For the first time in more than 20 years the biennial tug of war over the state budget came to a gubernatorial veto. According to Governor Craig Benson, lawmakers� 8.8 billion dollar spending plan is irresponsibly large. GOP leaders in the legislature say otherwise. And later today � on the last day of the fiscal year � lawmakers will gather to try for an override
When he wielded his custom made, size XL veto stamp last week, Governor Benson said he came to Concord to because government needed to change��The governor added that his veto simply reflects the will of the people.
�Sometimes doing what�s right isn�t the easiest thing to do��Sometimes it�s easier to just go along with the status quo. That�s not why the people of NH sent us here�..And I for one can�t wait to take this and do something that needs to happen.�
Benson further insists lawmakers budget will create a future state deficit that will top out at more than 200 million dollars��and ultimately lead to an income tax�.But according the Republican leaders from both chambers�..Benson�s pronouncements are those of demagogue and not a leader.�..They maintain that any future deficit would more likely be about half of what Benson claims. And not necessitate levying any new broad based taxes�.. Dick Green, chairman of the senate finance committee, points out that only about 60 million dollars separates lawmakers� budget from what Benson said he�d tolerate � that�s a reletive drop in the bucket in a package that spends 8.8 billion dollars. And Green says the only barrier to compromise is that Benson has put his personal ambition before the needs of the people.
�It�s amazing to me that the Governor does not understand that 235 house members and 20 senators are all wrong and he�s right. And there is a vast vast majority of us that believe that his position is absolutely incorrect. This debate is designed for this governor to take his position so that he can run for office next time�and it�s not good for the Republican Party and I think it�s sad that we are having this discussion.�
But when it comes to the survival of the Benson veto it�s not house �not the senate -- that will likely prove decisive�..That�s because unlike the senate, in the house it�s uncertain if there are enough votes to reach the 2/3rds majority needed to override. On Friday, House speaker Gene Chandler declined to predict any outcomes��Instead Chandler expressed confidence that the house is capable judging the budget and Benson�s claims on their merits.
�We do have a 2 year budget�..It�s a balanced�..We will have to make some tough decisions in the next two years��But two years ago everyone was talking dire straits about what was going to happen now� �Oh there�s no way we're going to be able to solve it and this and that��It�s all part of the rhetoric.�
That said��as the house vote grew nearer the rhetoric and lobbying efforts continued to build�..Dover Representative Phyllis Woods is a supporter of the Benson veto and lead vote counter for the conservative house republican alliance. Woods predicts that conservatives need to pry around 20 votes from away from house leadership�.to sustain the veto. Woods says that�s doable.
�There has been a lot of pressure from leadership�.And that�s the way the game is played. But I think that we have some people who are principled and courageous and are going to take a stand because that�s the right thing to do.�
The projected tightness of today�s vote also gives democrats a crucial role to play. House democratic leader Peter Burling says he�s going to make sure every possible member of his caucus votes to override�..And Burling believes the 118 members of the minority party will in fact hold the key if the legislature hopes to carry the day.
�We�re a feisty bunch��We�ve got something and we are going to be the decision makers.�
But lawmakers aren�t the only ones mounting a final push��Governor Benson is also going all out��His office says the governor has personally called more than 100 republican lawmakers to shore up support��Governor Benson also used an op-ed in yesterday�s union leader�.to ask the public to call lawmakers on his behalf. At the same time, Benson is also promising that a sustained veto does not even raise the possibility of a government shutdown. That claim has been met with skepticism by some lawmakers��But the governor has several times reiterated his intent to keep government running even if the state has no legislative authority to pay workers.
�I will not shut down state government I don�t think it�s right to put the state employees in that position and I don�t think it�s right to put the state in that position.�
Meanwhile, State Employees association President Paul Stokes says he too, wants to ensure government doesn�t shut down. But he says the best way to do that is to override the Benson veto��To that end, Stokes and other union members have also been working the phones. Stokes says union has also directed members to report to work Tuesday whether or not a budget is in place�. �..But as of Saturday afternoon, Stokes said the governor had yet to deliver any written assurance that employees who work without a budget will ultimately get paid�or retain insurance and workers comp coverage.
�It�s troubling�..but once again the only communications we�ve has is from the newspaper and we�ve requested formal notification in writing to the exclusive bargaining representative of the employees and haven�t gotten it yet.�
Stokes say the SEA will demonstrate outside the statehouse before today�s vote��.Some Supporters of the Benson veto had wanted to stage a counter demonstration�..but lacked the necessary permits�..Lawmakers are scheduled to take up the override later this morning.
