An activists work seems to never be done! And here we go again with another suppression bill. SB 33 is the Senate’s version of a book ban bill. Books should not be banned or removed as classroom materials based on one parent’s complaint. If a parent does not want their child to read a particular book, that parent needs to have a conversation with their child, letting them know why. But one parent does not get to determine what another parent’s child can read. If there are issues, that can be brought to the librarians and schools boards to be worked on locally. A state driven process that ends with our libraries being bare is not needed. This is just one more attempt at chipping away at local control and slowly turning New Hampshire into a police state.

This bill “requires local school districts to adopt and publicly post policies describing materials authorized for use by students in the district and outlining procedures to address complaints alleging that material is harmful or age-inappropriate for use in the district's schools.” Confused? Good. Mission accomplished by the Senate and House Republicans who sponsored this mess, with most being members of Liberty Alliance. 

On Wed., April 23rd, there will be a public hearing on SB 33 in the House Education Policy Committee. You are being asked again to go online and register your opposition to this bill:

https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/

 Fill in your Personal Information

· Select the correct date and committee for the hearing by clicking on it in the Meeting Schedule Calendar (make sure you are on the right week). [Select Bill # and select the date].

· In the drop box below "Select the Committee," select committee.

· In the drop box below "Choose the Bill," select the appropriate time and bill number.

· Select the appropriate option for the "I am" drop box (likely "Member of the Public").

· Fill in the content box under "I'm Representing" with the business, organization, or group you are representing. If you are representing yourself only, write "myself."

· Under the “Indicate Your Position on this Bill,” check the circle stating your position on the bill. “I Oppose this Bill” or “I Support this Bill”

· After filling in all the appropriate drop boxes, click “Submit.”

· After clicking submit, you will be brought to the next page, where you fill in the content boxes with your first and last name, your town, state, and email address.

· Press “Continue.”

· If you wish to speak during the hearing to present your testimony, you need to attend in person at the State House, but you upload your testimony if you cannot attend.

· If you wish to submit testimony on the bill, email the relevant committee and upload the testimony file from your computer.

The other one is HB 273, sponsored by mostly Liberty Alliance members. This will allow parents access to all of their minor child's library records, because what parent wouldn’t already be able to access their MINOR child’s library records? A solution looking for a problem. There will be a hearing on Thurs., April 24th and if you would like to register your opposition click here. Just follow the directions above. 

Thank you for taking a few moments to voice your opinion!

1775 - 250 years ago - New England was abuzz…. At least Massachusetts and the distant town of Keene…. Those damned British!

By April 19, the British Royal Governor General Thomas Gage felt things had gone too far and he had to act, as he was under orders to extinguish the growing rebellion.  He must have felt that back in London others were undermining his position at court, and no doubt he wanted to report some success rather than let the merchant rumors fly.  There were reports of munitions stockpiled in Lexington and Concord, so he seized upon the opportunity.  On the night of April 19 at 10:00 pm he sent a force of 800 British soldiers to capture and destroy the weapons.  At 10:00 pm!  Imagine getting up (perhaps with a throbbing headache from the earlier drinking) and putting on the heavy woolen uniform, donning the belts and hoisting the musket and setting out on the 13 mile dark, cold and wet march to Lexington.  And as we know, as they started out, so did Paul Revere, Richard Dawes, and Samuel Prescott, bound to raise the alarm. 

(One if by land!  Two if by sea!  I on the opposite shore will be!)

And raise the alarm they did:  To arms! To arms!  In Lexington, Capt. John Parker assembled 70 militia on the town green to meet them.  They too were roused in the middle of the night, kicking off their bed clothes, pulling on heavy boots in the cold wet weather, their spouses not knowing what they might be off to.  At about 5:00 am still in the dark the British arrived the British commander ordered the colonials to lay down their arms.  Capt. Parker, recognizing that 800 to 70 on an open field was not a good idea, called on his men to do so. But somewhere a twitchy finger twitched and a shot rang out.  The trained, nervous, and, no doubt, fatigued British soldiers fired a volley into the militia, killing eight and wounding ten.  The “shot heard round the world” had sounded.

