State Report SD 2: South Dakota Advantages

South Dakota Advantages

by Crystal Bogue

As a general rule, most people dedicated to the FSP think that states such as New Hampshire or Wyoming will win this race. Granted those two seem like the place to be for one reason or another and both rank considerably high on the scale of being more "libertarian" than the other eight. Depending on the poll and the reason for it, South Dakota always seems to fall in the middle. Never number one but never number ten either. Let's consider what South Dakota has to offer in relation to the other states and what makes it the best candidate for success in this "free state race."

South Dakota has taken it upon itself to prove that states don't need income tax from the people. It is interesting because there are VERY few states that believe this. This is not to say that SD doesn't have taxes. All the states of taxes in some form or another. When considering the sales tax of the states, SD only has a 4% tax on all items. This percentage is relatively low when considering other states.

Cost of living is another factor. South Dakota is among the bottom percentage of cost of living which contributes to the ability of the people to stay in business. This lower cost of living coupled with a growing economy only spells success for the state in more ways than one. Sioux Falls is home to many large corporation businesses because there is no corporate tax in this state. It is interesting to note that more and more companies are moving here from other states to take advantage of this tax break. With an increase in big business, little businesses can only benefit. Construction of new homes and new factories is driving the premium cost of land in Sioux Falls up very quickly. Even though Sioux Falls is a city of about 100,000, it has been noted that it is one of the top three cities of that size that are showing a high rate of growth while keeping unemployment at an all time low of only 2.9%. Rural living is a majority in South Dakota but Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Aberdeen are all relatively large towns that offer the many things that individuals enjoy about big cities.

The right to keep and bear arms is a big issue for a considerable amount of people involved in this project. Even though Alaska ranks as number one for their gun laws, South Dakota hasn't ever had a law that made carrying a pistol a financial burden. It is VERY economical and convenient to apply and receive a concealed carry permit in South Dakota. If it were any more economical, it would be a mimic of Alaska and be no cost at all. It is important to note that South Dakota believes that the owner of a firearm is responsible for that firearm and NOT the manufacturers or sellers of such items.

This porridge is not too hot nor too cold, but just right. Because of this middle of the road outlook and position, South Dakota is best placed at the top of the FSP list simply because once South Dakota is picked and changes for the betterment of the living conditions and political outlook is made, North Dakota won't be far behind in making the same changes. This factor is very important in the choice of which state should be THE Free State. Within months, North Dakota would join the trend of South Dakota's success as it has done so many times before. Not too cold, not too hot, but just right.

State Report NH 3: Welcome to New Hampshire

Welcome to New Hampshire

by Howard S. Katz

Greetings from the White Mountains where the winters are cold and the women are beautiful. I want to tell members of the Free State Project a bit about our state to help you make a more informed choice.

Previously I have lived in three statist areas (Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York) but moved to New Hampshire in 1999. New Hampshire is a conservative state, in the good sense of that word (referring to conservative Americans of the 1950s, not to European conservatives). The credit for this belongs to William Loeb, publisher of The Union Leader. Loeb turned his paper into a fierce enemy of the welfare state, and it remains so today. It is the dominant paper in the state and, while not completely libertarian, manifests a lot of good common sense.

Crime is very low. In 1999, our total crime rate was the lowest in the nation. The first winter I was here I was startled to find motorists leaving their engines idling (key in ignition) while they ran into the donut shop for coffee. In the small town of Brookline, in which I resided for a while (population 4,000), there was no case of murder in the 20th century. The right to keep and bear arms is specifically protected by the state constitution.

Using the SATs to measure education (not good, but at least objective), New Hampshire can claim to be the best in the country. There are states which score higher, but these states have a much smaller percentage of their population taking the test (hence only the smarter kids). Among states where more than 60% of the students take the SAT, New Hampshire regularly gets the highest scores.

New Hampshire is alive with small-business people. Almost everywhere you look there are small plazas, or shopping malls, or little alleys, peppered with small businesses. There is the same hustle and bustle that characterized most of America in the 1950s. You can pretty much go into any major city in the state without seeing loiterers. New Hampshire goes year after year with the lowest unemployment rate in New England. In 2001, our unemployment rate was 43rd nationally. And our personal income per capita ranks 6th ($34,334 in 2002).

Americans are fleeing most Northeastern states. The more statist ones are losing native population and only grow at all due to foreign immigrants. But New Hampshire is gaining population at a rate of about 18% per decade, and has more than doubled in size over the past half century. There is no specific economic or technological event (such as oil vis-à-vis Texas, gold discoveries vis-à-vis California, or air conditioning vis-à-vis Florida) to explain this population movement.

The state's motto was coined by General John Stark during the Revolutionary War. Recruiting a militia unit to march to the aid of Massachusetts (in what later turned out to be the battle of Bunker Hill), he told his men, "Live free or die." Stark's unit also played an important role in the battle of Saratoga.

New Hampshire has the highest mountains in the East, and the pine trees make the air clean and sweet. We are tied with Rhode Island for the second safest state (1.0 fatalities per 100,000,000 vehicle miles, in 2001). And the people here have a passionate interest in politics. There are many small newspapers of different views. There are only about 2,500 citizens per state legislator, and the latter are paid $100 per year. As a result, anybody can run for the state House of Representatives (two-year residency requirement). You can win election in many districts with just 2,000 votes, and in some places 1,000 votes will make you a state rep. You can reach voters by standing in the center of town or at the town dump and handing out leaflets; or for a small cost you can do a mailing. Although the state is clearly Republican, any given election can go either way.

New Hampshire has neither an income tax nor a sales tax. There are some minor exceptions to this but nothing significant. In 1999, New Hampshire ranked lowest in general revenue going to the state government on a per capita basis (Statistical Abstract 2001, p. 279)

There are a great many businesses located right on the Massachusetts border to attract Bay Staters trying to avoid their state's sales tax. These businesses employ a lot of people and pay a lot of municipal property tax. So there is an enormous vested interest against a state sales tax. On those rare occasions when the idea is floated, it dies a miserable death. A campaign was recently made for a state income tax (to obey the Supreme Court's very bad educational funding decision). The Democrat who led the fight was at first repudiated by his own party. When he was finally given the nomination, he suffered a dismal defeat. I expect that this was the death knell for the state income tax in New Hampshire as a practical political issue for the foreseeable future.

Statists from Massachusetts have tried to argue that New Hampshire's low state taxes are offset by high (municipal) property taxes. This is not true. Municipalities in New Hampshire have pretty much the same functions as anywhere in the country: education and police. Tax rates in New Hampshire are a little higher than in Massachusetts (which is limited by state law to 2.5%). In my town the rate is 2.8% on assessed valuation. But this is offset by the fact that land values in New Hampshire are much lower (for a Northeastern state close to a major job center); thus the amount of property tax the average person pays is probably lower than in Massachusetts (although I have not done the statistical work on this point).

If the Free State Project does choose New Hampshire, then the first order of business should be to start a newspaper in the southern part of the state (where there is minimal competition with The Union Leader). The Nashua Telegraph is a juicy target.

By the way, we New Englanders do not drop our "r"s. We do have a broad "A". And we do not talk the way JFK talked. (He was Irish and made a bad imitation of a Boston Yankee accent.)

So, if you want to come, we would love to have you.

NH for Porcupines?

New Hampshire for Porcupines?

Tim Condon, FSP Member Services Director
Speech at Lancaster, NH FSP Gathering
6/22/2003

 

Before we get started, I just want to ask all of you: Have all of you been having as much fun looking through this (hold up atlas) as I have? I mean, I'm lying around reading this thing like a 12-year-old boy reading a secret copy of Playboy. Checking every little twist and turn (hold up a state like a Playboy centerfold). Woo WWOOOO! It's a book of *maps*! We must be crazy!

Okay, okay. First, "What am I doing here?" I'm the guy who wrote an article for the Free State Project saying that North Dakota would be the best state to choose for the Freestate (!). THEN I wrote another article changing my mind, and saying "Mea culpa! *Wyoming* would be the best state for us to choose! And here I am giving a speech saying, "No, no, let's choose New Hampshire!"

Actually, I'm here because I got in trouble with all the rest of the Free State Project leadership. Every one of the rest of them has been scrupulous and I mean *scrupulous* about being evenhanded and secretive about what state or states they favor. I mean, *I* don't even know what states Jason likes...or Elizabeth...or Debra Ricketts...or any of the rest of the FSP leadership.

