SAY NO TO INCREASING THE HOURS LIQUOR CAN BE SOLD

April 1, 2013

Rational Taxpayers of Hampton opposes HB 575 and hopes that the Senate will see fit to either kill or modify the bill or the Governor veto it. At minimum local communities should be allowed to vote whether the bill is enforced or not.  Either by Selectmen’s sponsored warrant article or petitioned warrant article should suffice to provide local input.

The State of NH and private enterprise have spent millions converting Hampton to a family friendly year round resort destination and to suddenly become one of the last states standing that changes last calls from 1AM to 2AM offers no advantages to Hampton and its taxpayers and flies in the face of all the good things that Hampton Beach is trying to do.

Only the tavern owners and the State of NH’s increased liquor sales will benefit whereas the societal costs of promoting alcohol, extending time to clear taverns and pubs with the potential for public disorder amongst over indulging drinkers, increased decibel levels to those residents trying to sleep or otherwise enjoy the quality of their lives and the potential for drunken driving incidents are seen as significant detriments to this extension of time. Hampton’s Police Department will have to address the potential of this extra hour and what it will mean to the operations of its department and in turn the cost to the Taxpayers.    

It is now time for the Town along with the Police Department to readdress the issue of a noise ordinance. There were too many complaints about noise in the past and it is time that the ordinance be enacted and that the Police Department follow through to implement it. The current board of Selectmen should place this in the hierarchy of the goals they wish to complete this year. It was killed last year but this year we believe the Board is more enlightened.

For a more detailed discussion of these issues please visit RationalTaxpayersofHampton.org.

For Rational Taxpayers of Hampton

Norman Silberdick