By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD – Gov. Kelly Ayotte told reporters in her office Wednesday afternoon she is looking forward to getting out and doing a lot of grassroots campaigning for reelection and said she is among many who are looking forward to an end to the legislative season Thursday.

She said there were some good things that came from this legislative session including changes to the law that will make it less likely for drivers to refuse testing for whether they are operating under the influence of alcohol.

Ayotte stressed the open enrollment bill which lawmakers are expected to act upon Thursday when they meet for the last time this session has received a lot of negative feedback from across the state and maintains that it is not ready for passage.

What she said she has been hearing is that what has passed in a committee of conference between Senate and House leaders would negatively impact funding and flow of students.

“It really needs a lot of thought,” Ayotte said of the open enrollment concept.

She said she has always been supportive of students being placed in the right setting but there is a lot more work needed to be done on this measure.

“The (negative) feedback we got was from throughout the state,” Ayotte said, noting she thinks it is important that this work be done outside of Concord.

Going forward on the subject of education she said she wants to work on reading and math scores and increasing the state’s results.

Ayotte said she is currently working on a reading initiative and wants to do the same for math.

She said New Hampshire scores are among the highest in the nation “but we could be stronger.”

Another area she said the state needs to focus on is career technical education.

Asked about the lack of support from the executive council to move her nomination of Michelle Edmark forward to be assistant corrections commissioner, Ayotte she said she worries that this will have a negative impact on others who consider applying for state positions.

“I want the best people to serve. She had a very good experience,” she said of Edmark. “It is very important that people get a fair shot before the executive council because how can I attract? If they feel they are going to get jammed up…and it’s a political process rather than a qualification process….I am hoping that is not a trend,” Ayotte said.

As for the state’s right of first refusal for purchasing the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters tract, Ayotte said she is looking at the issue with the Attorney General and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources as it would cost the state $68.7 million.

Ayotte said there is the cost issue but other considerations include maintenance of the land and roads and the local tax issue, and the loss of benefits to local communities.

“We are in that review period,” she said, noting the state has 45 days to act on a right of first refusal.
“Even if we don’t exercise our right, we do expect the purchaser to abide,” by existing easements, and agreements forged including allowance for timber harvesting.
“That’s non-negotiable,” Ayotte said.