Of course, it wasn't an *announced* policy...it was just sort of agreed upon among everyone else. But...as you may have noticed...I love to get out there in the middle of the fray, and flail away (and haven't we been doing some *flailing* lately...). So I couldn't resist writing about what state *I* thought we should choose. The problem was, I didn't know all about the previous history where the FSP leadership had first been accused of being "pro-eastern." And then later on they got loudly condemned for being pro- *western*. And then back to the East. And then the West again. Once I found out about it, it was like watching a ping pong match. East, West, East, West.

And so into that mess I threw my hat. Then Whoa! Here comes the rest of the leadership at me! "You blew it Condon! You were supposed to keep your opinions to yourself! We're supposed to be publicly neutral!" Blah, blah, blah. Of course I'm saying "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Hell, I didn't know the conspiracy-nuts were going to say "AHA! That *proves* it, for once and for all! They're Pro-West!" Oh sheesh. I offered to remove my Wyoming mea culpa article, but Elizabeth said, "It's too late, you've already let the cat out of the bag."

And even *that* remark was seized upon: "AHA! That proves that the whole leadership is pro-Wyoming! Condon let the cat out of the bag!" Oh man...I felt terrible.

But then I had an idea. Jason and Debra went to the Grand Western Conference. Why not have me go to the New Hampshire Conference along with Elizabeth? Not only could I visit, but I could and would talk about what a great choice New Hampshire would be! Easy for me to do, too! Because I've been very public that I will move to *any* state that is chosen. I like them *all*! And not because they are "equal" in desirability, but because I cannot imagine a better place to live than the Free State. No matter *where* it turns out to be, it will be a place where people are left alone to pursue their own happiness.

What, I ask you, is so hard about that? There must be *something* hard about it...because it seems so...*radical*.

So that's what I'm doing here. I want to talk to you about just how *great* a choice New Hampshire would be for the Free State! And in saying that, I thank Rich Tomasso, Michele Dumas, and *all* your activists who have been so tireless in promoting New Hampshire. Remember, the *national* libertarian executive committee refused to endorse the Free State Project after a full presentation by Jason Sorens. You all, by contrast, have stepped right up to the plate, and I am both impressed and thankful for what you're doing.

So onward. The first thing I thought of when I discovered I was reeeeally going to talk about New Hampshire was to re-examine my own thoughts and prejudices. What I found was that my whole position was based upon giving overwhelming weight to population. Anyone who has read my North Dakota and Wyoming articles is aware of that.

Well then, I thought, what better thing to do than tear off my population-centric blinders, and take *another* look *without* thinking about population first, last, and always. A very interesting thing happened. I found myself looking at New Hampshire through new eyes. My new view related more toward "Niceness," whereas my former view had been concentrating almost solely on population numbers. "Niceness versus numbers." I like that. All of a sudden, New Hampshire starts looking better, and better, and *better*.

There's another reason it was pretty easy to get rid of my population- centric view. As I realized, really *all* the 10 Free State Project candidate states are "low population." Including New Hampshire! Only when we look at New Hampshire in relation to the other 9 candidate states does it become "high population." But in relation to the other *40* states in the U.S., it's *low* population. And that is why I say that *any* of the 10 states will be a good choice, and I'll move to whichever one is chosen.

 

So let's take a look at New Hampshire now without an emphasis on population. How does it stack up then? Quite well, as it turns out, especially when given the weights of characteristics that *I* think are important. Let's talk about them now.

The Free State Project "state data lists" are divided into two parts:

1. The "General Data" which includes stuff like population, land area, geography, crime rates, urbanization information, etc. We've all pored over all the variables forever, so I don't need to list them all.

2. The *second* data list is labeled "Economic and Political Data." To my mind it includes much more important variables such as federal, state and local government spending; dependency on federal monies flowing back into the state, taxes as a percentage of income, levels of 2nd amendment freedom, etc. Again, we've all seen them all.

In total, there are 24 separate variables, and that doesn't count the constant drumbeat of debate and further information supplied through the forums and email lists. No matter which state wins, this is going to be an extremely well *informed* vote.

 

Now let's take a look at some of those variables individually. First the general information list. Other than population, I don't think most of those variables are very important. Big state? Little state? Who cares, as long as we're free? Many people argue that a small state gives freedom-fighters an upper hand, I know; but socialists and other statists have the same advantages and disadvantages that we do, so we're all on pretty level ground. Out of these 12 variables, I'll only mention four that I think are important other than population:

1. Many people argue that a coastline and/or an international border are extremely important features. I do not, although I will say that they're both nice to have. New Hampshire is the only state other than Maine that has both, other than Alaska, which is just. Too. Far. Away. So that's a nice feature of New Hampshire, but not dispositive in my mind.

2. Insularity is another piece of data that I think is more important than most of the other variables. We try to measure this by looking at how many people living in a state were *born* in the state. If the percentage is high, they're probably not going to welcome "outsiders" with open arms. If there's a large non-native population, they'll probably be more welcoming. New Hampshire comes out nicely on this measure: It has the third lowest percentage of native-born residents, after Alaska and Wyoming, so it's definitely in the running.

3. Another somewhat important variable is the "livability" rating. New Hampshire comes in first out of all the 10 candidate states.

4. Crime statistics. *Again* New Hampshire comes in first. Not bad! In the general data specifics that I regard as most important, New Hampshire shows as very strong; it's either solidly in the running, or is first among the 10.

But let's take our leave of the General Data list and go over to the Economic and Political Data list. To my mind these variables are far more important. And BOY! does New Hampshire *shine*! Out of 12 variables, it comes in #1 five times (tied for first place in two of them), #2 three times, and #3 in two more. That means that out of 12 variables New Hampshire comes in in first, second, or third place TEN times, or 83.3% of the time! NO other state racks up a score like that.

 

Let's just stroll through a few of these, often the ones I think are the most important, and see how New Hampshire scores on each one. Remember, these are the variables that *I* think are most important, after we put aside the population and voting population variables:

1. Federal, state, and local government spending as a percentage of gross state product: First place.

2. State and local government spending as a percentage of gross state product: First place.

3. Dependence on federal monies; that is, the amount of money that comes back into the state for every dollar sent to Washington: First place. (This is a variable that I originally didn't think was that important; but now I see that it can have a huge effect on Liberty in our Lifetime.)

4. State and local taxes as a percentage of income: Second place, and that only behind Alaska, which is too far *out* there. So *really* we can call New Hampshire first in this variable also.

5. New jobs generated. Lots of people argue that this is a crucial dataset; I'm not so sure, because I believe it's a sword that cuts both ways. However, it's worth noting that New Hampshire comes in #2.

6. Gun freedom. Okay. I admit it. I'm a "single issue voter." I'm not a big hunter, and I don't even shoot that much for fun. I haven't been to a shooting range for *years*. And yet...I will never under any circumstances vote for a candidate who doesn't support the 2nd amendment..no matter *how* good they are on other issues. New Hampshire comes in #2 in this measure, and only behind its next-door neighbor Vermont. Not bad!

7. Percentage of state population employed by state and local government. Well, I don't think that this is one of the more important measures, because there are going to be Porcupines who work for government; gotta make a living, and there's got to be *some* government, with good people working in it. Nevertheless...New Hampshire is #1 along with Delaware, of all places.

8. And finally, NEA and AFT membership. Teachers unions are a huge mainstay of socialist political candidates in America. Along with other public employee unions, they are one of the most important constituencies of the Democratic Party. And I am proud to say that I'm married to a public school teacher in Florida, who is a flaming conservative Republican...and she refuses to join the teachers union. New Hampshire? #1 along with Idaho.

 

There are two other variables that don't show up on the state data lists, but they're worth mentioning here. One is the incredible energy and dynamism of the libertarians and Porcupines already in this state. My hat is off to you all. And the second is the "political angle," that is things like fusion voting, small legislative districts, part-time representatives, etc. As a result, New Hampshire has far more libertarians who have already been voted into office than any of the other candidate states. Hats off to you again!

Only in government land control schemes and presidential voting does New Hampshire fall back in the pack. We'll just have to work on those.

All in all, I must say that New Hampshire has great advantages to offer a movement seeking Liberty in our Lifetime. As someone wrote recently on one of the FSP email lists, "What's not to like about a state that has Live Free or Die as its state motto?" I can only echo that feeling.

