InDepthNH.org (https://indepthnh.org/series/distant-dome/page/29)
Garry Rayno
The budget was vetoed although the difference between what Sununu proposed in February, $13.1 billion in total spending, and what the legislature’s committee of conference produced, $13.3 billion, is but a $200 million or 1.5 percent difference.
The tried and true axiom of tax and spend Democrats does not hold the sway it once did when many people in the state are crying for property tax relief including businesses.
However, the state is not in a fiscal crisis and has had a revenue surplus for the last five or six years and much of that money has been used to reduce business taxes and build up the state’s rainy day fund.
The House and Senate budget writers Thursday signed off on a $13 billion two-year operating budget that eliminated most of Gov. Chris Sununu’s objections but not all.
Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester, who has been around for these things since 1972 agreed it is the “Super Bowl” of bills that go through the chambers every two years.
It’s about the budget as the House and Senate negotiators try to breach their differences on 35 bills before Thursday’s deadline.
The bottle of champagne still sits on a file cabinet in the Donn Tibbetts Press Room today unopened.
These are not normal political times so Sununu may well veto the budget.
UPDATED. The state’s only nonprofit online news outlet – InDepthNH.org – took home seven awards in its category and its founder was honored for Lifetime Achievement at the New Hampshire Press Association’s Distinguished Journalism banquet Wednesday night.
Senate Finance eliminated capital gains tax plan that would have affected only top 1 percent of state earners.