And we must remember that this was never Shaheen's tax to begin with. It is one, certainly, that she signed into law. But it is only the one that the state Legislature cooked up after dragging their collective feet long after a court-imposed deadline. So, it seems to us much too simple to say that Shaheen's weak showing in the Seacoast is a direct reaction to the property tax situation although that was certanly part of it. Perhaps Shaheen's people would like the perception that the only reason people liked Fernald was their attraction to his property tax, but that is just a distraction from other political problems Shaheen may have.
Democratic principle is another.
No, it seems to us that Gov. Shaheen was being sent a message by a lot of Seacoast Democrats, the most steadfast in the state, that she has forsaken them. She needs to find the proper language to bring these Democrats back into the fold. We have already said that we feel Gordon Humphrey's philosophical stand it isn't really a plan regarding how he would fund the schools will not work. But his commitment to avoiding an income tax and his willingness to abandon the statewide property tax is a powerfully attractive message in a state where both are anathema. So now New Hampshire has two candidates that have no commitment of any kind to a new tax.