The state motto may be part of what we might call "intangibles." People "feel" better about one state or another, and often plan to vote accordingly. I must say, after driving through some of the state yesterday, it's one of the most beautiful states in the country, bar none.

 

Summing up...New Hampshire has got a real shot at it. No question about that. But it's not a slam-dunk either. Keep that in mind. I think it's clearly "the choice" on the east coast of the U.S. In the meantime, Montana and Wyoming are fighting it out in the west. And that brings me to the last part of my talk. I want to talk to you all about unity. I want to repeat the mantra here, "united we stand, divided we fall." I have been preaching that for several weeks now on the FSP email lists, and I am gratified to see that at least Ben Irvin has piped down, and even extended an olive branch by saying that he would be here if he could be, and he wishes he could attend.

In the meantime, it seems like many of the Porcupines are just going crazy on the email lists and forums. All of us in the leadership have noted how touchy and explosive people are getting. It's obvious that people are getting itchy as "The Vote" approaches. Possibly the most important vote in the history of America.

As I have written, the state chosen as the Free State is going to be the luckiest state in the history of our country. It is going to be a beacon. It is going to be a model. I like to refer to it as "America's little Hong Kong." It will foster an explosion of human potential, creativity, economic energy, and entrepreneurial activity such as has never before been seen in the world. It is going to be extraordinary.

But in order for it to happen, we must unite under the banner of the Free State Project. Not a Free State east. Or a Free State west. But THE Free State. We have to do it together. Why? Because lots and lots of people don't think it can be done. Even libertarians, as we have seen, are pooh-poohing the idea. And if we split our forces now, if we weaken ourselves by dividing our numbers...we. may. *not* succeed.

For those of you who don't want to move out of the east, I say that's fine. I say the same thing to those who won't move out of the west. But listen to me, Porcupines: "There will be a second Free State." But there will only be a *second* Free State if we are successful in the *first* Free State! If New Hampshire is chosen, give us five or six years to start the transformation, to show some results, and *then* we can look west, to start the second Free State, probably either in Montana or Wyoming. If a western state is chosen, give us five or six years to make some changes, win some elections, and show what can be done, and *then* we can cast out eyes east, and look to starting up a second, eastern Free State.

But today we must all unite in the Cause to ensure our success in the *first* Free State. I wasn't able to get Ben Irvin to commit to moving east if an eastern state wins. More's the pity, even though I got in his face online about it. And I'm sure there is a core of eastern state supporters who have opted out of all the western states. They will not move west no matter what. And that is within the rules; that's why we allow you to opt out of whatever states you want, as long as you don't opt out of them all. All I can say, to those who won't move east, and those who won't move west is, at least keep on supporting the Free State Project. At least don't fracture and divide us at this crucial juncture. At least be supportive of those pioneers who *are* moving to the Free State. For if we do all of us---then our movement for freedom, human dignity, and Liberty in our Lifetimes can spread everywhere...from the mountains...to the prairies...to the oceans...and from sea to shining sea.

Thank you all.

State Report NH 2: New Hampshire Report 2

New Hampshire Report

by Michelle Dumas

(See also New Hampshire Report #1 and Live Free before You Die: Join Us in N.H by the New Hampshire Libertarian Party.)

My husband (Jim) and I (Michelle), both grew up in Southern Maine, in a town bordering New Hampshire. We are both in our mid thirties, have been married 15 years and have one 12-year-old daughter. About 11 years ago we moved to a New Hampshire border town, Somersworth, in the Seacoast region, and have lived here since. We have both had libertarian leanings for many years, but it was only several years ago when we began actively re-educating ourselves (undoing the damage of what we now understand was a terrible public education) that we joined the LP. We are slowly becoming more politically active but are already frustrated by what seem like insurmountable challenges. FSP offers the most practical, action-focused plan we have seen. The promise of the FSP, "Liberty in Your Lifetime" is one we are committed to and while we would certainly follow 20,000 liberty-oriented people wherever they go, we feel that New Hampshire is certainly in the running for the top few states that should be considered by the FSP.

New Hampshire Constitution

The New Hampshire Constitution is the second oldest state constitution and predates the U.S. Constitution by five years. It is unique in that it was the first constitution to use the term Bill of Rights, and includes in its listed 39 rights, the right to revolution, promised in no other American constitution. New Hampshire has the largest legislative body and the weakest governorship of all the states. New Hampshire's governor shares power with five members of an executive council. Summarizing the philosophical beliefs on which the NH Constitution is founded, is that government is the servant, not the master, of the people who create it, a strong foundation for the "Live Free or Die" tradition and state motto.

People, Politics, and Culture for Freedom

The median age of New Hampshire citizens' is 37.1, with 25% of the population under 18 years of age and 12% age 65 and older. There are 474,606 households, with an average size of 2.53; of those, 323,651 are family households, with an average size of 3.03. As of April 1, 2000, there were 547,024 total housing units. Profiles of 234 incorporated cities and towns may be found here. 2001 population statistics by town can be viewed here.

There are currently 26 Libertarians who hold public office in New Hampshire. LPNH is quite active and there are 17 Libertarians running for public office in 2002; in 2000, 70 Libertarian candidates ran for office. The voter registration is approximately 30% Republican, 30% Democrat, and 40% Independent. Currently, the legislature is about 60% Republican and 40% Democrat. Until just recently, when we were beat by Alaska, New Hampshire had the highest number of Libertarian Party members per capita of all the states.

The people of New Hampshire are notoriously independent and tax averse. While it is true that we have had an influx of people moving in state from Massachusetts, and bringing their liberal politics with them, for the most part (although difficult to measure), most long-term NH residents are resentful of this; this resentment could actually work in the favor of the FSP. It is reasonable to predict that the GOP will win the race for Governor this year, perhaps reflecting some of this dissatisfaction and a desire to return to more conservative policies.

It is interesting to note that the LPNH's 2002 candidate for governor, John Babiarz, is attracting a fair amount of favorable press and that the people have been quite receptive to his ideas. In 2000, he experienced some difficulty in getting the press to notice him and in being included in debates. He is running an aggressive campaign to win in 2002. This year, the press has been quite favorable, he is being invited and welcomed in the debates and forums, and the public response has been more than favorable. For example, the Keene-Sentinel profiled Babiarz on the front page of the Saturday edition (highest circulation day of the week) on 8/17/02. Other LP candidates in 2002 are running for US Senate, US Rep, State Senate, State Rep, Executive Council, and Town Selectman.

Of concern is the recent House redistricting. Unable to overcome partisan politics, the legislature failed to agree on a redistricting plan. Thus, the task was taken over by the Supreme Court. The plan sets the boundaries for 400 representatives in 88 new house districts. Unfortunately, under this plan, 215 representatives (54%) will serve 6 communities or more. Prior to this, districts were much smaller and every citizen was virtually assured of personally knowing a representative or at the very least, having easy access to voice concerns to the representative in their town. This means that the cost of campaigning will increase, it will be much more difficult to reach individual voters, and the voters themselves will not have as easy access to their representative in the House. This issue does negate one advantage of New Hampshire to the FSP (small districts easily won by liberty-minded candidates), although the fact that the NH legislature is the largest in the nation remains true.

Geography and Recreation

New Hampshire is bounded on the north by Quebec province in Canada, on the east by Maine and the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Massachusetts, and on the west by Vermont. Offering both coastal access and a Canadian border, New Hampshire is one of the strongest states being considered by the FSP in regards to its geographic location. It is undeniable that isolation could play a large part on the steps that the federal government may take to suppress the free state. The importance of both coastal and international access cannot be understated. If secession were to become an issue, coastal and international borders would be critical.

New Hampshire is a small state, about 180 miles long and 50 miles wide, although the extreme width is 93 miles. The coastal area is approximately 18 miles. While New Hampshire clearly does not offer the "wide open spaces" of the west, it is reasonable to expect that a successful FSP effort in New Hampshire would "spill over" to its neighboring state, Maine, or perhaps Vermont, giving us the "space to grow" that so many advocate. In the early stages of the FSP, the small geographical size of NH may also prove to be an advantage, facilitating the ability of FSP members to easily meet and work together. It should also be pointed out that most New Hampshire towns are small, rural towns, no different than any other state being considered. The difference is, and this is a potentially important one, that while the towns are similar to those in many other considered states, we do not have vast open spaces of **federally claimed** land between them. I think there is a lot of misperception about crowding among those who have never visited the New England states. While I agree that there are areas of New Hampshire that are somewhat crowded, for most regions, this is simply not the case. For that reason, I will go into some detail describing the various regions of New Hampshire.

