InDepthNH.org (https://indepthnh.org/category/politics/page/162/)
Political news for New Hampshire and beyond.
The current House budget plan will eliminate hundreds of positions in the Department of Health and Human Services to save $50 million over two years, add $11 million to level fund the university and community college systems, eliminate state water treatment grants, and use $100 million in general fund money to replace the same amount of money collected by statewide education property tax for one year.
With little fanfare, budget writers decided to alter Gov. Chris Sununu’s plans for merging the state’s two higher education systems.
A former National Education Association-NH lobbyist once told me “Never underestimate the New Hampshire Legislature’s proclivity to be cheap.”
Many questions and concerns need to be addressed before finalizing a merger between the state’s two higher education systems, according to a legislative sub-committee.
Once again, the Senate voted down an attempt to raise the state’s minimum wage along party lines Thursday.
Down party lines, the Senate approved an expansive school voucher bill Thursday that would allow parents to use state education aid for a wide range of alternative educational opportunities for their children.
The chair of the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees painted a very bleak picture of the future of higher education in the state on Wednesday.
“Stop telling us how broke we are,” said Dr. Debbie Opramolla, chair of the NH Poor People’s Campaign (PPC) and a veteran of fights over adequate funding for services that meet the needs of people with disabilities.
Being able to sit in your kitchen in your pajamas and testify on legislation or just watch it being debated may be a thing of the past after the pandemic in New Hampshire.