Posts by Garry Rayno
The legislative biennial budget procession will hit the third milestone this week when the Senate meets Wednesday to vote on its proposed $15.1 billion two-year operating budget.
New Hampshire voters claiming the Executive Council and State Senate districts were unconstitutionally and unlawfully gerrymandered will have their day before the Supreme Court May 11.
The budget being proposed by the House Finance Committee would slash the money going into the Education Trust Fund, while reducing its obligation to fund special education, school building aid and other programs.
New state employees would have a different state retirement program under a bill that had a public hearing Wednesday before the House Executive Departments and Administration Committee.
“Make no mistake, we will follow New Hampshire’s law, and our primary will remain first in the nation.”
Some lawmakers want to give local officials tools to address skyrocketing rental rates, but landlords say the solution is to build more apartments not create more regulations.
The lawmakers also heard from representatives of the Business and Industry Association and the New Hampshire Association of Realtors who noted the challenges of a tight labor market and how the lack of affordable housing impacts the state’s economy.
At the halfway point of the 2023 fiscal year, state revenues are about $200 million ahead of estimates and $40 million more than a year ago.
The new Education Freedom Account program violates state statutes by using funds earmarked for public education for private programs, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday against Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut.
The five executive councilors won re-election Tuesday and the partisan makeup of the Senate did not change although some of the faces will.