With its seacoast areas and beaches, 1,300 lakes and ponds (covering 115,000 acres - the largest, Lake Winnipesaukee, is 22 miles x 8 miles), 40,000 miles of rivers or streams, and the White Mountains, New Hampshire offers virtually every possible recreational activity within very scenic surroundings. Boston, Massachusetts is only a short commuting distance for those free staters desiring access to a major metropolitan area (for example, it is only 55 miles from my home in the Seacoast Region) or a major international airport.

For those who enjoy wildlife or hunting, New Hampshire is home to more than 500 species of vertebrate animals, including black bear, coyote, bobcats, moose, white-tailed deer, and beaver.

The Seacoast Region

New Hampshire's 18-mile coast offers history, culture, and beauty. Private and public beaches can be found in Hampton and Rye. Ferry rides to the Isles of Shoals, deep sea fishing, and whale watching cruises are popular with both tourists and locals. Many lobsterman operate off the New Hampshire coast. Live lobsters are available virtually everywhere and we usually feast on them at least once each summer. My husband enjoys going out deep sea fishing with his friend who owns a charter fishing boat, helping out with the customers in return for filling out freezer with all the haddock, cod, cusk, tuna, and flounder we could want. The seaport city of Portsmouth is home to many shops, restaurants, taverns, and art galleries in the downtown area. Portsmouth offers Prescott Park, cobblestone sidewalks, and a picturesque harbor. My daughter and I enjoy going to Prescott Park for the outdoor, live theater productions put on each weekend throughout the summer. I've never been, but local bands often play in the park during lunch hour and on the weeknights.

Settled in 1693, the nearby town of Dover was New Hampshire's first permanent settlement and Durham is home to the University of New Hampshire. The town of Seabrook is best known for its nuclear power plant. A great deal of the surrounding inland area (including our town of Somersworth) is farmland and countryside. As with the rest of the state, many old buildings still stand as meetinghouses, covered bridges, and town halls. I once saw a family tree that traced my direct ancestors back to the Dover area in the mid 17th century. There is a lot of history here.

Dartmouth Lake Sunapee Region

The western border of New Hampshire is the Connecticut River and neighboring Vermont. This part of the state is best described as hilly, lush, and green, with many old barns, curving back country roads, and covered bridges. The region around Lake Sunapee offers golf, swimming, canoeing, fishing, and cross-country skiing. The lake is a favorite for fisherman of trout, bass, salmon, and pickerel. Hiking and biking trails up Mount Sunapee offer three-season recreation and the region is a favorite among many skiers and snowboarders in the winter. We have personally never done much more than drive through this region, but it is gorgeous.

The center of many towns, like Newport and Claremont, revolves around mills and churches. In Cornish you can find four covered bridges, including the longest wooden covered bridge in the United States, connecting New Hampshire with Vermont. Warner is the home of Mount Kearsarge, which rises 2,937 feet above sea level. The Blackwater River in Webster is known for its white water rapids.

The town of Hanover is home to Dartmouth College and New London is home to Colby Sawyer College.

North Woods Region

The North Woods of New Hampshire is the region that may be of the greatest interest to those Free Staters desiring space and solitude. You can drive for miles and not see another person in this region that is best known for its snowmobiling trails, deep forests, and moose sightings. Besides snowmobiling, this is a haven for those people interested in camping, hiking, boating, fishing, or hunting. It is quiet, serene, and secluded. It is home to towns like Dixville, where the first votes in the Presidential Election are cast and Colebrook, where hunting and fishing are primary recreational activities. The town of Pittsburg, is a favorite among snowmobilers and is also known for frequent moose sightings. My sister-in-law spent a weekend in Pittsburg last fall and said she could hardly believe all the moose.

Beginning where the White Mountain Region ends, the North Woods borders the Canadian Province of Quebec to the north, Vermont to the West, and Maine to the East. The Connecticut River begins in Pittsburg and breaks off into a group of lakes known as the Connecticut Lakes. Fishing is popular, with fish ranging from rainbow trout to salmon. Lake Umbagog on the Maine border is popular for smallmouth bass angling.

Lakes Region

The Lakes Region is most popular in the summertime, but offers something in every season, from skiing and ice fishing in the winter, to fall foliage viewing and antique shopping in autumn.

Towns in the region include places like Laconia, where the annual "motorcycle weekend" is held, an event that attracts 300,000+ motorcyclists from across the country. The town of Holderness and Squam Lake was made famous by the movie On Golden Pond. Plymouth State College is located in this region.

Of the 273 lakes and ponds in this area, Winnipesaukee, covering 72 square miles and up to 213 feet deep, is the largest and most popular. Boating, scuba diving, lake cruises, scenic rides, swimming, and antiquing are popular in this region. Surrounded by mountains, other lakes in the area include Newfound Lake, Winnesquam, Lake Chocorua and Ossipee Lake. This is a beautiful region and our family enjoys taking leisurely drives around the towns or boating on the lakes, especially in the summer and autumn. Truly, there is nothing so spectacular as a boat ride around Winnipesaukee in autumn. The colors of the foliage on the mountains surrounding the lake are incredible.

Merrimack Valley Region

The Merrimack Valley is named for the river that runs through it and is a popular recreation area for kayakers, boaters, and fishermen.

Manchester, the state's largest city, was at one time a mill town. Today, the mills have been refurbished to accommodate high tech industries, insurance companies, shops, and restaurants. Concord, the State Capital, also sits on the Merrimack River as do farm towns like Litchfield and the state's second largest city, Nashua.

The Merrimack Valley boasts New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon. There are several lakes in the area for swimmers and picnickers and covered bridges span smaller rivers in this region, like the Henniker Bridge at New England College. Farmers Markets, antique shops, and apple orchards are all easily sighted on a drive through this region. The town of Milford is well known for its wide variety of antique and craft shops. Not unlike most of the state, there are many places in the region to pick your own berries in the summer, and pumpkins or apples in the fall.

Monadnock Region

The Southwestern corner of New Hampshire, the Monadnock Region, is known for its hilly terrain, fertile farmland, antique barns, and two-hundred-year-old town halls, churches, and meetinghouses. Writers like Samuel Clemens, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Louisa May Alcott spent time in this region. It's the setting for Thornton Wilder's play Our Town. It's where the Yankee Magazine and Old Farmer's Almanac are published.

Fresh produce and maple syrup is available from roadside farm stands. Mount Monadnock is the second most climbed mountain in the world and there are multiple covered bridges in the region. The Connecticut River passes through the region and is a favorite fishing spot. Towns in the region include Keene, Hinsdale, and Chesterfield.

White Mountain Region

The White Mountains are home to New Hampshire's "Old Man of the Mountain" and hundreds of other natural attractions. This is the favorite region for hikers with more than 48 mountains reaching heights of more than 4,000 feet. The Appalachian Trail, beginning in Maine and ending in Georgia, winds through this region, through Crawford Notch, up the summit of Mount Washington and on to Pinkham Notch.

Scenic drives and the landscape are breathtaking in this region. Our family owns a (very) rustic mountain cabin in the tiny town of Gilead, Maine, bordering Gorham, New Hampshire, and spend many long weekends enjoying the scenery, attractions, snowmobiling, and skiing of this region. The entire White Mountain Region has some of the finest ski terrain in the east for both downhill and cross-country skiers. I can also personally attest to the abundant wildlife in the region. There are bear scratches on our cabin from the black bears trying to get in (luckily, never when I have been there, although Jim promises that they aren't aggressive to humans unless threatened!), the coyote in the distance have convinced me, more than once, to use the port-a-potty rather than venture to the outhouse in the night, and we've seen many white-tailed deer, moose, fox, and hare while on our way to or at our camp.

