I was amused by a recent letter to the editor in the New Hampshire Business Review, written by former Orford resident Arnie Arnesen, that asks, “What better time than now to question New Hampshire’s political shackle known as ‘the pledge’?”

Arnesen, now of Concord, continued, “The 50-year-old tax pledge, concocted by two reactionary conservatives, represents the ‘for me, not you’ mentality that prohibits healthy and constructive growth.”

Arnesen must have missed all the great news of the recent record-breaking growth and prosperity, with an all-time record of those employed, under Gov. Chris Sununu and President Donald Trump just before the coronavirus hit our economy.

The only reason I’m responding to her letter is that she is calling out my late father, former Gov. Meldrim Thomson, who served New Hampshire for three terms, from 1973 to 1979. He is not here to defend himself, and I know he would have done a much better job than me.

Yes, it was my father who galvanized “the pledge” in New Hampshire. Every governor since then, Democrat or Republican, has taken “the pledge” to get elected, except for when Gov. Jeanne Shaheen ran for a third term and refused.

Shaheen won her third term, but her push for a statewide sales tax went down in defeat on the morning of April 19, 2001. I believe my dad waited until the sales tax was defeated before he passed away that afternoon.

“The pledge” my father believed in was very simple. As a candidate for governor, you should be honest with the voters and tell them, yes, I support a sales or income tax (or both), or no, I don’t. My father always opposed a sales and income tax and was famous for his slogan, “Low taxes are the result of low spending.”

Because of “the pledge,” we have the “New Hampshire advantage” of no sales or income tax. And because of that, folks from our neighboring states flock here to purchase everything, which brings in millions upon millions of dollars to our state’s economy. In addition, many move here to enjoy the low-tax environment.

My father left a record during his three terms that most elected officials could only dream of: Had a surplus every year as governor. He had a “AAA” state bond rating, which was the best in New England. And New Hampshire had the lowest unemployment, the lowest gross state debt and the lowest state and local taxes per capita in New England.

Remember, in 1992, Arnesen ran for governor as a progressive liberal and refused to take “the pledge.” She lost to Republican Steve Merrill, who took it and won more than 56% of the vote to Arnesen’s 39.95%.

Then, in 2002, Democrat Mark Fernald also refused to take “the pledge” and supported an income tax. Republican Craig Benson took it and won 58% of the vote to Fernald’s 38%.

To me it seems pretty clear that not taking “the pledge” is a good way to get less than 40% of the vote in New Hampshire.

Arnesen once again is wrong. If you want to be a New Hampshire governor, be sure to take “the pledge” and promise the taxpayers that you will veto a sales or income tax if it comes to your desk as governor.

If you do, then everyone will enjoy the New Hampshire advantage.

Tom Thomson is a tree farmer who lives in Orford.