Governor John Lynch was sworn in yesterday for a second term.
After kicking off his inaugural address with a characteristic call for bipartisanship, the Governor outlined more specific goals for the next two years.
Prime among them, is a possible school funding constitutional amendment.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers reports.
Governor Lynch starts his second term with record popularity, Democrats controlling state government and a full plate of pressures. The Governor began his address by asking lawmakers and top state officials to meet these with shared purpose.
"We will not always agree, but we are united in our love for New Hampshire and its people. That common devotion is stronger than anything that can divide us. Together, together we can rise to meet the expectations of our citizens."
And one of those expectations, Lynch continued, is that the state help pay for schools - within certain time-tested parameters.
"The people on New Hampshire have spoken clearly. They believe as I do that the state has a responsibility for education. They believe as I do that the state should meet that responsibility without fundamentally changing our tax structure, particularly without a sales or income tax."
Lynch went on to say he'd be open to what he calls a narrow constitutional amendment. One that would to make it easier to target educational aid.
"Not an amendment that allows the state to walk away from its responsibility for education, not an amendment to take the courts out of education. But instead, an amendment that affirms the state's responsibility for education and allows us to direct education aid to children and communities that need it the most."
The Governor's talk of education wasn't confined to how to pay for it. He placed new emphasis on his plan to raise the dropout age from 16 to 18. To expand vocational and alternative education options. He also mentioned bolstering early learning, and early intervention programs and kindergarten as long-term strategies for decreasing dropout rates.
Together, we will make it possible for every child in New Hampshire to graduate from high school.
Lynch didn't offer detail on how the state might pay for such things, but he did pitch them as part of a broader goal of helping New Hampshire families and workers - though relaunching a job training fund, expanding the children's health insurance program, and increasing the likelihood of welfare recipients finding jobs by improving childcare and transportation options. The governor punctuated this portion of his address with a promise brought the day's most prolonged ovation.
"Many of our families in New Hampshire are working hard just to get by. To pay for food, housing and childcare there is often not enough to pay for the basics - let alone the extras. Let's us finally do the right thing and increase the minimum wage."
The Governor further promised to get tough on internet sex offenders, and create a crime commission to make what he termed concrete reccomedations to boost public safety. On the environmental front, Lynch pledged to ban the burning of construction and demolition debris, and to develop a state policy on groundwater. The governor also said the state should recommit to the Lchip conservation program. More detail on Lynch's proposals will emerge in the coming days. His next formal speech to lawmakers comes in February, when he will propose his next two year state budget.
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