A popular trip in the region is a scenic byway known as the Kancamagus Highway, a 34-mile road that runs from Lincoln at the Pemigewasset River to Conway. Along the Kancamagus, many people stop at Lower Falls to climb on the rocks and slide on the natural water slide, created by slippery rocks and a deep basin of water that serves as a pool. There are numerous waterfalls along this road and others throughout the White Mountain region. Bear Notch Road, off the Kancamagus, is a shortcut to the town of Bartlett for those who do not wish to travel the entire byway. I will never forget coming around a corner on Bear Notch Road fifteen years ago and being surprised by a large black bear, sunning himself in the middle of the road. Bear Notch Road is closed to cars in the winter, but is a favorite spot for racing snowmobiles up and down the road.

Mount Washington is the highest mountain in the northeast at 6,288 feet. It is known for having the world's worst weather, with winds at times of well over 100 miles per hour during the winter. The Auto Road up the mountain is the oldest man-made tourist attraction in America.

The Old Man of the Mountain, one of New Hampshire's most famous landmarks, can be found in the town of Franconia. The town of Bath boasts the "oldest general store in the country" and has two covered bridges. Haverhill houses New Hampshire's oldest covered bridge still in use.

Climate

Like most New England states, New Hampshire is known for it's highly changeable climate where the weather can be warm and sunny one minute and cold and snowy the next ("Don't like the weather - just wait a minute!"). Each of the four seasons vary greatly in their daily temperatures and weather patterns. Climate variations are also due to distance from the ocean, mountains, lakes or rivers.

Month	Average High	Average Low	Mean	Average Precip.
January	29?F	7?F	19?F	2.50 in.
February	33?F	10?F	22?F	2.50 in.
March	42?F	22?F	32?F	2.70 in.
April	56?F	31?F	44?F	2.90 in.
May	68?F	41?F	55?F	3.10 in.
June	77?F	51?F	64?F	3.20 in.
July	82?F	56?F	70?F	3.20 in.
August	79?F	54?F	67?F	3.30 in.
September	71?F	46?F	59?F	2.80 in.
October	60?F	34?F	48?F	3.20 in.
November	47?F	27?F	37?F	3.70 in.
December	34?F	14?F	24?F	3.20 in.

Taxes

New Hampshire has a long history of shunning taxes. Proposal of taxes basically meant death to the campaign of whatever politician dared suggest them. To this day we have no sales tax and no income tax although to compensate, property taxes are relatively high in some areas. Retailers on the NH borders do really well from people crossing the border to avoid the high sales tax rates in the surrounding states. Unfortunately, we have had an ongoing problem in the state regarding funding of public education. Funding of schools on a local level by local property taxes (as had been done for as long as I can remember) was ruled unconstitutional. Currently this has been "resolved" by a statewide property tax and redistribution of funds, resulting in huge controversy between "donor" towns and "recipient" towns. There is a great deal of animosity over this issue, and even talk of secession by some of the donor communities. Although there has been a great deal of discussion about income and sales taxes, given the adversity of NH citizens to taxes, this does not seem likely. Whatever the ultimate "solution", there is likely to be a great deal of resentment and controversy surrounding it, a factor that could be an advantage to the Free State Project if we loudly promote our tax-free solutions to education.

I have a report titled "Where Taxes Are Lowest" published by Liberty Magazine; I just received my latest copy of the magazine (September 2002) and see that the report has been reprinted in it. Published in 2002, it ranks states using data from 2000. New Hampshire won the #1 spot of all 50 states when ranked as a percentage of gross personal income. New Hampshire is lowest at 4.54% followed by South Dakota (5.05%), Texas (5.09%), and Tennessee (5.52%). However, when taxes are ranked per capita, New Hampshire ranks #4 ($1,372), beat by the three previously mentioned states. This is a rather simplified summary of a detailed report, but ultimately, the author concludes that while he had rated New Hampshire as the champ for having the lowest taxes of all states in his last report, its increase in per capita taxes caused this rating to slip, to be beat out by South Dakota.

The bottom line: while New Hamphire is no longer the winner for lowest taxes, taxes are still much lower when compared to most states. Coupled with its long history of rejecting taxes, combined with low federal, state, and local spending as a percentage of gross state product (the best of all states under consideration), and low dependency rating on federal dollars (the best of all states considered), the Free State Project would be entering the state closest to its economic ideals and in which many of its citizens will be welcoming.

Jury Nullification

There was some talk on the FSP e-mail discussion list about New Hampshire being the only state to let all defendants expressly advise the jury of the right to acquit if they object to the merit, intent, or constitutionality of a law. Unfortunately, I researched this, and it is not true. Of course, juries in all 50 states have the right of jury nullification; the advantage would have been if New Hampshire expressly allowed defendants to advise juries of this. However, a bill for jury nullification did pass the NH House in 2000, 189-138, but was later killed in the Senate. Thus, while it was never enacted, there is some public awareness and legislative support surrounding this right.

Gun Laws

Our gun laws are probably average; definitely not as favorable as Vermont, but nowhere near as restrictive as Massachusetts. The New Hampshire Constitution, Article 2-a states: All persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, their property and the state.

My basic understanding is that anyone can carry an unconcealed weapon (open carry) and we have a "shall issue" regulation for concealed weapons permits. Basically, application is made to the mayor or chief of police and they are required to issue the permit within 14 days to "upstanding citizens" who state a valid purpose (hunting, target shooting, and self defense are cited as valid reasons). The only glitch we ran into when Jim applied for his permit is that our chief of police "required" him to submit to fingerprinting. He claimed that a whole list of other NH towns require this, but Jim called dozens of towns and this is simply not true. Although he was issued the permit, Jim (obviously) wants his fingerprints back on principle. Although he has met with the town manager and chief of police several times, this is still not resolved.

Homeschooling Regulations

In New Hampshire, those families wishing to homeschool must notify the district superintendent of their plans and provide written information about any correspondence courses, curriculum, and educational materials to be used. Parents are required to keep a log of reading materials and a portfolio of each child's work for the first two years. However, this portfolio is the property of the parent and the superintendent cannot require that it be submitted for review. Parents are also required to have their child's progress evaluated once each year by a certified teacher, through a national achievement test or state student assessment test, or any other measurement tool agreed on in advance between the parent and the superintendent. I am not familiar enough with the laws in other states to judge whether these regulations are more or less restrictive than others.

Agriculture

I know that there are many members of the FSP who are interested in homesteading and agriculture. Basically, the soil in New Hampshire is suitable for most fruits, flowers, and vegetables. The forests are made up of pine, spruce, and hardwood trees. New Hampshire is also famous for products made from the sap of the maple tree. These figures are ten years old (1992), but should still be fairly accurate. There are 3,100 commercial farms. Of 5.7 million acres, approximately 6.7% is currently used as farmland; 35.1% of this is cropland, 56.7% is woodland, 2.5% is pastureland, and 5.6% is categorized as other farmland. New Hampshire's agricultural industry is over $675 million. The state exports $20 million annually in food and agricultural products to international destinations.

Agricultural revenues

• Ornamental Horticulture: (One of the fastest growing segments) $380 million
• Specialty & Processed Food Products: (ice cream, yogurt, jams, baked goods, etc.) $125 million
• Dairy: (40+ million gallons of milk are produced each year on 190 dairy farms) $54 million
• Horses: $30 million
• Hay & Forage Crops: $27 million
• Vegetables: $20 million
• Livestock: $16.5 million
• Apples: (1 million bushels of apples annually) $9.5 million
• Christmas Trees & Evergreen Products: $6 million
• Berries and Other Fruit: $5 million
• Maple and Honey: $3.5 million

While not comparable to real farming, for those interested in gardening as a hobby, my experiences may be of interest. While I am uncertain about other parts of the state, here on the Seacoast I can usually start my raised-bed kitchen-garden with cold-hardy veggies sometime in mid-April (I've had success with peas, lettuce, and radishes as early as mid-March) and rotate crops through the season, winding down in late September or early October. While early or late frosts are sometimes a problem, I just keep an eye on the weather and cover everything with plastic sheets when I am concerned. This even protected my garden from a freak 6-inch snowstorm in mid-May this past year, the latest in history.

Property and Real Estate

This is difficult to summarize because, as it does everywhere, the price of real estate really varies depending on so many factors. However, some real estate summaries from 2001 can be found here. To get a better idea of what is currently available and prices, you can search here. Here, in the Seacoast region, property values are appreciating quickly, but I am uncertain if this holds true for the rest of the state.

