Is New Hampshire walking away from its constitutional responsibility?
“When men enter into a state of society, they surrender up some of their natural rights to that society, in order to ensure the protection of others; and without such an equivalent, the surrender is void.
Article 3 NH Constitution (June 2, 1764)
The GOP has crafted a budget that is reckless and disgraceful for the state of NH. Basically their approach is that every city & town (individual ultimately) is on their own. Affected groups and citizens across the state are voicing their concern – but are being told by the Finance Chair to “shut up & get out”. Yes, this is how we speak to those keeping us safe and believe it is acceptable to place our most needy people at risk.
Here is an overview of how this budget affects services to NH‘s most needy and dramatically shift costs to the Cities and Towns.
CAN’T EVEN LOCK ‘EM UP & THROW AWAY THE KEY:
Closes the NH State Prison in Berlin;
Eliminates the Consumer Protection Bureau – the people who just successfully prosecuted NH biggest Ponzi Scheme last year;
Cuts support for Victims of Domestic Violence – thus overwhelm local law enforcement by cutting programs in half that help victims of domestic & sexual violence;
Cuts drug & alcohol treatment for about 25,000 people which will lead to higher crime rates and increased property taxes;
Repeals the category known as Children in Need of Services (CHINS) – thus l increase the burden and costs to schools & towns, as well as force many to be prosecuted as delinquent & incarcerated at costly youth facilities;
Reduces funds to repair Bridges and Unsafe Roads, which will increase local costs & put our infrastructure at risk.
KIDS – DISABLED – ELDERS – WORKING FAMILIES – NH joins the 3rd World:
Cuts services to people with developmental disabilities, services that help them live independently and stay out of more expensive nursing homes;
Cuts access to critical heath care services;
Eliminates preventative health care for children thus send health care costs for children skyrocketing & increase emergency room visits. NH Health care will now have to be rationed;
Hospitals will face a 115 million dollar tax increase which will raise costs for individuals and businesses and kill jobs in NH;
Eliminate treatment for 8,000 people who have the most serious mental illnesses – Now these individuals will be a danger to themselves and the community.
EDUCATION IS OVER RATED – YOU DON’T NEED IT:
Cuts Head Start;
Slashes dropout prevention & vocational technical programs [note: 20% of all NH wages come from smart manufacturing and high tech business (Center for Public Policy Studies) and that these programs are key for attracting & maintaining businesses];
Reduces special education programs to the lowest allowable legal level;
Eliminates funds for statewide special education programs;
Eliminates almost one million dollars in grants to schools & local community organizations through the State Arts Development which will impact 363,000 students;
Cuts almost in half funding for the Community College & University System – [UNH System 80 million ~ Community College System 10m];
House Republicans are stealing money from college students & their families to cover holes in this reckless and irresponsible budget. This is unprecedented – ever!
NH’s RACE TO THE BOTTOM:
This budget will kill thousands of NH jobs and attacks hard working NH people struggling to support their families. Thousands of jobs will be lost that will put NH’s economic recovery at risk and cause property taxes to rise to astronomical levels.
Implements a job killing collective bargaining agreement – worse than Wisconsin, which will lead to lower wages & higher unemployment. [Done at night – with no public hearing] this is an unprecedented attack on the people who protect you, teach your children & fix your roads;
Implements a 100 million dollar income tax on public employees & working families;
Eliminates 600 jobs at the Berlin State Prison;
Eliminates the Director of Economic Development for NH. Yeah! That will show business we’re serious about economic growth;
Cuts almost 1 million from the Innovative Research Center which has created public/private partnerships that spurs innovation & creates jobs;
Forces 4,000 community businesses to lay off workers;
Cuts 10 million dollars from childcare for low income parents forcing them to choose child care over jobs thus forcing them to rely on public assistance (which will be the cities & towns);
PROMISED TAX RELIEF “SMOKE & MIRRORS”:
Republicans lied to the people of NH when they said they would not downshift or raise taxes. This irresponsible, dangerous & reckless budget will increase property taxes to historic levels and at a time when so many middle class families can least afford to take the hit.
This GOP House Budget –
Shifts the cost of state government onto local communities in the form of public safety, education & health care;
Increases costs for students, families, & businesses;
Does not lower business or property taxes;
Implements a 100 million dollar income tax on public employees & working families;
Implements a 115 million dollar increase in business taxes on hospitals [guess where these costs will be passed onto – you & me];
Creates a 16 million dollar tax loophole by firing the state auditors [the guys who presently watch out for our interests]
In this week’s NH House Calendar – the minority blurb regarding the budget was they “cannot support HB1… because the level and breadth of the cuts will threaten essential programs and services necessary. If the Finance Committee had considered a responsible revenue estimate for the next two years, the minority believes that at least $200 million of the cuts could be restored. Further the minority believes that adjustments proposed to avoid paying hospitals over $116 million of disproportionate share support is essentially a new and inappropriate business tax. Finally … that the proposed increase in retirement contributions is essentially an income tax for almost all of our public employees”
Their recommendation was the budget should be declared inexpedient to legislate and killed. Let’s see what the 3:1 GOP NH House of Representatives – The People’s House – will do this week – stay tuned!