It's still just dawn, and the British moved on to Concord by 8:00 am, marching another 7 miles, but getting more nervous with each step.  Here the British sent about 220 men ahead to secure the bridge across the Concord River, controlling movement in the town.  Once the bridge was secured (the British commander was no dummy) the rest of the force would head to the Barrett Farm, where the munitions were understood to be stored.  But by now the sun was up and so were the colonials, and a force of about 400 had assembled on high ground overlooking the bridge.  They could see some smoke rising from the other side of the river, and their commander Joseph Hosmer called out that the British were burning the town!  (They weren’t but it was a good motivator.)  As the colonials started across the bridge the British opened fire, and the militia on the hillsides returned very effective volleys, given their advantaged position. 

The British commanders realized that after having been marching for almost 12 hours and encountering growing resistance it would not be a good day, so they ordered return to Boston. Another 20 miles to travel to get to safety!  Unfortunately for them by now militias all over the countryside had arrived along the entire road back to Boston and the retreat became a rout.  The 800 that started out suffered 73 killed, 174 wounded and 26 missing.  All told the British soldiers lost more than 10% of their force, and carried the wounded back.  Overall, they traveled about 40 miles under difficult circumstances, to say the least.   Not a motivating day for troops that made it back to the ships in the harbor.  

Meanwhile, a messenger dispatched from Concord arrived in Keene on the morning of April 20.  Determined to support the cause, Isaac Wyman formed a force of twenty-nine men and himself, and they marched out at sunrise on the 21st.  It took three days to reach Concord, marching 64 miles through the wet and cold and muddy April.  Shooting was over, but they eventually did reach Boston and became part of the larger force.  Overall, about 1000 men from New Hampshire journeyed to Boston for the fight.

The colonials were no doubt elated and invigorated, as they began to mass around Boston to drive the British out.  But militia against the embedded troops sheltered under shipborne cannon would not work to well – the rebels needed cannon.  Where might there be an easy source?  Ticonderoga!

Militias in Connecticut and Massachusetts realized this opportunity simultaneously but totally separately.  The Connecticut militia was led by Col. Ethan Allen, who along with his “Green Mountain Boys” headed to the great stone fortress at the place between the lakes.  (Remember, Vermont did not exist as yet, it was all called Connecticut.)  At the same time the frequent hero of the Revolution Benedict Arnold set out with a force from Massachusetts.  They ran into each other on May 9 on the eastern shore, and, while no doubt surprised and wary, they determined to work together.  Turns out that the fort was only lightly defended and easily taken “in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!”  Ethan Allen got the fame and the painting, and Arnold rose in the ranks of the Continental Army, leading the (disastrous) invasion of Canada later in 1775, but continuing heroic deeds at Valcour Island (1776) and Saratoga (1777).  Henry Knox managed the cannon transfer back to Boston, to force the issue and drive the redcoats away.

A couple big years of history ahead, for sure!  especially for us in the East.  Stay tuned.

Taking their cues from the current regime, the Republican majority “party” in New Hampshire have been practically falling all over themselves and each other trying to pass one lousy, cruel, mean-spirited bill after another. Their targets? Quite a list; the elderly, the disabled, those with low-income jobs, those seeking an affordable college education, voters, immigrants, children, public schools and teachers, libraries, women of child-bearing age, Medicaid recipients, LGBTQ community, affordable housing, the environment. 

WOW!! Sounds like they’re destroying everybody and everything they imagine is standing in the way of their own personal utopia!

Let’s break it down with a few examples.