Job Outlook

New Hampshire's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2002 was 4.2 percent, down 0.3 percentage points from the June rate. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2002 was 5.9 percent.

In July of 2002, non-farm employment of NH citizens was broken down as:

• Total All Industries: 626,900
• Total Private Employment: 551,200
• Mining: 600
• Construction: 28,900
• Manufacturing: 99,300
• Durable Goods: 72,600
• Nondurable Goods: 26,700
• Transportation & Public Utilities: 20,400
• Trade: 169,400
• Wholesale Trade: 33,200
• Retail Trade: 136,200
• Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate: 34,400
• Services: 198,200
• Government: 75,700

 

Many people, particularly here on the Seacoast, commute to Boston for work. Although he could easily find work in New Hampshire, for personal reasons, Jim works in Maine. The downfall of working in the neighboring states is that your income is subject to income taxes in that state. In recent years, in part based on employment outlook combined with low taxes (I would guess), Manchester and Nashua have been named "best place to live" by Money Magazine. Portsmouth also ranked highly. New Hampshire supposedly has the highest concentration of high-tech workers in the nation.

The two fastest growing jobs in the state, computer support specialists and systems analysts, are expected to add 4,000 jobs by 2008. Occupations in the professional, paraprofessional, and technical are expected to grow the fastest. Desktop publishing, database administrators, home health aides, instructional coordinators, physician assistants, computer engineers, medical assistants, and medical records technicians are the other fasted growing occupations. More than 105,000 new jobs are expected to be created in New Hampshire between 1998 and 2008; more than half of these will be in service industries. Employment in Belknap County is expected to grow faster than other NH counties. All of this and more, is summarized in a brochure here.

A detailed report on NH projected employment by industry and occupation to 2008 can be found here.

Overall, based on my review of the job outlook data, I believe that New Hampshire could (relatively easily) absorb and support 20,000 free staters moving in over a period of several years.

Small Business Friendliness

A report prepared by the Small Business Survival Committee indexes the states on how the state and local governments treat small businesses and entrepreneurs. Many factors were considered, including personal and corporate income tax, capital gains tax, state and local property taxes, crime rates, number of full-time government employees, and many more. Of the states, New Hampshire ranked #6, beat only by South Dakota, Nevada, Wyoming, Texas, and Florida. This ranking could be of primary importance to those free staters who choose to or need to start their own businesses as an alternative to finding new employment.

Low Crime Rate

New Hampshire boasts one of the lowest crime rates of all the states under consideration. Beyond stating this, the best I can do is describe our own experience. Even though we live in a relatively high population area, there is hardly anyone in out community who would worry about leaving doors unlocked while away for a few hours or even leaving keys in vehicles overnight. Basically, our neighbors keep an eye on our property and we keep an eye on theirs.

Universities and Colleges

For free-stater-students or parents who have children considering higher education, the choice of colleges and universities in New Hampshire may be of interest.

Besides the University System of New Hampshire and the Regional Community Technical College System New Hampshire offers:

Antioch New England Graduate School, Keene

Colby Sawyer College, New London

Daniel Webster College, Nashua

Dartmouth College, Hanover

Franklin Pierce College, Rindge

Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord

Hesser College, New Hampshire

Lebanon College, Lebanon

Magdalen College, Warner

McIntosh College, Dover

New England College, Henniker

New Hampshire Institute of Art, Manchester

Notre Dame College, Manchester

Rivier College, Nashua

Saint Anselm College, Manchester

Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester (formerly NH College)

Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, Merrimack

White Pines College, Chester

 

Summary

The statistics and objective data are well presented in the FSP state data. Thus, I have tried to focus this report on more subjective factors that may make New Hampshire an attractive state for the success of the Free State Project; I have also tried to be realistic and present some of the potential pitfalls. Yes, I am biased; there is nothing more that we would like to see than 20,000+ liberty-minded people move to our beloved state to secure a free society. However, the success of FSP is more important to us, and if another state is judged to be more suitable for the achievement of our goals, we are behind that decision 100%. Ultimately though, combining its high ranking in most of the objective data categories, its geographic advantages of offering both a seacoast and an international border, its possibilities for expansion into two neighboring states also under consideration by FSP (Maine and Vermont), its native culture historically known for orientation toward liberty, and its viability as a state where the immediate quality of life is likely to be most comfortable for free staters, we believe that New Hampshire should be considered one of the top contenders in the final decision.

Major sources for this report included: http://webster.state.nh.us/nhinfo/ and http://newhampshire.com/.

August 20, 2002

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the Free State Project, its Officers, or Directors.

State Report MT 3: 102 Reasons for MT

102 Reasons Why Montana Should be Chosen
as the Free State

by Heather James

• Making Government Work – Real Representation
  1. Montana has the country's largest-population Congressional district. This means that a population increase as few as 10,000 people will cause Montana to be split into two Congressional districts when redistricting is done after the 2010 Census, just about the time we would be ready to run a candidate in a no-incumbent race for a federal House seat, giving us the best chance of adding to the pool of freedom-loving Congresspeople.

  2. At least two Montana libertarians are currently serving in state government. State Senator Jerry Neill and State Representative Joe Balyeat are both libertarian members of state government, elected on the Republican ticket. There are others, as well, but these two gentlemen spoke at the Grand Western Conference in Missoula, MT.

  3. The current governor, Judy Martz, enjoys only an 18% approval rating with her constituents. Because of this, she is considering not running for re-election. Currently, there are no Republican prospects to replace her, leaving a void in Montana's Republican party which could possibly be filled by a freedom-loving candidate, especially with the help of the FSP.

  4. The Montana Constitution includes the following clause:

     Section 2. Self-government. The people have the exclusive right of governing themselves as a free, sovereign, and independent state. They may alter or abolish the constitution and form of government whenever they deem it necessary. This makes it clear that power in Montana belongs to the people, who may even abolish the state government as they deem necessary.

  5. At least 1% of Montana's House, and 2% of Montana's Senate, are libertarians NOW, although they were elected on the Republican ticket.

  6. Montana has citizen initiative referenda.

  7. Montanans can recall state officeholders.

  8. Montana has term limits. This leaves government seats without incumbents, which will make it easier to get freedom-minded people elected to state office.

  9. Montanans can even change their Constitution by citizen initiative.

  10. Montanans can even use citizen initiative to call a Constitutional Convention.

  11. In Montana, the legislature meets for only 90 days every two years. Both state senators and state representatives serve two-year terms, which means that they are going to stand for re-election after only one legislative session. Therefore, everything they do in every session of the legislature is going to be scrutinized by their constituents at election time. This should have the effect of keeping the wishes of their constituents prominent in the mind of each state senator and state representative.

  12. Residency requirements to be a state senator or state representative in the state of Montana are easily met, even for relative newcomers wishing to run for office. A candidate must be 18 years of age. He must have lived in Montana for at least one year, and lived in the district in which he is running at least six months. Montana voter registration law is in the process of being changed to allow registration at the polls on election day.

  13. For those who are concerned about ballot fraud, 20 of Montana's 56 counties offer voting by hand-counted paper ballots:

      Beaverhead, Blaine, Carter, Chouteau, Daniels, Garfield, Golden Valley, Granite, Judith Basin, McCone, Meagher, Petroleum, Phillips, Powder River, Prairie, Sweet Grass, Teton, Treasure, Wheatland, and Wibaux.

      Many of these counties are within reasonable commutes of the bigger towns, but none of them have populations over 10,000. 16 of the 20 have populations under 5,000, making them good possibilities for the county-sized prototypes that are favored by some. Beaverhead County, with a population of 8,790 (2000 Census) is larger than New Hampshire.

  14. Montana's legislature has a fairly high amount of turnover, due to short terms and term limits. Turnover in 2002 was 24% in the House, 36% in the Senate. This factor will contribute to the ease of electing porcupines to the Montana Legislature.

  15. Montana has banned punch-card voting machines, a voting method shown by the 2000 elections to be particularly fraud-prone.

  ... 15 total reasons

• Small is Beautiful, When It Comes to Government
  1. Montana's laws are written in such a way as to provide incentives for local governments to disband. Incorporated towns receive no tax money from the state, while unincorporated places do. A few years ago, Butte, the fourth largest city in Montana, decided to completely disincorporate, meaning that the lowest level of government in the area is the Silver Bow County government. This means there is an incentive to have fewer layers of government to deal with.

