Governor Craig Benson is mounting a counter-offensive to blunt public criticisms of his proposed budget. Benson says he wants to get out of Concord and take his message directly to the people.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers has more.
Governor Benson launched what he calls his kitchen table tour with a stop in Pembroke. Benson said he plans to spend more time explaining his budget at chambers and forums, on radio shows and before newspaper edit boards. The Governor says as much is necessary, because as he put it, the budget "is very, very detailed."
"And not everyone understands it. And let me give you a specific example. I ran into a woman in the hallway who expressed to me some concerns she had about the disabilities...the mentally disabled...and I explained to her I put three million dollars extra in the budget for that particular purpose and she was unaware of that. She was unaware that I had put some money in the budget for grants to get more social services in the state. And when she came to me she was a bit frustrated in the budget...When she left she was like, "this is terrific that you are doing all this stuff." So I think there is some misinformation out there because there is so much information in the budget."
"The problems start with the Governor's misinformation."
That's Democratic state senator Clifton Below.
"In trying to claim that he's adding three million dollars for services with adults with disabilities when in fact he's cutting more than that. He takes away more than three million dollars and then he puts three million dollars back in."
Below says Benson's budget will add to the state wait list for services for people with developmental disabilities.
"The wait list will actually grow under his funding plan. And that's what health and human services testified to."
In testimony before the Joint legislative finance committee, last week, Health and Human services officials said Benson's budget will indeed lengthen the disabilities wait list...Which now stands at 370.