• The elderly – Really? They’re a threat? HB 645 was an amended bill giving the Prescription Drug Affordability Board data access that could support increased pricing transparency while lowering costs for public payers. It was “tabled” by Liberty Alliance member Rep. Jason Osborne. They also voted to “zero out” the budget for the Commission on Aging.
• Voters - HB 365 is the sloppy attempt by Liberty Alliance member Rep. Bob Lynn to fix the constitutional issues he created with last years HB 1569 voter suppression bill. Targets married women and naturalized citizens. Not only do you now need to request an absentee ballot six months in advance to an election, you better still have an excuse for voting absentee, otherwise no absentee ballot. HB 217, (Lynn again) will now require absentee ballot voters to present information showing citizenship, age, domicile, and identity in order to qualify to vote. Suppression disguised as legislation. Targets, elderly, disabled, students and military overseas.
• Immigrants – Nope, no funding for the Human Rights Commission. HB 511 prohibits state and local government from endorsing sanctuary policies to prohibit or hinder the enforcement of federal immigration law (ICE). Liberty Alliance member Rep. Joe Sweeney stated, “If you are in NH illegally, you are not welcome in NH.” HB 452 adds the following to RSA 263:10 : “The department shall not renew a driver's license for any person who is not a United States citizen and cannot prove that they are a lawful permanent resident of the United States.” A lot of people are here under protected status or asylum seekers, how are they supposed to get to their jobs, school? HB 461 requires all printed and digitally available driver's license exam-related materials, including the exam itself, be available and administered in English only. And yet, NH already has multi-language driver training and tests. Just more cruelty towards “the other.”
• Women - HCR 7 was a resolution acknowledging abortion as an important piece of comprehensive reproductive health care. They “tabled” it. Best to bleed out to within an inch of your life before anything can be done for you. Restoring the funding for Family Planning also failed.
• Schools - HB 329 would require school boards to initiate a policy governing air quality and temperature issues in schools, along with a heat illness prevention and emergency response plan. The bill failed, who cares about air quality in schools anyway? Especially when they do not want mandatory mask policies in schools. Or vaccines either. HB 520 allows the Dept. of Education to issue subpoenas against educators to investigate “alleged” violations of the Code of Conduct. Targets teachers and school staff. And of course, they passed HB 115 where more and more property tax money goes towards school vouchers.
• Energy/Environment - HCR 4 rejects all offshore wind projects in and around the waters off the coast of NH and Gulf of Maine until there is a better understanding of the effect such projects may have on the ocean's ecosystem, the fishing industry and electric ratepayers. Unfortunately for the ten Republicans who sponsored this, they failed to acknowledge that NH has no jurisdiction over federal waters.
• LGBTQ - HB 377 prohibits a medical procedure or giving out medication, upon or to a minor child, that is intended to alter gender or delay puberty. It should be noted only after evaluations and consultations with the patient, parents, medical professionals and counselors, are these treatments implemented. HB 148 removed transgender peoples from NH’s anti-discrimination laws. So, no protections. Pretty obvious who the intended targets are . . .

This is just the tip of the mean-spirited legislative iceberg! 

There will be public hearings on several election law bills next week on Tuesday, April, 22nd. They are being heard in the Election Law Committee, some need to be supported and others opposed. The following are three bills to support:

SB 218 removes the requirement that absentee ballots be placed in “outer” envelopes unless such ballots are mailed to town or city clerks. This bill also allows clerks to open outer envelopes allowing applicants time to cure any defects. To register your on line support of this bill, click here and follow the instructions. 

SB 103 requires towns and cities to have at least one polling place per every 20,000 registered voters unless the town or city has received approval from the secretary of state for fewer locations. This addresses the issue of long lines on election day(s) that have affected many NH towns. To register your on line support of this bill, click here and follow the instructions.

SB 16 requires municipalities to post a copy of election return forms on their websites and in public locations. This increases local levels of election transparency. To register your on line support of this bill, click here and follow the instructions. 

The following are bills to oppose: 

SB 213 aims to do two things. It will change the standard for absentee voting to "It is more likely than not" that a voter will be absent. The bill will also require proof of identity, citizenship, age, and domicile when applying for an absentee ballot. This bill places unnecessary and troublesome obstacles to the absentee voting process, which is already the preferred method for many disabled and elderly voters. Why make it harder for these folks to vote? To register your on line opposition of this bill, click here and follow the instructions. To also send a quick email in opposition to Representatives on the committee, click here.

SB 287 requires applicants for absentee ballots to present a copy of their photo identification with their application. Again, who will this hurt the most? Disabled and elderly voters. To register your on line opposition of this bill, click here and follow the instructions. To also send a quick email in opposition to Representatives on the committee, click here.

All of this activism in defense of voting rights and democracy should take no longer than ten minutes! Thank you for participating!

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate

Don’t be silent! Speak up, speak out!

In nearby Massachusetts, the Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought on April 19, 1775, which was the start of the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). For many years before that, there was much friction between citizens of the 13 American colonies and the British authorities. It had finally reached a boiling point. The previous evening, on April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to Concord planning on seizing a stockpile of weapons. 

Paul Revere and other night riders sounded the alarm enabling colonial militiamen to begin mobilizing to intercept the British troops. A confrontation on the Lexington town green began when the British fired first but fell back when the colonists returned fire. This was the “shot heard ‘round the world” later immortalized by poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. There were many more battles until in 1783 the colonists finally and formally won their independence.

What lead up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord?

