I n November 2007, I attended a ceremony at Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen. Gov. John Lynch and many elected state and federal officials were present, including presidential candidate John McCain and his mother.
Lynch praised and thanked the veterans for their service, including all veterans who had died in service to country. Lynch also said that it was wrong to charge veterans extra for a license plate showing their veteran status. The governor said he would go back to Concord and ask legislators to pass legislation against charging extra for plate. This received large applause from crowd.
I hope in the next few days before Veterans Day the governor will explain the increase from $25 to $40 and what he has done to stop it. I am a retired Army veteran (1958-78), and I will not spend extra for a plate to thank myself for serving my country.
HENRY OSMER
Hill
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Comments
Veterens Plates
By crider - 01/04/2010 - 3:14 pmMost veterens like myself (I served 9 years in the State Army Guard) don't mind the initial fee to obtain the plates, it's the neverending handout that the state seems to want from year to year with no end in sight. A one time fee would be resonable but to have to pay for the same plate over and over just to show how proud we are to have served our Country as well as our State is beyond rediculous. We were there when your bridges and roads flooded in the 80's and they needed to be rebuilt. As for myself I cannot justify spending the extra money for the plates and in April when they run out I will be returning them personally to my State Representative in Franklin the one I voted for in the last election and may never vote for again.
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There are two issues here
By Jiminy Cricket - 11/01/2009 - 11:52 amOne issue is vet plates. The other is vanity plates. While I think the former should be free or low cost to those who want them (and most vets don't seem to), the latter should cost the same for everyone. Vets who choose to get vet *vanity* plates have already gotten their freebie with the vet plate.
The pool of vets who were drafted and to whom I feel indebted is steadily diminishing. I don't really see why I should have to keep paying and paying for someone who willing chose to sign up to join the military, who was paid for their service and who often gets lingering benefits (like the lifetime 5-point boost in their civil service exams). Perhaps if we stopped reinforcing this macho WWII mentality we might stop getting into useless wars that only benefit the Halliburtons of the world. In my lifetime the military has mostly been a career choice riding on the coat tails of our parent's generation.
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Thanks
By hankthecrank - 10/31/2009 - 11:33 pmthanks for all comments.I have learned from this that many vets were not aware of the changes.I am surprised that this upset some while we are surrounded by folks getting handouts on a weekly basis,not a word is said.This will how ever clear up the misunderstanding that that I and others had in this matter Thanks Henry from Hill
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Damkeeper & Others: How Much Subsidy Do You Want From Taxpayers?
By Tommy Hambledon - 10/30/2009 - 7:26 pmDamkeeper said, "New Hampshire doesn't give a rats ___ about it's veterans." Many of you seem to agree. I don't. I get much more in the way of veteran's benefits from New Hampshire (that is, the New Hampshire taxpayers) than any other state where I have lived.
I don't know how big a subsidy you think we veterans should be receiving from our fellow taxpayers. Many of us already receive pretty substantial subsidies every year--up to $500 ANNUALLY as a credit against our real estate taxes, depending on which town we live in. Our fellow taxpayers have to pay more in order that we veterans get that credit.
There also are and have been various other benefits from New Hampshire taxpayers, including cash bonuses at various times, state employment preferences and a variety of other benefits for disabled veterans and survivors of deceased veterans. See, e.g., http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits/new-hampshire-state-ve...
So now you think the state (i.e., the taxpayers) should also give us free license plates? Why? Should we also get free registrations and driver's licenses? Where should it stop?
There is an awful lot of whining and feeling of entitlement among commenters here. And some of the same people are complaining about high taxes in New Hampshire.
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Vet status
By hankthecrank - 10/31/2009 - 11:53 pmTommy I think a vet has the right to ask for everything he can get.I don't think you have a problem with folks drawing unemployment while working for cash wages,folks who can do anything but work rent paid by welfare plus food fuel light bill etc! I have two vet charitys I donate too,one being the vet homeless shelter the liberty house.I enjoyed your comments tho the tone in which you wrote them would make me wonder what you are a veteran of
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Thanks NH
By DZ - 10/31/2009 - 8:42 amYou strip me of my military pension so I can't afford real estate to get that hefty $500 tax credit.
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What?
By Tommy Hambledon - 10/31/2009 - 12:50 pmNew Hampshire stripped you of your military pension? What on earth are you talking about?
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Family Court
By DZ - 11/01/2009 - 7:26 amDeborah Reynolds, yes the now state senator, filed an affidavit under oath to the court with false statements on it which was used to "award" a large portion of my pension to my ex wife.
In appealing this decision, I provided the court with both the affidavit, and documentation from the states licensing bureau proving the false statement. Judge Carbon, now a Obama appointee, said that these false statements made under oath does not constitute fraud.
All this happened after Mrs. Reynolds tried to extort my pension from me voluntarily by using a Domestic Violence complaint as a tool. On it was such acts of "Violence" as me driving down the street I lived on after work when my ex happened to be on the same street, even though she didn't live near there.
The state courts know this, refuse to correct it, so I hold the state responsible. That's how.
And now people who NEVER served in the military are now living off my military pension.
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Henry
By love2swim - 10/30/2009 - 3:07 pmYou are an honor to our Country. Thank you for all your service and to the many men and women who continue to serve. God Bless America!!!!!
