.nh.us

House Rep Doug Scamman                doug.scamman@leg.state.nh.us

As always, thanks so much for staying involved, because we have to keep looking out for each other.  together we can make New Hampshire great!

All the Best!

Andy Sanborn
www.Andy4Senate.com

By Jennifer Feals

May 18, 2010 2:22 PM

PORTSMOUTH — The plan to allow local communities to levy their own rooms and meals tax was called “ill conceived,” “a slap in the face” and “biting the hand that feeds you” by restaurant and lodging professionals on Tuesday.

The plan is targeting the industry — just one year after an increase from 8 percent to 9 percent in the state rooms and meals tax — and will have a detrimental effect state-wide, with significant impact on border towns like Portsmouth, the group said.

“Let me just make one thing clear, this plan is a disaster to the hospitality industry in our state,” said John Stephen, a Republican candidate for governor.

Stephen gathered local and state-wide restaurant and lodging professionals Tuesday in Portsmouth to oppose allowing communities to increase the rooms and meals tax with their own levies. Stephen and others called on Gov. John Lynch to show leadership and veto the bill if it hits his desk.

The state Senate approved the local rooms and meals tax proposal last week while the House also passed similar language in a similar bill. The proposal will move to a House-Senate committee of conference in the coming weeks.

Jay McSharry, owner or co-owner of a number of Seacoast restaurants including Jumpin’ Jays Fish Cafe, Dos Amigos Burritos and The Red Door, also spoke about the proposal. He said he believes the city of Portsmouth is “too smart” and “fiscally responsible” to enact an increase in the rooms and meals tax if it passes the Legislature.

Targeting the industry only a year after the rooms and meals tax increased 1 percent is irresponsible, he said.

“We’ve taken our hit and for people to step up less than a year later and ask us to take another hit is irresponsible of any state legislature, governor or city council,” he said. “I think if you increase prices on anything too much, people won’t buy it and a tax is an increase on the bill at the end of the day.”

City Manager John Bohenko said any decision on the tax would be made by the City Council after completing a full analysis and weighing potential impacts on businesses.

“We wouldn’t rush into it without doing a full analysis,” Bohenko said. “It would be another tool in the toolbox. If it was made available we would want to make sure that we move forward in a deliberate way and analyze the potential impacts.”

There are about 80 restaurants in Portsmouth where visitors come to eat and explore the city’s history, shop and support other businesses, said Mike Labrie, owner of the River House restaurant on Bow Street.

“People see a bustling restaurant and assume there’s plenty of cash to tag,” Labrie said. “It’s very difficult to make a profit in the restaurant business. Slowly but surely, the tax burdens are crushing the small businesses in a city like Portsmouth.”

The impact of city and town rooms and meals tax increases will have an effect beyond the restaurant and lodging industry, said Lou Gargiulo of Great North Property Management. Gargiulo rents apartments on the Seacoast and caters to those in the hospitality field. He said he has seen a dramatic uptick in vacancies due to tenants losing their jobs or not being able to pay.

“It stems from our economic situation and this will only damage it even further,” he said. “It’s an issue that will impact every business.”

Many said the proposal is the latest in a growing list brought forward under the radar without public hearings and without hearing concerns of businesses and others — similar to the Legislature’s extension of the LLC tax.

Since the meals and rooms tax increased last year, revenue data illustrates rooms and meals tax receipts were below projections by $18.6 million in the first 10 months, Stephens said.

Restaurateurs said they’ve seen a significant decline in business over the last year and fear customers will travel to Maine and Massachusetts if cities and towns increase the rooms and meals tax. The plan will also pit cities and towns against each other, they said.

“Our state used to be competitive. It had this advantage that people wanted to go to,” said Andy Sanborn, owner of The Draft Sports Bar and BBQ Grill in Concord and a state Senate candidate from District 7. “The rooms and meals tax is almost 30 percent higher than Maine and Massachusetts. Portsmouth is a community that needs to compete against Maine and Massachusetts.”

The problem facing the New Hampshire, which is working to cut a nearly $300 million deficit, is not revenue but spending, Stephen and business owners said Tuesday.

“All we do is look for new ways to spend,” said Kevin Attar, owner of the Hampton Inn and Suites in Tilton. “Low taxes are the result of low spending. Our problem is that we tax too much.”

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100518/NEWS/100519813/-1/NEWSMAP

It’s about creating jobs and making a smaller, more efficient Government.

