Now that Gov. Maggie Hassan has vetoed the Republican-backed state budget, she wants lawmakers to get right to work on a new one. But when a new two-year spending plan will be crafted is the latest matter of debate.
Meeting with reporters Thursday, Hassan reiterated her concerns with the proposed business tax cuts, which she said will result in deep revenue losses and put a heavy burden on future budgets. But the cuts are something Republican leaders said they will not budge on, making it a real sticking issue come negotiation time.
Hassan said she hopes negotiations will start immediately. “I urge the legislators to meet with me as soon as possible so we can begin discussions on how we can build the kind of budget that is critical to our economic future,” she said Thursday at the State House.
However, Republicans have a different timeframe in mind.
“Everybody should probably take a breather through the 4th of July and reassess where we are,” Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley said Thursday.
And earlier this week, House Speaker Shawn Jasper said he doesn’t expect to begin in earnest until October, after summer revenues come in.
In the meantime, a temporary spending plan based on 2015 funding levels will go into effect starting July 1.