Beginning in 1764, Great Britain began a sequence of events aimed at increasing revenue from its 13 American colonies. Many of those events, including the Sugar Act, Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, gave rise to smoldering resentment among the colonists, who protested against “taxation without representation.” Boston, the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre and the 1773 Boston Tea Party, was one of the biggest areas of resistance. King George III of Britain increased military presence there, eventually closing down the city’s harbor in June, 1774, until colonists paid for the tea dumped overboard the previous year. 

April 19th is the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution where ordinary citizens rose up and fought for and demanded their right to independence from Great Britain. We see our country in a similar situation now, except we are fighting against rights being slowly and methodically taken away from us by those who are flagrantly abusing the power given to them. We are fighting against the oligarchs who would see us kept in ignorance and poverty.

There are a few events planned for Saturday:

"Liberty and Justice for All" in Keene, NH
Time: 12:00 - 2:00 In downtown Central Square for 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. There will be local groups working for democracy, video journalist Kyle Whitten conducting interviews, and a Photo Booth to document the resistance art that is developing. Sponsored by Indivisible and Monadnock Action.

Pro-Democracy Demonstration in Peterborough, NH
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 Intersection of 101/202 stoplights. Bring a sign that tells everyone what you are in favor of, rather than what you are against.

Protest at the State House in Concord, NH
Time: 3 PM - 6 PM. Organized by the NH chapter of 50501

"Voices Heard 'Round the World" Old North Bridge, Concord, MA
Time: 11:00 AM Preserve American Rights! On the 250th anniversary of the shot heard 'round the world, stand against abuses of power at the start of the American Revolutionary War.

“I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down.”

                             Chumbawamba, 1997

Thursday, April 10th was not only a long day at the State House, but a day with some wins for the people of New Hampshire, along with the losses. Before we go over some of those, let’s just briefly revisit the Democrats “Better Budget” rally held on April 9th in front of the State House. This is where the Democrat amendments to the Republican proposed House budget were unveiled to the public. A few examples:

• Reverses funding cuts to mental health services, developmental disability support and family planning
• Removes voucher expansion to the wealthy, lifts the local school budget cap, restores $50 million in university funding and protects Medicaid to schools
• Fully funds the Office of the Child Advocate, Human Rights Commission and Commission on Aging
• Eliminates the Medicaid income tax and the tax on Children’s Health Insurance coverage

That’s just a small sample of what the Democrats hoped to get passed in order to hold back any pain to NH citizens, young or old. This is what NH got instead:

• The amendment to bring back funding for Family Planning failed, 196N-174Y. Can’t afford birth control or cancer screenings? Too bad.
• The amendment to remove universal school vouchers putting that funding towards the USNH failed, 198N-166Y, making it more of a challenge now to seek higher education. It also raises the cost of the school voucher program to more than $30 million by opening it up to even more families who can already afford to send their children to private schools. In his floor speech opposing the amendment, Liberty Alliance member Rep. Dan McGuire gleefully called the university cut “his personal favorite.” The amendment to broaden free and reduced price school lunch funding by aligning Medicaid enrollment with eligibility for school meals, beginning in 2027-28 school year failed by one vote, 182N-181Y. It should be noted while Rep. Hope Damon, speaking in support of the amendment, about 20 Republicans got up and walked out. They absolutely REFUSE to feed low-income children! The amendment to get rid of school vouchers and put that money back into public schools failed, 198N-168Y.
• The amendment to bring back funding for Human Rights Commission failed, 203N-161Y. The Office of the Child Advocate will be terminated. The NH Council on the Arts got the boot also with Liberty Alliance member Rep. Joe Sweeney calling it “state run arts programs or propaganda pieces.”
• Low income families who receive Medicaid will now have to pay a premium (tax) to use it. Leaves even less money to feed their children.

But there was some good news; the House voted 206Y-165N in support of an amendment to HB 2 removing the mandatory statewide school budget cap. People fought back against losing local control and won!

The amendment to restore the Bureau of Tax and Land Appeals passed by three votes, 183Y-180N. 

The bipartisan bill to increase the maximum benefits for first responders, HB 282, actually passed, 296Y-76N.

Now we wait to see what the State Senate does with it. Or will the Senate’s majority party continue with the destruction begun by the House?

Republicans slipped into the budget a controversial bill, HB 675. This takes away local voter control from spending money on your own schools (attacks public schools and local control). On Thurs. there will be an amendment to the budget to take the language of HB675 out of it. Contact your state representatives right away and tell them to vote to take HB 675 out of the budget.

