Governor Craig Benson has vetoed the 8.8 billion dollar state budget. Benson also vetoed a companion bill containing fee increases and other law changes tied to the budget. New Hampshire Public Radio?s Josh Rogers has more.
The Governor Delivered his vetoes before a crowd that spilled out of the executive council chambers. Benson said this very public display was proof he?s a politician capable of delivering on his campaign promises.
?We need to change some thing around this state?..and the first thing we need to do is we need to live within out means?.just like every NH family needs to do??This budget does not do that. I?ve made that plain and clear?..And I?m honored to be able to veto that and sent a message to those who want to maintain the status quo that that?s not acceptable behavior anymore.?
The vetoes were hailed by the 20 or so of mostly freshmen lawmakers who stood behind Benson as he wielded his veto stamp. Bill Field of Pembroke said he shares the Governor?s belief that the legislatures budget would lead to a future deficit of more than 200 million dollars??Field added that he?s convinced government bloat has already claimed the granite state?s foremost emblem of traditional self-reliance.
?I think the old man of the mountain?..crumbled in tears from watching his people not stand up against adversity without turning to concord every 2 minutes?.I think the governor feels the same way?..and I?m very happy that he vetoed it this thing that is so much overspending?..That?s not what we came here for.?
More practiced statehouse hands, however??tended to look askance at Benson?s decision to hold what many were calling a veto party. Democratic State Senator Lou D?Allesandro?s has been in public life for more than 30 years??.He said Benson?s decisions on the budget mark an historic low.
?You know I?ve been around government a long time and when government takes upon itself a circus atmosphere?..I think what you do is denigrate what government is all about?.And I find that totally unconscionable to do what he did today?.And do it in the environment in which it was done.?
Others, like Senate majority Leader Bob Clegg, said they are convinced Benson?s actions are driven solely by self-interest.
?What is he doing? This is not the campaign trail. This is the business of keeping people running and supplying the services that are necessary. Not only necessary but we are legally required to do that.?
For his part, Governor Benson says the vehemence of critics has only strengthened his resolve that he?s that on the right track.
?Sometimes pioneers get some arrows?.And we?re trying to make change. And if people are going to call me names than so be it were still going to do what?s right by the people.?
And at the moment, the Governor says doing right means averting a government shutdown should the legislature fail to override his vetoes??and opt not to adopt a continuing resolution.
?We have every contingency going?..I will not shut down government. I don?t think it?s right to put the State employees in that position. I don?t think it?s right to put the citizens of the state in that position.?
To mitigate the possible effect of doing just that, Benson has asked department heads to come up with ideas to help keep the state functioning should the budget impasse continue??Benson has also scheduled a meeting of the executive council for Monday afternoon. At that time, Benson could ask the council to call the legislature back into session?..It would then fall to Benson to convince lawmaker to give him emergency spending authority. If that were to fail?.??.Benson?s options are limited to asking the legislative fiscal committee for money to pay for bare-bones state services like state police, prison guards?..and staff for the state hospital and nursing homes. Lawmakers will vote Monday -- the last day of the fiscal year -- to override Benson?s vetoes.