  2. Montana has relatively small state level legislative bodies, meaning that we don't need to get very many people elected in order to gain real influence at the state level. Montana has 50 state senators, and 100 state representatives.

  3. Both Montana Senate districts and Montana House districts are population based. This means they are concentrated in the towns, providing a number of fairly compact districts for those who think distance is a major concern in campaigning.

  4. Montana has a number of very small-population counties (under 5,000 people), for those who want to try to gain major influence in a county-sized area first.

  5. Montana's state Legislature meets for only 90 days every two years, meaning that, the vast majority of the time, the state's legislators are in their districts, living their real lives, working their real jobs, and available to their constituents.

  6. Montana is in the process of deregulating the electricity market, thereby reducing government's size and influence in this essential market sector.

  7. In the 2002 election, Montanans voted to keep government smaller by voting against the notion of state government acquiring and operating currently privately-owned hydroelectric dams within the state.

  ... 22 total reasons

• To Serve and Protect – Only
  1. Montana has restricted law enforcement jurisdictions. Municipals have jurisdiction only within their municipalities. Sheriffs are restricted to their own counties, and the Montana Highway Patrol numbers under 200 officers, to provide 24/7 coverage over a state the size of Germany. Their jurisdiction is restricted to the highways only.

  2. Probable cause or a search warrant (equivalent to home search standards) is required to search a person's vehicle. For our purposes, this means that, unlike the lower threshold allowed in other states, in order for a police officer in Montana to search your car, he has to have a reason that meets the standards for getting a search warrant.

  3. Montana has few law enforcement officers as a proportion of the population. There is only one Montana police officer for every 512.6 Montanans. For comparison purposes, Washington, DC, which has the most police per capita of any state-type region in the country, has one law enforcement officer for every 53.9 residents. For Montanans, and Porcupines, this means the Montana police do not have time or resources to spend bothering people for trivial reasons.

  4. Montana law requires that all who are in police custody be read the "Miranda" warning.

  ... 26 total reasons

• Montana – A Sovereign State
  1. There exists in Montana an active culture of resistance to government overreaching, with such activities as reopening federal forest roads being not at all unheard of. This shows that Montanans are willing to be activists for freedom.

  2. Missoula, Montana, has refused to enforce the parts of the USA-PATRIOT Act that infringe on the rights of citizens.

  3. Montana did not ratify Prohibition, nor did Montana law enforcement enforce Prohibition within Montana's borders.

  4. The Montana Constitution includes the following clause:

     Section 33. Importation of armed persons. No armed person or persons or armed body of men shall be brought into this state for the preservation of the peace, or the suppression of domestic violence, except upon the application of the legislature, or of the governor when the legislature cannot be convened.

     This has been used, in the recent past, to limit federal law enforcement incursions into the state, a fact which has been credited with being responsible for the group known as the Montana Freeman being arrested (by the Montana police, who wished to prevent another Waco-type incident), without a shot being fired. This means that Montana does not feel that the feds have the unlimited right to do as they please in Montana, or to Montanans.

  5. A resolution has been passed by the Montana legislature requiring federal law enforcement that wishes to do anything in Montana to act through the appropriate local sheriff. The intention is to eventually give this the force of law. This tends to signify Montana's sovereignty as a state, as well as its willingness to stand up to the feds, a quality that the Free State Project will eventually find useful.

  ... 31 total reasons

• Property Rights, Upon Which All Other Freedoms are Based
  1. Montana has banned future federal purchase of state lands. This shows a desire to reduce federal land ownership within the state.

  2. Montana has few land use planning ordinances, zoning laws, or building code or permit laws, which shows a respect for the right of a citizen to use his property as he sees fit.

  3. Montana state law requires the majority of citizens living in an area that a municipality wishes to annex, to vote in favor of the annexation before it can take effect. This indicates that Montana does not allow municipalities to have power over those who do not live within their boundaries.

  ... 34 total reasons

• Upholding the Second Amendment
  1. Montana has exempted itself from the federal Gun Free School Zones Act, denoting both Montana's support of the Second Amendment and its willingness to defy the feds when necessary.

  2. Montana does not require a concealed carry permit, unless you wish to carry a firearm concealed under your clothing, in town. The state of Montana does not consider such things as a lady's purse or a backpack to be clothing, so carrying a weapon in one of them does not require a permit.

  3. It is legal in Montana to carry a loaded, concealed weapon in one's vehicle, whether or not one has a concealed carry permit.

  4. The Montana Constitution contains the following clause:

     Section 12. Right to bear arms. The right of any person to keep or bear arms in defense of his own home, person, and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but nothing herein contained shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons.

  5. In the state of Montana, you cannot be held criminally or civilly liable for a crime committed with your gun after it has been stolen from you.

  6. An amendment to the Montana Constitution providing for the right to hunt, in addition to the Second Amendment, and the related clause of the Montana Constitution, will be on the next ballot as a referendum question for the citizenry.

  7. Over 90% of Montana homes contain firearms, with one informal poll setting the average number of firearms per home as high as 27. This testifies to the staunch support of Montanans for the right to keep and bear arms.

  8. While Montana schools are not required to teach firearm safety, they are encouraged to do so. The Montana Shooting Sports Association often provides materials to schools for this purpose. Schools are also encouraged to have team participation in the shooting sports and many do.

  9. The Montana legislature has actually declared an official, yearly, Right to Keep and Bear Arms week.

  10. Montana has banned nuisance lawsuits against gun makers. Actual product liability suits are still allowed, of course.

  11. There are no Montana state laws regarding machine guns and silencers. Only relevant federal laws apply in Montana.

  12. Montana has gotten a grade of "F" from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence every year since at least 1997, the earliest year for which I saw data. This can easily be seen as a good marker of Montana's respect for the rights of citizens to be armed. If they were consistently getting a good grade from the Brady Bunch, I would be very worried.

  13. The Montana Legislature has passed and sent to Washington, DC, a resolution urging Congress to repeal the Brady Act.

  14. Local governments may not pass gun laws in Montana, with the exception of laws regarding the discharge of firearms within city limits.

  15. The Montana Legislature passed and sent to Washington DC, House Joint Resolution Number 12, the brief summary of which follows:

      HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 12 INTRODUCED BY D. FUCHS, BALYEAT, BOOKOUT- REINICKE, EVERETT, FISHER, GALLUS, GILLAN, HAINES, HAWK, HEDGES, JACKSON, LAKE, LANGE, MAEDJE, MATTHEWS, MENDENHALL, MOOD, MORGAN, A. OLSON, PETERSON, RICE, ROSS, B. RYAN, SALES, SCHRUMPF,STEINBEISSER, STOKER, B. THOMAS, TROPILA, WAGMAN, WITT

      A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA EXPRESSING A RECOGNITION BY THE PEOPLE OF MONTANA THAT INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES, ACTING TOGETHER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL A ND IN SUPPORT OF OUR MILITARY FORCES, ARE THE SOLE EFFECTIVE MEANS OF THWARTING TERRORISM IN THESE UNITED STATES;

      ASSERTING THAT FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUALS WILL NOT BE PRESERVED BY THE TRANSFER OF POWER FROM INDIVIDUALS TO GOVERNMENT IN THE NAME OF FIGHTING TERRORISM; AND ENCOURAGING CONGRESS TO PASS AN ACT THAT SUPPORTS AND AUTHORIZES INDIVIDUALS TO INTERDICT TERRORISM WHEREVER IT MAY OCCUR ON THE SOIL OF THE UNITED STATES, RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIVIDUALS HAVING TOOLS TO FIGHT TERRORISM, REMOVES CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY FOR ACTIONS TAKEN TO INTERDICT TERRORISM, AND CREATES A REWARD FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO PLAY AN EFFECTIVE PART IN PREVENTING TERRORISM AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.

      The full text of the Resolution is available here: www.sierratimes.com/03/04/09/articlemt.htm

  ... 49 total reasons

• Taxes – Reducing the Pain
  1. Montana is one of the few states in the country to, in the current economic situation, slash income and capital gains taxes. The highest income tax bracket has been cut from 11% to 6.9%, while the capital gains tax has fallen from 11% to 4%

  2. Montana has no sales tax.

  3. Montana's property taxes are very low – sometimes as low as $1 per acre.

  4. Montana has a "Tax Me More Fund" to which those who think taxes are not high enough are welcome to contribute.

  5. Montana does not require any vehicle safety or emissions inspections, and the price of license plates decreases as the age of the vehicle increases.

