State Budget

On The Political Front For June 10

Josh Rogers — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:08:16 +0000

It's committee season at the State House, as the legislative year nears its end. In the next couple of weeks, the budget will be getting the most attention, with some contention over Medicaid expansion, school building aid, charter schools, and personnel cuts. Other bills to watch for include medical marijuana and voter ID. US Senator Kelly Ayotte announces she supports a bipartisan immigration bill.

On The Political Front For June 3

Josh Rogers — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:16:44 +0000

The NH Senate will be voting on its budget this Thursday; their plan calls for $10.7 billion in spending over two years, coming just under the House's budget, which calls for $11b, but doing it with large policy differences. One of those differences is Medicaid expansion, which the Governor and House favor. Looking forward to the 2014 US Senate election, in which incumbent Jeanne Shaheen is expected to run for re-election, Jim Rubens has been added to the list of possible Republican contenders, along with Jeb Bradley, Frank Guinta, and Scott Brown.

Friday New Hampshire News Roundup - Week of May 27

Laura Knoy — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:00:45 +0000

The Republican-led State Senate gets closer to a final budget, while carving out a deeper divide with House Democrats. Also, new challenges for President Obama’s Affordable Care Act in the Granite State. And a makeover for the Hooksett I-93 rest areas as a well-known New Hampshire restaurateur gets the bid.

Guests:

Norma Love, Statehouse reporter for The Associated Press.

Budgetary Back And Forth

Laura Knoy — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

The House has rejected revenues from the Senate’s gambling bill while Senators have said no to higher taxes on gasoline and cigarettes. Meanwhile Governor Hassan says she still wants to fund her priorities but after these votes, finding that money will be difficult and cuts may in store. We’ll examine how it might all play out.

Guests

On The Political Front For May 13

Josh Rogers — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:09:21 +0000

The New Hampshire House makes its first key vote as the casino bill is voted on by a supercommittee comprised of the House Finance and Ways & Means Committees; various amendments will be considered on Tuesday, with a committee vote and recommendation coming Wednesday. The New Hampshire Senate, meanwhile, continues to work on its budget, and the Senate Finance Committee prepares to hear from some of the larger state agencies - Health & Human Services, Transportation, and Environmental Services - on their budget needs.

Friday NH News Roundup - Week Of May 6

Laura Knoy — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Today on The Exchange, it's our Friday New Hampshire News Roundup. We're looking at some of the top stories of the week, from the one public hearing held on the state Senate's budget, to the House's hard look at the Senate casino bill, and the removal of "grow your own" policy from the medical marijuana bill.

Guests:

Kevin Landrigan - Longtime political reporter for the Telegraph of Nashua.

On The Political Front For May 6

Josh Rogers — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:17:34 +0000

With April being a big month for state revenue, New Hampshire could end the biennium in the black; things are looking tougher for the casino proposal, as the legislature continues to work on the budget; Senator Ayotte held a handful of town halls meetings last week, getting questions and a bit of backlash on her gun control positions.

On The Political Front For April 8

Josh Rogers — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:23:59 +0000

The House passes their budget, which does not include gambling, but funds some of Governor Hassan's priorities, such as mental health and higher education; the budget-writing process now moves to the Senate, where it is likely to see numerous changes; the Senate hears several high-profile bills this week, including a reinstatement of the state minimum wage; Scott Brown announces he "would not rule out" a Senate run in NH.

On The Political Front For April 1

Josh Rogers — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:58:37 +0000

The House votes this week on their State budget bill; an as-yet-introduced amendment to the casino bill seeks to limit any future casino from competing with the Verizon Wireless Arena with a large audience entertainment venue; gambling looks to have staying power in the legislative budget process.

Green Business Initiative Sees Rewards, But Faces Challenges

Amanda Loder — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

A taxpayer-funded eco-business program is paying off for New Hampshire. The Green Launching Pad at the University of New Hampshire has given grants to more than a dozen start-ups in the state. But it hasn’t awarded any new funds since last year.

On The Political Front For March 4

Josh Rogers — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:48:36 +0000

Votes are expected in the House this week on whether the state will allow the building of one casino, as outlined in Governor Hassan's budget, and the proposed raise to the gas tax; The House Finance Committee gets to work on the budget.

In Budget, Hassan Lays Out Priorities

Josh Rogers, Emily Corwin, Sam Evans-Brown and Todd Bookman — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:05:13 +0000

The governor’s budget address is the starting point for the months of wrangling and compromises that will eventually determine where the state will spend its money.

In the budget released today Governor Hassan spelled out her priorities in key areas like education, healthcare and infrastructure.

On Education

Restoring cuts to the state’s public universities was a centerpiece of Maggie Hassan’s campaign for governor, and Education was at the center of her speech.

Hassan Makes Pitch For Raising Cigarette Tax

Amanda Loder — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 22:13:55 +0000

Governor Maggie Hassan is looking to raise New Hampshire’s cigarette tax. In her state budget address, she pitched a 30-cent increase as good public health policy.

“New Hampshire has the highest youth smoking rate in the Northeast, with 19.8 percent of high school students who smoke cigarettes," Hassan said. "Cigarette taxes nationwide have proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent youth smoking.”

She also said it will raise $40 million in revenue without compromising cross-border sales.

Governor's Budget Would Restore LCHIP Funding

Sam Evans-Brown — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:33:07 +0000

Governor Hassan’s is proposing the state restore funding to Environmental groups’ first priority: the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program. The $4 million dollars a year for LCHIP comes from fees tacked generated by certain real-estate transactions. It’s supposed to go into a dedicated fund used to put land and historic building into preservation.

Hassan Makes Case For Casino In Budget Address

Amanda Loder — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:39:04 +0000

Governor Maggie Hassan used her budget address to propose a new, high-end casino.

Governor Hassan’s budget banks on this casino generating $80 million in licensing fees. And she said the state is already dealing with the social costs of gambling allowed in other states, without benefiting from the revenue.