Lawmakers Reach Accord On Budget

By Josh Rogers on Thursday, June 19, 2003.

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House and senate negotiators agree on a new state budget. The deal cuts about 50 million dollars from the package passed by the Senate, but remains about 50 million dollars more costly than what Governor Craig Benson has said he'd be willing to tolerate.

New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers has more.

The compromise essentially split the difference between the budget plans passed by the house and senateï¿½...With the house ceding ground on the budgetï¿½s bottom lineï¿½..and the senate relenting to deeper cuts at the department of heath and human services. According to deputy house speaker Mike Whalley, lawmakers have balanced real state needs with fiscal realities.

"I think that this truly provides the services that for our citizens that they expect us to provideï¿½ï¿½and weï¿½ve done it without a tax increase or a new tax and a key element for house members is there will be a surplus so if things donï¿½t work out quite as we expect there we have a cushion. "

Opinions from other conferees varyï¿½ï¿½Manchester Senator Lou D'allesandro says he wished the compromise could have preserved all of the senateï¿½s funding for heath and human servicesï¿½ï¿½In all, 20 million dollars got strippedï¿½That means staff cutsï¿½ï¿½as well as the elimination of all anti-tobacco programsï¿½ But overall, D'allesandro believes the senate did a good job holding the line on Medicaid provider paymentsï¿½ï¿½and protecting whatever else it could.

ï¿½I mean the house was looking for draconian cutsï¿½..We werenï¿½t willing to do thatï¿½And sure you move with trepidation when you do look like thisï¿½..because you are talking about the lives of people and thatï¿½s very seriousï¿½.concern and a serious considerationï¿½.. But by the same token inactivity produces a void and who fills that void.ï¿½

If Dï¿½allesando seems to hope the compromise might avert the possibility that the budget will ultimately bend to the will of Governor Bensonï¿½..Others, particularly some house conservatives, freely admit they think lawmakers have lost control and want Benson to veto the budget should it be adopted. New Hampton republican Fran Wendelboe says as it stands nowï¿½.the budget is irresponsible.

ï¿½Itï¿½s too much moneyï¿½.Too much one time moneyï¿½.Itï¿½s irresponsibleï¿½.Other states are making hard choicesï¿½ï¿½we are notï¿½..We cannot sustain this level of growth without a major broad based tax.ï¿½

And for his part, Governor Benson has stressed the very same argument ever since the senate passed its original proposal. On Tuesday, the Governor promised to veto any budget that didnï¿½t exceeded the funding levels recommended by the houseï¿½ï¿½And yesterday, Benson legal Counsel Kelly Ayotte indicated the Governorï¿½s bottom line hasnï¿½t changed.

ï¿½He said I donï¿½t know if it looks like the house budgetï¿½..but it better.ï¿½

Legislative leaders on both chambers say they hope Benson proves a bit more flexible should the compromise clear the legislature next week.ï¿½ï¿½House leaders say theyï¿½d urge the governor to look at the budget as more than simply a numberï¿½ï¿½.Meanwhile, Senate finance chairman Dick Green says Benson would be wrong to consider the compromise an act of defiance.

ï¿½Weï¿½re not looking for a vetoï¿½.weï¿½re not looking for an overrideï¿½..weï¿½re not looking to shut down governmentï¿½..Weï¿½re looking to be responsible and do the right thing and take care of running the state in a professional and proper way.ï¿½

Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the budget next Tuesday.