The New Hampshire house yesterday passed a 2.7 billion dollar general fund budget that does not include a proposed 39 cent hike in the cigarette tax. House GOP leadership says the budget is a responsible proposal that can fund state services and avoid a threatened veto from Governor Craig Benson. But Democrats and some moderate Republicans say the budget will cut crucial state services and hurt those most in need.
House lawmakers today chose what republican leaders claim is a middle way between two plans crafted by the house finance committee ?.. The leadership plan passed by vote of 238 to 142??.It?s apparent popularity derived from the fact that it included no new taxes?..but restored 32 million in proposed cuts to state employee retirement?..and 4.5 million dollars to nursing homes. New Hampton Republican Fran Wendleboe insisted the budget is far from miserly.
"The budget spends 8 percent more than the current bieenium. I don?t think that?s a bare bones budget. That?s living within our means and building in an increase that?s consitance with inflation."
Opponents, however, were far less sanguine. They described the leadership plan as being over-reliant on rosy projections and mean spirited. The objections started with the way leadership decided to reject the work done by the finance committee. Amherst Republic Paul Spiess.
"House can we week after week be told to support eh committee than at the 11th hour be asked to ignore their recommendation?.Where is our confidence in the system. Where is our integrity?.Where is our self respect."
And Spiess wasn?t alone in asking his colleages to frame their budget vote in moral terms. Others claimed it was simply wrong to underfund programs for the devlelopmentally disabled??cut 7 million dollars from the judical branch budget??and reduce by 3.4 million dollars, funding for the department of corrections. House Democratic leader Peter Burling urged lawmakers to consider what he insisted would be the budgets end result..
?..It is not anything but a plan for pain and malfeasance. It is a disgrace. I beg you, vote no on this budget."
But most on the other side of the asisle were more willing to take a wait and see approach?..This view was perhaps typified by House finance chairman Neal Kurk?.Last week Kurk supported raising the cigarette tax?.That changed when leadership stepped in....Yesterday, Kurk told lawmakers they should be similarly willing to accept the vicissitudes of the budget process.
"When this budget comes back from the senate most of the numbers we see in itin it will change. So if any of you are hitching you stars to a particular number in teh budget I suggest you go to church and get down on you hands and knees, because when this does come back from the senate many of the numbers will be changed."
