The top budget writer in the NH senate is signaling that the spending plan the senate will craft will be vastly different than the one adopted by the NH house. Republican Chuck Morse of Salem says the house and Governor both inflated revenues for number of state taxes. Morse sees the state’s tax on hospitals, knows as the MET, as a prime example.
“On the MET tax alone, the house numbers are off considerable, I mean that’s off 200 million. The senate has voted in committee on the cigarette tax in committee, that’s 40 million, and you have to figure that’s probably matched by federal money, so you have to think it’s probably over $300m.’
Morse says republican-controlled senate will not include tax increases in its budget, but says he hasn’t ruled out increasing some fees. Morse is co-sponsor of the bill to allow a casino in southern NH. The house did not include licensing fees from that casino in its spending plan. The senate will hold a 4-hour public hearing on the budget Thursday.
