Taxes, spending and vastly different views of the state's financial future are front and center in this year's gubernatorial race.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers has more.
Pledging to veto new broad-based taxes has long amounted to standard practice for most NH governors……But unlike any of his predecessors in the corner office -- Craig Benson has augmented what is commonly known as the pledge to include vetoing all new taxes or tax increases of any kind…….The governor stresses as much at every campaign appearance.
"I am not open-minded to any new taxes. We will live within our means we will live within the budget that has been set forth by the taxpayers of NH."
Democrat John Lynch also promises to steer the state with what he calls a strong fiscal hand -- but for him the standard pledge is enough. The same one the same one issued by such self-styled Republican tax fighters as Mel Thompson, Judd Gregg and Steve Merrill.
"I have said I will veto a sales tax, or an income tax. I would accept a modest increase to the tobacco tax -- and I don't believe there is a need for additional revenues."
When asked specifically about other taxes, Lynch declines direct comment……Instead……he says the irresponsible fiscal leadership of the Benson administration make it impossible to know the size of the deficit New Hampshire could face during the next biennium -- making it foolish or worse to make Benson-style promises.
"Craig Benson has proposed to slash benefits and services to the state of NH 10 percent across the board, and I believe that's fiscally irresponsible…..And I want to get in and work with the agency heads and identify with them our goals and priorities and zero base those budgets to achieve the goals and objectives that we set forth as a state."
The Benson campaign, meanwhile, claims John Lynch's has already laid out objectives -- for children's health care, environmental protection, and school funding, that, according to the governor, would create a deficit that is nearly half as large as the total current budget. The Lynch camp dismisses that accusation, calling it as "phony as the numbers in Craig Benson's own budget." Lynch adds he is ready to join lawmakers and state officials to make the hard budget decisions he says are in store. The Benson campaign claims the Governor already has such budget issues well in hand. Benson spokesman Keith Herman.
"The Governor has asked his department heads to put together a plan - that's in the works right now. He's also going to recommend implementing the suggestions of the efficiency commission. It's an easy problem for us to fill."
Estimates for the looming deficit range from 100 to 300 million dollars…..When the current state budget was passed the governor promised the state would end the biennium with a at least a 70 million dollar surplus……Despite deep skepticism of most budget watchers and the GOP controlled legislature, the governor has said that promise still stands.
