Where Does Speaker O'Brien Vacation? Pictures of the Speaker's Exclusive Island Property Enclosed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, July 01, 2011

 

Media contact:

Zandra Rice Hawkins, (603) 892-2150

 

WHERE DOES SPEAKER O'BRIEN VACATION? PICTURES OF THE SPEAKER'S EXCLUSIVE ISLAND PROPERTY ENCLOSED

 

Speaker O'Brien enjoys an island paradise while jeopardizing decent jobs and homes for thousands of Granite State families

 

CONCORD, NH - Today, July 1st, marks the first official day of vacation for the State Legislature, and the beginning of a new budget that promises to devastate essential services and jobs throughout the state, throwing thousands of families into concern over their economic stability.

 

While some Granite Staters will be more concerned about keeping a roof over their head than whether and where to take a vacation this summer, Speaker O'Brien faces neither problem. According to his financial reports, NH Speaker of the House Bill O'Brien maintains a private vacation home on the Virgin Islands. [1]

 

"La Sirena ("The Mermaid") is a rare property, located in a truly off-the-beaten path gem of a spot overlooking the sparkling Caribbean waters of Kiddel Bay on the quiet, southeastern shore of St. John, a 15 minute drive from charming and quiet Coral Bay.  It is at once startlingly secluded and stunningly luxurious."

 

The three bedroom, three bath home is "surrounded by National Park land" and is a "5 minute walk to the beach at beautiful Kiddel Bay." Two master suites, cathedral ceilings, a private pool, outside bar and several other features characterize the Speaker's island property.

 

A slideshow of the vacation home can be found here:

http://www.windspree.com/home.php/18/La%20Sirena%20

 

O'Brien uses Windspree Vacation Homes to manage the home as a rental property during the year when his family isn't using it.  Weekly rates for the vacation home range from $2,275 during the winter months to $3,395 a week during the warmer season.

 

In contrast, the new budget passed under the Speaker's leadership completely abolishes the Unemployed Parents (UP) Program, which provided direct assistance and employment training to more than 250 families and 562 children in which both parents are unemployed or under-employed. The cash assistance portion of the program ranged from $675 per month for a family of 3 to $798 per month for a family of 5, to pay rent and help provide for other basic needs while allowing the family to stay intact.

 

The amount for one family of five for one month equals about 25% of the cost to rent Speaker O'Brien's ocean villa for just one week this summer.

 

"Families in New Hampshire are drowning in debt trying to hold onto their homes and their future, meanwhile Speaker Bill O'Brien is swimming in luxury in an off-shore paradise," said Zandra Rice Hawkins, director of Granite State Progress. "The failed policies coming out of Concord these days will cost more families good jobs and a decent living. The severe budget cuts and the attacks on the middle class are nothing to the man who drives a Mercedes and owns luxurious vacation property, because he is only concerned with protecting his own lavish lifestyle."

 

Despite the severe cuts to services and jobs, the Speaker pushed for corporate tax breaks - the House passed more than $80 million in corporate tax giveaways in just one day this year.

 

Previously, Granite State Progress released images of the Speaker's Mercedes-Benz, after the Speaker tried to suggest that a reckless cut in the state's gas tax was needed for families with "financial limits" like his.

 

A video about the Speaker and his vacation home can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/granitestateprogress

 

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[1] Financial Filing: http://www.sos.nh.gov/14-B%20Legislative%202011/N-O.pdf (pages 15-16)

 

[2] Rental Property: http://www.windspree.com/home.php/18/La%20Sirena%20

 

Granite State Progress is a progressive advocacy organization that addresses issues of immediate state and local concern. Granite State Progress works as a communications hub for the progressive community to provide a strong, credible voice in advancing progressive solutions to critical community problems.