For Immediate Release: April 28, 2010
Media Contact: Andy Sanborn 603-682-1165, Andy4Senate@gmail.com

Small business owner and proven tax fighter Andy Sanborn announced his candidacy today for the Republican nomination in New Hampshire’s State Senate District 7.

Surrounded by his wife Laurie, family and friends, Andy outlined his priorities: Helping small businesses create jobs for the nearly 53,000 unemployed neighbors in New Hampshire, reducing the runaway 23% increase in spending in the last two budgets, rolling back the 38 recent tax and fee hikes, and curbing an over-zealous Concord regulatory bureaucracy that stifles job growth.

As a 4th generation New Hampshire native, small business owner and husband to the girl of his dreams, Sanborn has been a constant advocate of supporting small business owners and regular working families. He has been fighting to create jobs and push back against the constant barrage of increased taxes and regulation coming from the current leadership in Concord.

“It’s become so obvious the ultra extremist liberal leaders in Concord are showing complete disdain for the majority of the people living and working in the State,” Sanborn was quoted saying to a supporter. “The answer to our job and economic challenges is NOT raising more taxes on working families, or creating a hostile regulatory environment against our small businesses. Today our Government should be bending over backwards FOR the people of this state, creating economic and job opportunities, not constantly standing in the way OF them.”

Sanborn continued, “Runaway spending must end. I will work to restructure state spending so we can balance the budget, reduce taxes and improve the business climate so that employers have incentives and opportunities to create jobs.”

Senate Republican leader Peter Bragdon said, “With New Hampshire facing a $220 million budget deficit right now and a projected $600 million budget shortfall in 2011 we need Senators who have the backbone to make tough choices, set priorities, and cut wasteful spending. Andy’s depth of knowledge of how a budget works and his common sense solutions will be invaluable to turning the State around in this difficult economic time. The current Senator in that seat continues to push for an income tax, and that is not what NH needs.”

Andy ran for the seat in 2008. Although he narrowly lost, Andy remained active and committed to job creation in New Hampshire. When the extremist liberals in Concord passed the job killing LLC Tax in the dead of night without a public hearing, Andy almost singlehandedly mobilized the small business community around the state to fight what has become a staggering 13.5% tax on the personal income of small business owners. Andy’s ability to mobilize business groups, trade associations, and thousands of business owners forced the Governor and Concord tax and spend liberals to admit they were wrong, reverse their position and agree the LLC Tax passed a year ago needs to be repealed.

“As a successful small business owner, Andy brings real world experience and leadership to Concord. His effort to organize the grassroots effort to repeal the job-killing LLC Tax proves how hard Andy will work as a Senator to help small businesses and get New Hampshire citizens back to work.” said Retired Congressman and State Senator Jeb Bradley.

“It’s no accident that as the national unemployment crested in October and has inched downward – New Hampshire’s unemployment rate has continued to climb. High business taxes have made Massachusetts more attractive than New Hampshire to start or grow a business. I will fight to change that,” said Sanborn. “Excessive fees, over regulation and an ineffective government are inhibiting our ability to come out of this recession. We need to clear the way for our great small businesses to be successful, hire our unemployed and pull us out of this economic challenge we’re in. We can do this.”

To find out more about Andy and Laurie Sanborn and their solutions to solve our problems or to stay in touch with them please go to www.Andy4Senate.com.

State Senate District 7 encompass 19 towns in New Hampshire, including Loudon, Canterbury, Northfield, Salisbury, Boscawen, Webster, Warner, Bradford, Henniker, Weare, Hillsborough, Windsor, Deering, Antrim, Bennington, Francestown, Hancock, Nelson and Harrisville

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This is our State’s most pressing issue, so let’s make sure everyone has one!

Jobs, jobs, jobs. Every single one of us knows someone out of work, someone who is fighting to feed their family and pay their mortgage. Unfortunately, our government is doing nothing to get people back to work. Today, our government is focused on raising taxes and fees, eroding economic confidence, and holding back any chance of an economic turnaround. This will not create jobs.

It doesn’t have to be this way. With the right leadership, we can put the 53,000 unemployed back to work. We can help our neighbors and their families get back up on their feet and make our state great again.

It’s about making New Hampshire the most attractive state in the nation to small business owners, who through their efforts will provide employment opportunities.

It’s about using reasonable, common sense solutions to getting the government out of the way so our small businesses can prosper, expand, and hire.

As your Senator, this will be my number one goal.  As seen by my efforts to repeal the LLC tax and craft legislation to provide incentives for job growth, I understand that helping to get government out of the way so we can create jobs is the most important issue today.