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Don't Let the Facts Get in Your Way of Attacking Lynch
By Tommy Hambledon - 10/30/2009 - 2:24 pmI know that some of you are just looking for any excuse to attack Lynch, and others don't need any excuse at all. But just for the record, in July 2008 Lynch DID sign a bill (SB490) which REPEALED the extra $25 fee for veterans' license plates that had previously been charged. Lynch did in fact keep the promise he made at the veterans' cemetery.
The charge that Mr. Osmer is apparently complaining about is the fee for VANITY plates, which has increased from $25 to $40 for everybody. If we veterans want special numbers/letters on our veterans' plates, then we have to pay the extra charge for vanity plates, just like everyone else. If Mr. Osmer were willing to take whatever number the state issued to him, there would be no extra fee above the standard license plate and registration fees that everyone has to pay. Mr. Osmer is in error when he says there is an extra charge for a veteran's plate,
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$25
By DZ - 10/31/2009 - 8:38 amThe extra 25 dollars was an Adminstrative Fee" for looking at the DD214 when getting the plate. will that get reimbursed since the gov repealed that fee after all these years.
And the state does give free plates to veterans.
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXI/261/261-159.htm
Any veteran who is totally blind by a service related disablity can register their car for free. How nice of them, think about it.
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Thinking about it brings to
By glk.interests - 10/31/2009 - 1:14 pmThinking about it brings to mind the question of: how is a blind person going to get a driver's license or even permission to register a vehicle. Rather an empty "gift" from typical politicians.
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There shouldn't be any fee for a veterans plate.
By Damkeeper - 10/30/2009 - 5:23 pmWhen I left the service after the Korean War I lived in Connecticut. That State had the decency to pay a veteran's bonus to all combat veterans of $250.00, which was a lot of money in those days. Like I said before, New Hampshire doesn't give a rats ass about it's veterans.
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RSA 261:87-b
By liberal conservative - 10/30/2009 - 12:33 pmPart of RSA 261:87-b:
"Renewals of such special number plates shall be charged the fee assessed for standard motor vehicles as prescribed under RSA 261:141".
Does this mean that we (veteran's) don't pay for veteran's plates renewals? Isn't a renewal of a 'regular" plate free?
Link to complete RSA:
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXI/261/261-87-b.htm
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Thank you Mr. Osmer
By 4Liberty - 10/30/2009 - 12:28 pmA damn license plate...seems like such a small measure to thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice to our country. We have lost sight of who really provides for the safety and security of the comfortable American lifestyle?
This American thanks you Mr. Osmer and I appreciate your service.
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I was at that ceremony (I
By liberal conservative - 10/30/2009 - 12:21 pmI was at that ceremony (I believe John McCain was there too) and I heard him say that as well. I wondered how long that was going to last...not one word that comes out of that man's is trustworthy...it's totally BS. I will not vote for him next election...no way, no how!
I guess I got in under the wire as I changed out both my Veteran's initial plates (WAY too expensive) for regular Vet plates in August and they didn't cost me anything other than for "new plates" because that's what I was getting but if I have to pay for these Vet plates again next year they can kiss my &*@#.
BTW, I've noticed ALOT of brand new plates lately and far fewer initial plates than I used to see...I wonder how much money the State of New Hampshire is making now that they jacked up the price of these plates? Almsot everyone I know has dropped those plates for cheaper "regular" plates.
Maybe all Vets should flood the gov's email and phone with calls decrying this travesty.
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Maybe all Vets should flood the gov's email and phone with calls
By Damkeeper - 10/30/2009 - 5:18 pmDo you really think it would do any good?
The only thing this State government is concerned about is money. They couldn't care less about the veterans that made our freedom possible. And that goes from the Governor right on down the line. Perhaps us veterans should become a corporation, then they would listen to us.
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The State doesn't give a damn about veterans.
By Damkeeper - 10/30/2009 - 11:03 amOtherwise, why would they charge a fee for the plate. Veterans already paid their dues, but New Hampshire still has to rob them of dollars for a license plate.
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Why does the state need to
By AlexK - 10/30/2009 - 9:45 amWhy does the state need to charge annually? A one time fee of $0 would be fine with me. I can understand an annual fee for the conservation plates as a piece goes to conservation, but does any of the vet plate fees go towards local veteran programs or the state cemetary? I say give them the plate for free, they've earned it.
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Back Off
By armyvet - 10/30/2009 - 8:48 amLynch will back off his promise as he has done over various things in the past.
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all vanity plate costs should be "fixed"
By glk.interests - 10/30/2009 - 8:10 amWhile the governor is "fixing" the price on the vanity, veteran plate, he also ought to "fix" the price on the 4-digit, vanity plate and the legislative, vanity plate. Those vanity plates should not be "free of extra cost" as they are now. Especially the legislative plate, those should be at DOUBLE cost!!
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If anything...
By Robert Frypp - 10/30/2009 - 7:21 amI think veteran's plates should cost vets anywhere from $5 to $10 less than a regular plate, as far as I'm concerned. Yet another annoying case of common sense being reported as MIA.
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I agree,,,,
By aroundtown - 10/30/2009 - 6:50 amMy Husband felt the same way! I was proud of him so I bought the plates. It is wrong...NH is becoming AFAB - anything for a buck....and by the way the cemetary in Boscowan is beautiful and such a respectful resting place!
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