By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD – Gov. Kelly Ayotte said the state is going out to bid on leasing the rest areas at Hampton. She said she will not support an increase in highway toll rates. And citing separation of powers, declined to comment substantively on a NHPR report last week that indicated Supreme Court Justice Gordon MacDonald helped orchestrate a $50,000 payout for a key ally and co-worker.

Meeting with reporters in her office after a four-hour Executive Council meeting, she said she was pleased that the state was able to pass a contract to step in to help those who stand to lose SNAP benefits if the federal budget shutdown continues into November.

The $2 million approved by both the Executive Council Wednesday and the joint legislative fiscal committee on Tuesday will allow the NH Food Bank to distribute food to the 75,000 estimated SNAP eligible households and its buying power will maximize the value of that funding along with the state stepping up its mobile food pantries to areas of most critical need.

She said the state will do what it has to do to get people through a federal shutdown that could impact the most vulnerable.

JUDICIAL BRANCH PAYOUT

Last week, New Hampshire Public Radio published a story https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2025-10-23/new-hampshire-judicial-branch-supreme-court-whistleblower-complaint-gordon-macdonald-nhdoj that indicated an unnamed whistleblower complained that Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald helped orchestrate a payment for Dianne Martin, his former chief of staff while Attorney General who moved with him to the high court when he was confirmed.

The almost $50,000 payout came after she left one job and took another position two days later. This is in the midst of a state budget crisis.

Asked if she had spoken with the public integrity unit at the Attorney General’s office and might want to see a further investigation into what happened, Ayotte said this is obviously a separate branch of government “so I would refer you to the Attorney General’s office for any questions on that.
“I would just say this: Everyone in government, every branch has to follow the laws and the rules and I want to make sure that happens but again the personnel, with respect to the judiciary, is handled by the judiciary,” she said.

Ayotte said she learned about the matter through the media.
“The chief justice runs the judiciary. He’s the head of the judiciary so I didn’t have any knowledge of this because I don’t run the personnel on the judiciary.”

ROUTE 95 REST AREAS GO OUT TO BID
After withdrawing a plan earlier this year to sell two pieces of land in Hampton along Interstate 95 and redevelop the rest areas and state liquor stores on both sides of the highway, the governor said she would prefer the state lease the properties like they do on Route 93 in Hooksett, thereby controlling what goes in there, the messaging, revenue and act as a true host to travelers.

She confirmed that on Tuesday the state liquor commission has issued requests for proposals and requests for qualifications for bidders which is here https://gov.liquorandwineoutlets.com/notice/state-of-new-hampshire-invitation-to-proposal-for-ground-lease-contract-in-hampton-nh/
The plan is for the proposals to be graded and that there will be five finalists.

Ayotte said the process will move as quickly as possible and wanted there to be a lot of bidders.
“We would love as many proposals as possible to be considered because that is such a strategic location. It’s a gate. It’s such an important piece for New Hampshire where you are right on that border, thinking about going to Maine and I think it would be a wonderful opportunity for the state to promote New Hampshire.

“Also there will also be revenue gain from it. But one of the things I love about the way we have done the rest areas in New Hampshire is that it is a very New Hampshire solution. You go into the rest area and you can tell you are promoting New Hampshire. There is a visitor center right there and a person right there. You’ve got the liquor stores right there but you also have a lot of New Hampshire products. So my hope in the end is that this is a wonderful opportunity for New Hampshire not only to raise revenue but to do it in a way that promotes New Hampshire and New Hampshire vendors.”

She said she thinks that the revenue numbers could be even higher than Hooksett and is “optimistic about the location.”

She said the best part is that the state will continue to own it and that will be an income source in perpetuity.
Ayotte compared New Hampshire’s rest area to the New Jersey turnpike.
She said not only are New Hampshire’s rest areas clean but they are personalized to the state while other states’ rest areas are not.

NO TOLL INCREASES
While the state Department of Transportation considers its next 10-year highway plan and estimates it is short about $400 million there have been some who have raised the idea of increasing toll revenue to meet the need.

The governor said she does not support a toll increase.
“We are not going to put a burden on drivers for a toll increase,” Ayotte said. “Families are struggling.”