NH House and Senate Democrats Respond to Governor’s Budget Address

February 14, 2018 Contacts: Sara Persechino, Michael O’Brien Phone: (603) 271-3479, (603) 271-0515 Email: sara.persechino@leg.state.nh.us, mike.b.obrien@leg.state.nh.us

NH House and Senate Democrats Respond to Governor’s Budget Address

Concord - Today Governor Sununu unveiled his budget for fiscal year 2020 and 2021. Following the governor’s budget address, Senate and House Democrats released the following statements:

“We commend the governor on his call today to move Granite Staters with severe mental health issues at the Secure Psychiatric Unit from the state prison to the state hospital grounds and his proposal to increase funding for New Hampshire crisis centers that support survivors of domestic violence. However, there are critical issues facing Granite Staters that Governor Sununu’s budget proposal does not adequately address, or mention at all, including efforts Senate Democrats have led on this session like fully staffing DCYF, addressing New Hampshire’s emergency room boarding crisis, and meaningful property tax relief. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to fill these holes in the budget,” said Senate President Donna Soucy.

Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes added: “Today’s budget proposal makes Governor Sununu’s priority clear--he’s more focused on handouts for corporations with out-of-state headquarters than providing meaningful municipal property tax relief to hardworking Granite Staters. Democrats in the House and Senate are working hard to reverse this trend by suspending and stabilizing business tax cuts and diverting those revenues to much needed revenue sharing with cities and towns. The governor’s budget proposal sends millions to the rainy-day fund, but it’s a rainy day right now for New Hampshire’s vulnerable children and Granite Staters suffering from mental health issues and the opioid epidemic are counting on the Legislature to address these short-term, chronic issues now.”

“In order to make New Hampshire a place that works for all Granite Staters we must prioritize education, property tax relief, and a paid family and medical leave plan that ensures no Granite Stater is forced to choose between financial security and caring for a loved one. The governor's speech failed to fully address any of these areas. Twenty years ago the property tax burden was approximately fifty percent of the total tax burden for Granite State families. Today it has increased to almost two-thirds. That is not sustainable. We should be prioritizing the hardworking citizens of this state and not big business from not out-of-state as the governor's budget laid out today,” said House Majority Leader Doug Ley.

“The governor’s budget address completely omitted any mention of New Hampshire’s ongoing opioid crisis. It is irresponsible to leave out this critical issue and a complete oversight to fail to include the current bipartisan efforts to address this epidemic, and our state’s mental health crisis, by increasing provider reimbursement rates for mental health services and substance use disorder treatment which will ensure Granite State families are able to get the help that they need, and New Hampshire providers can afford to deliver that vital care,” said Deputy Speaker Karen Ebel.