North Country legislators were almost evenly divided about whether to override Gov. Lynch’s veto of a bill that would give tax credits for businesses that make donations to not-for-profit schools.
As NHPR has reported Lynch said “the proposed bill would siphon public money away from public schools and give it to private ones. He said the budget gaps the plan would create would have to be covered by increases in local property taxes.
“The bill’s supporters - including its prime sponsor, Republican Senator Jim Forsythe of Strafford - dispute the Governor’s claims. They say the bill would provide low-income students with more choice of where to go to school.”
The legislature did override Lynch's veto.
The vote in the Senate was 16 – 7 with Sen. John Gallus, a Republican from Berlin, voting with the majority.
The House voted 236 to 108 to override the veto.
North Country representatives who voted to override the veto were:
* Lyle Bulis (Republican) of Littleton
* Duffy Daugherty (Republican) of Colebrook.
* Edmond Gionet (Republican) of Lincoln
* Larry Rappaport (Republican) of Colebrook
* Herb Richardson (Republican) of Lancaster
* Gregory Sorg (Republican) of Easton.
* John Tholl (Republican) of Whitefield
* Marc Tremblay (Republican) of Berlin
North Country representatives who voted to uphold Lynch’s veto were:
* Gary Coulombe (Democrat) of Berlin
* William Hatch (Democrat) of Gorham
* Evalyn Merrick (Democrat) of Lancaster
* William Remick (Republican) of Lancaster
* Kathleen Taylor (Democrat) of Franconia
* Robert Theberge (Democrat) of Berlin
* Yvonne Thomas (Democrat) of Berlin
North Country reps excused from voting:
* Stephanie Eaton (Republican) of Littleton
To see how legislators voted on other issues go here.