Take Action to Get HB675 Out of the Budget

There are some bills having public hearings on Thurs. and are all opposed by the AFT-NH (American Federation of Teachers):

HB 90 is sponsored by Liberty Alliance member Rep. Rick Ladd R-Haverhill and has to do with the definition of “part-time teachers.” 

HB 324 is sponsored by Liberty Alliance member Rep. Glenn Cordelli R-Tuftonboro and several other Alliance members. This legislation is meant to “prohibit obscene or harmful sexual materials in schools.” And to drive home his point, Cordelli recently “entertained” the House with his erotic bedtime stories. 

HB 741, sponsored by Cordelli again, would allow parents to send their children to any school district they choose. This is a potential cluster**** of a bill! 

Please take a moment to register your opposition by clicking here:

SUBMIT YOUR POSITION TO A SENATE COMMITTEE HERE.

 Fill in your Personal Information

· Select the relevant date and committee for the hearing by clicking on it in the Meeting Schedule Calendar (make sure you are on the right week). [Select Bill # and select the date].

· In the drop box below "Select the Committee," select Education Policy and Administration committee.

· In the drop box below "Choose the Bill," select the appropriate time and bill number.

· Select the appropriate option for the "I am" drop box (likely "Member of the Public").

· Fill in the content box under "I'm Representing" with the business, organization, or group you are representing. If you are representing yourself only, write "myself."

· Under the “Indicate Your Position on this Bill,” check the circle stating your position on the bill. “I Oppose this Bill” or “I Support this Bill”

· After filling in all the appropriate drop boxes, click “Submit.”

· After clicking submit, you will be brought to the next page, where you will fill in the content boxes with your first and last name, as well as your town, state, and email address.

· Press “Continue.”

If you wish to speak during the hearing to present your testimony, you need to attend in person at the State House, but you upload your testimony if you cannot attend.

If you wish to submit testimony on the bill, email the relevant committee and upload the testimony file from your computer.

Thank you for taking a few moments in support of public education. Now be sure to share this with others, so they can do the same! 

Let’s look at a few of the agencies and organizations that the proposed House budget is looking to gut or eliminate altogether, aimed at destroying personal rights and safety nets for New Hampshire’s most vulnerable citizens. Can you imagine if it was you or a family member or friend who needed help or support? 

On your own!

The NH Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders was created in 2008, providing coordinated leadership in managing the education, healthcare and service needs of individuals who have autism or a similar disability. The council was formed due to the growing occurrence of autism spectrum disorders in NH. Liberty Alliance member Rep. Jess Edwards R-Auburn (ripe and fertile) has sponsored HB 634, a bill seeking to repeal the Council. 

The Dept. of Corrections Family Support is headed for the chopping block. The Family Connections Center (FCC) has provided family support services and parenting education in the NHDOC since 1998. The FCC has gone from providing support inside the prisons to working with community agencies that provide education and support for families affected by incarceration. The Annie E. Casey Foundation estimates that more than 15,000 children in NH have a parent who is incarcerated. But let’s throw that service out the window! 

The NH Office of the Child Advocate, which is a 501(c)(3,) provides all victims of child abuse a neutral environment where equity, healing, prevention and justice are encouraged through the dependable, high quality and supporting collaboration of community partners. Now it’s headed for the chopping block. NH’s first center was the Child Advocacy Center of Rockingham County in 2000. They are dedicated to serving the needs of NH’s child victims by offering hope for a brighter future. Republicans want to eliminate that safeguard for CHILDREN! 

In Sept., 2023, the NH Dept. of Education granted 77 schools a total of $713,601 to fund robotics programs for their students. Grants help to expand existing robotics programs within schools and create new programs that have not yet begun robotics teams. Funding is used to buy robotics kits, parts and tools, pay for registration and competition fees, transportation to events, team shirts and stipends for coaches or advisors. Republicans want this EDUCATION program cut. 

Funding for Adult Education is to be cut by $1.6 million. Maybe they’ll leave the non-profit adult literacy program alone. I doubt it, as education again, is targeted by Republicans. 

New Hampshire community health centers and community mental health centers receive a total of $1,050,000 to provide care and services to Granite Staters. With support from the Endowment for Health, 21 centers will each receive a one-time $50,000 operating grant. Uh-oh! This sounds too much like helping other people. Well, Republicans will see about that! They want a $38 million cut to Community Mental Health funds. 

