New Hampshire Budget

A Day After Casino Vote, Senate Rejects Steady Stream Of House Priorities

Todd Bookman — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:02:11 +0000

A day after the New Hampshire House voted down a Senate-backed gambling bill, it was the upper chamber’s turn to weigh in on some key House legislation.

And there may have been some tit-for-tat.

The GOP majority quickly snuffed a House bill calling for a $0.20 increase in the tobacco tax.

Estimated Tax Revenues Continue To Stir Budget Debate In Senate

Todd Bookman — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:19:41 +0000

While work on the state’s next two year budget continues in the Senate, the Medicaid Enhancement Tax (MET), a levy on hospital revenue, still sits in the spotlight.

MET collection is $34 million short of estimates for this fiscal year. In Monday's Senate Finance Committee meeting, lawmakers expressed concern about overly optimistic forecasts for the next two year cycle.

Senate Takes A Look At $2 Billion Budget For DHHS

Todd Bookman — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:07:31 +0000

Senate budget writers turned their attention Monday to the state’s biggest agency, the Department of Health and Human Services.

The proposed budget for DHHS comes in at just more than $2 billion. It seeks to restore the CHINS program and increase payments to hospitals for uncompensated care.

The budget also lays out $24.5 million over the next two years to shore up the state’s troubled mental health system.

Senator Lou D’Allesandro questioned if the state can wait that long for a fix.

Commissioner Nick Toumpas replied there really is no choice.

Hassan Goes Way North And Promises Economic Development Funds

Chris Jensen — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:50:57 +0000

If the Senate bill that proposes a single casino in the state becomes law it “would dedicate millions of dollars per year directly to North Country economic development,” Governor Maggie Hassan said during a speech Thursday night before the North Country Chamber of Commerce.

That would spur business and job growth “helping us attract new companies by marketing the North Country’s advantages to businesses in Canada and elsewhere,” she told about 125 people at the Log Haven Restaurant on lonely Route 26 in Millsfield, about 145 miles from Concord.

Crunching The Numbers To Governor Hassan's Budget Address

Laura Knoy — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Yesterday, Governor Maggie Hassan presented her priorities for state spending. It was a long list that included more funding for mental health, higher education, state troopers and a new women’s prison. On the funding side – Hassan proposed a higher tobacco tax and Casino Gambling. But not everyone agrees that the numbers add up. We’ll look at the details and where the budget battles go from here.

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