With a May 25 deadline in sight, senate budget writers have started signing off on millions of dollars for mental health, child protection and education.
But the powerful Senate Finance Committee may have to walk back some of those spending choices Monday, if a competing committee doesn’t change course.
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Andy Sanborn is predicting the state will have fewer dollars to spend than what some budget writers had thought. The Republican’s revenue estimates released last week came in below what both the House and Gov. Chris Sununu had projected the state would raise through taxes and fees.
If Sanborn’s estimates stick, Senate finance may have less money to work with, which could hamstring some of its spending priorities.
“It’s a very significant problem if they stay low, the (revenue) numbers will not match the spend at all,” said Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, a Manchester Democrat on the finance and ways and means committees. “There will have to be cuts.”
Revenue projections are an often ignored part of the budget process, but an important one. The Ways and Means Committee estimates how much the state will raise over the next two years in business, real estate and tobacco taxes, among others, which then determines how much can be spent. The higher the projections, the more money the budget can dole out.
The Senate Ways and Means projections aren’t yet final – that vote is expected Monday morning. But the numbers Sanborn released last week surprised some Republicans and Democrats, who expected higher figures. “The economy is still good, the business taxes are performing well,” D’Allesandro said. “They are being very conservative,” said Senate President Chuck Morse.
Sanborn’s estimates fall roughly $14 million below those in the House and $73 million short of Sununu’s projections, he said. The Bedford Republican said one reason for the lower estimate is that he factored in tax breaks the Senate has approved so far this year.
Even though the Legislature and corner office are under Republican control, the budget hasn’t had a smooth ride. Republican House leaders revised the $12.1 billion spending plan put forward by Sununu. But their plan was criticized, and ultimately defeated by House conservatives who argued it spent too much.
One House Republican suggested Sanborn’s low revenue estimates may be a way to try and curb state spending. But Sanborn, who is being talked about as a potential congressional candidate, dismissed the notion.
“Our job is to look at what we have in front of us and based on all this information decide what revenue will be,” Sanborn said over the phone Saturday. “All that being said, I think there are some senators, myself would be one of them, who thinks we are spending too much money.”
The Senate Finance Committee is expected to wrap up its work mid-week before sending a finalized budget to the full chamber for a vote.
The New Hampshire state Republican party is taking a page out of Donald Trump’s book – attacking the media.
Party leaders are calling it “atrocious journalism” that an Associated Press freelance reporter gained entry to a fundraiser that was closed to press and featured Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway.
On Twitter, the official party account accused the news out of conspiring “2 sneak into the event.” “Shame on her,” said NHGOP chairwoman Jeanie Forrester, referencing the female reporter.
A spokeswoman for the Associated Press told WMUR that the reporter was invited into the “Spring to Victory” fundraiser by a woman who appeared to be part of the event.
Most state party happenings that feature high-profile speakers are open to the press, but this one was closed due to a mutual decision with the White House, the state Republican party told WMUR.
Beyond the reporter’s presence, Forrester and NHGOP advisor Patrick Hynes took issue with some of the information in the four-paragraph AP story, such as the amount of enthusiasm displayed during parts of the speech and how many people attended. The Associated Press reported 150 people at the fundraiser, while Forrester said 440 plates of food were served. “This is an absolute outrage,” Hynes told WMUR.
The exact number of attendees appears to be a moving target, even for the state GOP. A newsletter sent out by the party Friday set attendance at “500 New Hampshire Republicans.”
A prospective congressional candidate is starting off the campaign with a stand up.
A “local” candidate for the second congressional district, who was expected to speak at a Hopkinton GOP afternoon tea on Friday, was a no show, according to one attendee.
The invitation didn’t identify the candidate by name, so we are left to wonder who he or she is.