The NH Council on Developmental Disabilities is facing a $31 million cut. According to the council’s website they are “Dedicated to the pursuit of dignity and justice, authentic community inclusion, cultural competency, and self-determination for all New Hampshire residents with developmental disabilities.” Not something Republicans care about evidently.

The NH Commission on Aging, established in 2019 as an independent advisor to the Governor and General Court on policy and planning. Its mission is to give all citizens in NH the opportunity to thrive and be valued as they age. Going away as old people are clearly not valued.

The NH Commission for Human Rights is a state agency established by RSA 354-A for the purpose of education and enforcement of the law against discrimination in employment, housing, places of public accommodation and K-12 public schools, because of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, creed/religion, color, marital status, familial status, disability or national origin. We can see why Republicans want this eliminated. Human rights? Unnecessary! 

The goal of the NH Housing Appeals Board, established in 2020, is to provide an alternative forum to the NH Superior Court in zoning and planning cases that are fair, inexpensive, timely and accessible to affected property owners, abutters, other proper parties and municipalities. It allows people to appeal local rulings with a filing fee of $250, seriously less expensive than filing through the Superior Court. The Board’s responsibility is similar to the Superior Court in hearing appeals of all planning and zoning decisions as specified in NH RSA 679. They want that eliminated. 

What is remarkable about the proposed House budget is how the Republicans are still hell-bent on expanding their school voucher program, in direct violation of the NH Constitution. And their repeated and consistent bills that slowly take away local control. 

Sick of it? On Wed., April 9th at the State House in Concord at noon there will be a rally to #DemandABetterBudget! Come join us and be heard! Any one of us could find ourselves in need of any one of these agencies at any time in our lives. Wouldn’t it be nice to know help and support was there when you needed it?

A RAW DEAL FOR THE GRANITE STATE

New tax cuts for the rich and chaos at the Federal level have combined to put the State of New Hampshire in a difficult financial situation. 

In February, Governor Kelly Ayotte proposed a $16.5 billion two-year budget. Republicans in the legislature are trying to cut $800 million from that amount, mostly by targeting programs they don’t like. 

Their proposals will starve funding from vital state programs, forcing towns and cities to raise property taxes to make up the difference.

How did we get here?

Years and of tax cuts, benefiting the wealthy and big corporations, have created a situation where the State just isn’t bringing in enough money. Adjusted for inflation, the State is bringing in less revenue than it was in 2007 – and the state population has grown since then!

One big blow to revenue was the recent repeal of the interest and dividends tax. This tax brought in $180 million per year, primarily from the wealthy; in 2022, over 90% of the interest and dividends tax was paid by taxpayers making $20,000 or more in *unearned* income.

This is on top of cuts to the business profits tax – primarily paid by large corporations – that have cost the State around $1 billion in revenue since 2016.

There have been other budget shocks as well – $80 million in allocated funds for Health and Human Services were recently clawed back by the Trump Administration, forcing cancelation of existing state contracts.

Additionally, the $76 million a year required to pay for Sununu Center abuse-related settlements was not included in this budget.

Why is this budget bad for NH?

The Republican budget includes the following proposals harming education and arts:

• A $60+ million cut in funding to the University System of New Hampshire, a $4 million cut to the community college system, and a $1.6 million cut to adult education.
• New state-imposed budget caps for every school district – this is taking away local control. The majority party in Concord will dictate how much schools can spend and what they teach
• Dissolution of the NH State Council on the Arts, cutting off grant funding to arts institutions across the state
• Closure of the state library (fortunately, due to aggressive lobbying, this proposal has been beaten back – don’t mess with librarians)
• But they will spend an extra $100 million on expansion of “Education Freedom Accounts,” enabling wealthy families to send their kids to private schools on the public dime

Republicans propose the following measures that hurt the most vulnerable:

• NEW MEDICAID TAX requiring low-income Granite Staters to pay 5% of their income in order to maintain health care coverage through Medicaid
• Elimination of the Office of the Child Advocate – an office dedicated to uncovering abuse and protecting vulnerable children
• Elimination of the New Hampshire Commission on Aging (NH has the second oldest population in the country)
• Cancelation of the Women, Infants and Children Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program, a hunger-relief initiative – slated to start this summer - that would have helped low-income families buy fresh produce at farmers markets
• A late addition to the budget banning “DEI” – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion –  in NH Contracts, defunding public schools that maintain policies identified as DEI

Hands off our resources!

