NH governor faces House, Senate budget committees
Governor presents NH budget to Finance Committees; GOP objects to spending
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- Gov. Maggie Hassan says her $11 billion, two-year budget is fiscally responsible and balanced, but New Hampshire's House Republicans don't think so.
House Republican Leader Gene Chandler said Republicans want the budget to be built upon realistic revenue projections and Hassan's plan is not. State Rep. David Hess, a Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, said Hassan's estimates are almost $104 million too high by GOP estimates. He said that does not include money from her proposed cigarette tax increase and a casino. Neither has been approved by lawmakers.
Hassan's proposed $11 billion budget is a 10 percent increase over the current budget. The $2.8 billion state tax portion of the budget increases spending about $184 million, or about 7 percent.
