Governor Hassan Reiterates Intention to Veto Republican Budget If It Comes to Her Desk as It Is

Statement

Calling the nearly finalized Republican budget fiscally irresponsible and unbalanced, Governor Maggie Hassan today reiterated her intention to veto it if it comes to her desk as it is.

"Their budget is unbalanced, dishonest about what it funds, and includes unpaid-for corporate tax cuts that create a more than $90 million budget hole at the expense of critical economic priorities," Governor Hassan said. "It is also left unbalanced by relying on misleading budget gimmicks. It double counts fiscal year 2015 dollars, it does not adequately fund basic services and it does not honestly fund the services we all agree are critical to our people, families and businesses."

In February, the Governor presented a fiscally responsible, balanced budget -- without a sales or an income tax -- that was transparent and honest about how it supported critical economic priorities such as making higher education more affordable, strengthening public safety, ensuring access to affordable health care, and repairing roads and bridges. Unpaid-for tax cuts and budget gimmicks that leave the near-final Republican budget unbalanced threaten the state's ability to support those priorities and keep New Hampshire's economy forward.

"Their unfunded corporate tax cuts will create a significant hole in this budget and budgets well into the future -- making college tuition more expensive; hurting our ability to ensure workers can access health-care without financial ruin; leading to unplowed, unsafe roads for commuters and businesses; and failing to adequately address substance misuse in the midst of a heroin crisis," Governor Hassan said. "This fiscally irresponsible approach undermines our economic future, putting out-of-state corporate special interests ahead of New Hampshire's families, small businesses and economy."

Governor Hassan has been at the table with Republican leadership, and she has been clear throughout the process about her priorities and that she believes there is room for compromise to find common ground and achieve a bipartisan budget that addresses the shared priorities that legislators from both parties agree on.

"Our families deserve better. Our businesses deserve better. And the hard-working people of the Granite State deserve better. Republicans need to join me in putting New Hampshire's families, businesses and economic interests first, and to get back to work immediately, prepare a continuing resolution and negotiate in good faith to develop a fiscally responsible, balanced and bipartisan budget that builds on our progress of the last two years to keep our economy moving forward."

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