Because they have already cut revenue so much, Republicans are grabbing money for the budget that’s already been designated for other purposes.

The Rainy Day fund is being drawn down by $149 million. That’s over half the money that’s currently in the fund, being used to make up for the loss of the interest and dividends tax – not an actual rainy day. 

They are co-opting $34.9 million from the opioid settlement fund, designated for recovery and harm-reduction efforts, & using it to backfill other reallocated funds.

They are taking another $11 million from cities and towns by claiming a larger share of the rooms and meals tax. This is on top of the regular short-changing the State’s been doing to municipal budgets since the tax was introduced years ago.

They are reallocating charitable gaming revenue, reducing a funding source used by nonprofit organizations and claiming it for the state budget.

They are defunding the housing champions program, which had just been set up to help municipalities address the housing affordability crisis in NH.  

Call Governor Kelly Ayotte and tell her to reign in the fanatical Republicans who are sabotaging our state institutions like a common Elon Musk. 

Gov. Ayotte’s office phone number is: (603) 271-2121

Join the rally at the State House in Concord: Wednesday April 9 at 12PM

Spread awareness – share this information with people you know. 

----

More resources:

This blog post as a pdf, printable into a 3-fold pamphlet.

The Budget: https://gc.nh.gov/LBA/Budget/fy2026_2027_budget.aspx

Terri O'Rorke writes about the budget

NH Fiscal Policy Institute (comprehensive data and articles breaking down all things NH fiscal policy): https://nhfpi.org/

NH Democratic Party Budget Tool (see real time examples of how this budget will impact a regular NH residents): https://nhbudget.nhdp.org/

The long-awaited House Budget has reared its ugly head and it is ugly indeed.
Let’s start with the jobs targeted to be eliminated:
-Dept. of Business & Economic Affairs – 14 positions
-Dept. of Corrections – 190 positions
-Dept. of Education – 27 positions
-Dept. of Natural & Cultural Resources – 8 positions
-Dept. of Safety – 8 positions
-Insurance Department – 3 positions
-Liquor Commission – 34 positions
-Secretary of State’s Office – 5 positions

What else has the House Finance Committee slated for the chopping block? Here we go:
-The Office of the Child Advocate, the agency that monitors the Division for Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
-The State Council on the Arts, provides grants to local arts programs. 
-Eliminate the Human Rights Commission which is an independent agency. They hear civil rights and discrimination complaints and make recommendations to the Atty. Gen.’s Office for prosecution.
-Eliminate the Housing Appeals Board.
-Eliminate funding for family planning, which is so much more than that. Funds go to health centers to test for cancers, sexually transmitted infections and other health care.
-Cut funding to the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program.
-Cut $1.6 million to fund Adult Education.
-Eliminate the Commission on Aging (only the Republicans would target women, children and old people. Shameful!)
-Heavy cuts to Tourism Development Fund.
-Eliminate the State Loan Repayment Program.
-An increase to Medicaid prescriptions and initiating Medicaid and CHIP (Catastrophic Health Insurance Program) premiums.

Now for the good news! (eye roll . . .)

Republicans slipped into the budget the following two controversial bills; HB 675 takes away local voter control from spending money on their schools (attacks public schools and local control). HB 115 expands the school voucher program so now there will be no income cap by 2026. This is an unaudited, non-transparent free-for-all with property tax money, while taking away from public schools again.

Both House budget bills HB 1 and HB 2 have been toiled over in the House Finance Committee for quite a few weeks and will come before the full House on April 10 for a vote before moving on to the state Senate. Committee chairman and member of Liberty Alliance Rep. Ken Weyler, R-Kingston stated it was a difficult budget. “The economy that has happened in the last few years has been terrible. (There has) been … mismanagement caused by the decisions in Washington, D.C., that have affected us all, and it has lowered the amount of revenue we expected. Obviously, that’s a reason that we have to cut the budget, because the revenue just isn’t there.” Two things need to be mentioned here, both Pres. Obama and Biden left great economies, the opposite of terrible. And it’s good to see Rep. Weyler acknowledge the mismanagement “caused by the decisions in Washington, DC.” 

Such a dark and dreary state the Republicans want us to live in.

On Wed., April 9th at the State House in Concord at noon there will be a rally to #DemandABetterBudget! You can sign up at:
tinyurl.com/NHBetterBudget 
Come join us if you are able.