  ... 54 total reasons

• Montana Is a Good Place for Business
  1. In Montana, anyone who holds a liquor license may open a casino that has 25 gambling machines or less. Other forms of gambling, such as blackjack or poker tables are also allowed in the casinos.

  2. Any business owner who wishes to pay the $250 fee can obtain a liquor license. No other restrictions apply.

  3. Montana state university professors do not have tenure. Their contract must be renegotiated every four years.

  4. During the most recent legislative session, the Montana legislature unanimously abolished the minimum wage for home health care workers. This action argues that the government of Montana realizes that minimum wage laws harm, rather than help, the employment market.

  5. Montana has no less than 18 breweries. I'm not a beer drinker, but those that the man of the house sampled ranged from drinkable to "pretty decent". He was not, unfortunately, able to make a full sampling, so I regret that this is but a partial report.

  6. Taverns in Montana may serve liquor from 8 am till 2:30 am. They do not need to close at that time. They merely have to stop serving liquor for 5 ½ hours.

  7. Shooting ranges may only be forced to close due to proven safety defects, and then only after the owner, given opportunity, has failed to correct them. Ranges may not be forced to close due to noise, claims of lead or copper pollution, zoning, population encroachment, or other reasons.

  ... 61 total reasons

• Lived Freedom and Personal Responsibility in Montana
  1. Montana has no obscenity law, or other restrictions on the First Amendment. This signals Montana's belief that people can be responsible for what they, or their children, read or see.

  2. Montana has no open container laws. The state of Montana trusts that you are responsible enough to drink while driving without being drunk while driving, which is illegal.

  3. Montana's homeschooling laws require only that a parent notify the local superintendent of schools that the children of the family will be being homeschooled. There are no testing or parental education requirements.

  4. Montana has few anti-nudity laws, instead placing faith in the individual to know when it is appropriate to wear clothing.

  5. The Montana Supreme Court has ruled that no locality may have obscenity laws that are stricter than the state's law, which does not exist.

  6. The Montana Supreme Court has ruled that no locality may have smoking laws that are stricter than the statewide ones.

  7. Montana was the last state to enact an age limit for buying cigarettes, and did so only under federal pressure.

  8. Montana has no laws barring minors from being in casinos or bars. They trust parents to decide what is best for their children.

  9. Montana state law makes it illegal to arrest a publicly intoxicated person unless he is actively endangering himself or others. Being drunk is not a crime in Montana. Only doing illegal things while you are drunk is.

  10. There is little enforcement of polygamy or prostitution laws in Montana. In fact, Butte had an established brothel in operation, from the turn of the 20th century, until 1982. Today, it is the Dumas Brothel Museum.

  11. Montanans may obtain a drivers' license at the age of 15. As far as I can find out, Montana does not have the increasingly popular in other states "graduated licenses" for young drivers. Again, Montana trusts parents to guide their youngsters and realizes that a parent best knows what kind of driving their teenager is responsible enough to handle.

  12. Montana has no motorcycle helmet law for adults.

  13. If you live below the poverty level in Montana, the state would rather help you to provide for yourself than give you handouts. To this end, laws regarding hunting seasons and licenses do not apply to those living below the poverty level, so the poor person who is willing to do some work can have a freezer full of wild game.

  14. Montana has legalized the commercial production of hemp within the state.

  15. Montana officially recognizes the therapeutic value of marijuana. Their current law is written in such a way that, if the feds authorize the use of marijuana as a prescription drug, it will automatically become legal for therapeutic use in Montana.

  16. Montana does not require a social security number to obtain a drivers' license, which, of course, helps protect the privacy of their citizens. The only other Free State Project candidate state that does not ask citizens for a social security number to obtain a drivers' license is Vermont.

  17. Game lawfully killed in Montana immediately becomes the property of the hunter, who may do with it as he sees fit, including storing it, transporting it, using it, contributing it to charity, etc.

  18. Harassment of those involved in lawful hunting activities is against the law, with the second offense being a felony.

  19. Montana allows both a religious and a medical exemption to childhood vaccinations.

  ... 80 total reasons

• Montana, Truly the Last Best Place
  1. Montana has its own railroads, including some passenger touring service. These railroads are privately owned, and are profitable.

  2. Montana has its own TV network.

  3. Montana can be self-sufficient in food. In fact, Montana is a net exporter of food. Montana's treasure trove of natural resources, allowing it to be self-sufficient, or nearly so, place it in a better than average position from which to bargain with the federal government, when the time comes.

  4. Montana is also set up to process its own food for sale, with its own slaughterhouses, butchers, and canneries.

  5. Montana is also a net energy exporter. State laws are written in such as way as to encourage independent energy use by individuals.

  6. Three major transcontinental fiber-optic cables cross Montana, meaning high-speed internet access is available. Indeed, high-speed internet is available in some places where grid-supplied electricity is not!

  7. Missoula, Montana has the highest number of both published writers and bookstores per capita of any city its size in the country.

  8. Because the air in Montana is very low in humidity, the cars do not rust. I saw little hatchbacks from the early eighties that I know, from personal experience, are rustbuckets, driving around without a speck of rust on them.

  9. Montana is bordered on three sides by other FSP candidate states (ID, WY, SD, and ND). It is bordered on the north by the most freedom-oriented Canadian provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia). This would give a Montana-based-FSP friendly neighbors, as well as room to expand into a huge Free Region.

  10. Montana has a healthy and varied mining industry, and is a net exporter of metals.

  11. Montana has its own steel refineries.

  12. Montana both pumps and refines oil.

  13. For the airborne among us, Montana has 15 state-owned airports, 118 public-use airports, and 350 private-use airports. Subdivisions made of 20-acre plots that have an airstrip for the use of the residents of the subdivision are not uncommon.

  14. For those to whom proximity to a major city is important, there are places in extreme western Montana that are no farther from Spokane, WA, than Cheyenne, WY, is from Denver.

  15. Montana places third of our ten candidate states in terms of expected job growth.

  16. Montana has the most privately and locally owned land of any of the ten candidate states.

  17. Montana has lots of space. 53 of Montana's 56 counties are larger than the state of Rhode Island.

  18. Two of our nation's most important river systems, the Columbia and the Missouri, have their headwaters in Montana.

  19. Montana is growing fast enough that the FSP migration will not put a strain on its resources, but not so fast that they will pass the upper population limit for a candidate state before the end of the migration time.

  20. Montana's cost of living, at 95% of the national average, is 3rd lowest among the candidate states.

  21. Famous Montanans include the rock band Pearl Jam, Evel Knievel, Gary Cooper, comedian Dana Carvey, actress Myrna Loy, actor Dirk Benedict ("Face-man" on the A-Team), actress Martha Raye, actor George Montgomery, filmmaker David Lynch, economist Lester C. Thurow, author Will James, author Dorothy Baker, and Jeannette Rankin, the first female member of Congress.

  ... and, finally, Reason 102:

  102. To paraphrase Quincy OrHai, Montana is a place where people live because they want to, because they love Montana and its culture. The goals of the Free State Project seem perfectly fitted to enhance, rather than change the culture Montanans love. We will be a good fit there, with our goals matching the desires of many Montanans.

---

My thanks to: Michelle Dumas, whose idea I borrowed (and my apologies to her for criticizing the way she posted her Reasons, as it was the best possible way), Heather Duncan and Corey Brenner, for editing and guidance, Quincy OrHai for providing contact information, manning the phone, and printing some of the reasons as part of Montana's ballot insert, and all those who are too many to name that provided links and data that went into this list.

For more information about Montana, visit freestateproject.org, check out groups.yahoo.com/groups/FreeMontanaProject, or call 1-866-LIVE FREE.

You can also consult the following individuals in Montana:

• Quincy OrHai and Rae OrHai (citizens, goat ranchers and liberty activists) Bozeman 406-586-7926
• Representative Joe Balyeat (State Legislator, Libertarian / Republican) Bozeman 406-586-1838
• Senator Jerry O'Neil (State Legislator, Libertarian / Republican; Sec. MT Libertarian Party) Kalispell 406-892-7602
• Gary Marbut (President Montana Shooting Sports Association) Missoula 406-549-1252