News

CONCORD, NH – Ahead of the expected passage of HB 1 and HB 2, which contain the state’s budget for the next biennium, Senate Democratic Leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka issued the following statement: 

“Let’s be clear: this is not magically a tight budget year,” said Minority Leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D-Portsmouth). “We’re here because over the last decade in leadership, my Republican colleagues have provided tax giveaways for the out-of-state corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Now, they are raising your taxes, including an income tax on our most vulnerable, to pay for private school vouchers. The arsonists don’t get credit for putting out the fire. That fire burns until we create a system that works for everyone.”

Background:

The budget set to be passed by Senate Republicans:

Raises Taxes

• Institutes a Medicaid Income Tax of up to $270 a month on families

• Underfunds wastewater infrastructure projects by $25 million, leaving property taxpayers to pay the difference 

• Raids $18 million from the Renewable Energy Fund, which has proven to save taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars per month 

Provides Insufficient Funding to Health Care and Economic Drivers

• No funding to help the affordable housing crisis, the state’s number one issue 

• 10% cut to our University System

• $500K of Senator Rosenwald’s SB 244, which had $9 million to strengthen our health care workforce

• No solutions to lower utility bills, even as New Hampshire has the eighth highest in the country

• Only $20 million in General Funds for the YDC Settlement Fund, when $150 million is needed 

Makes Key Cuts to Health Care and Public Safety

• $51 million back of the budget cut for the Department of Health and Human Services, which will limit access to health care for all Granite Staters and cut programming

• Laying off close to 30 staffed positions at the Department of Corrections, where officers are already working double shifts and taking on added responsibility

• Medicaid Work Requirement that has already failed our state several years ago, costing us more than $4.4 million while only verifying 1% of enrollees

• 4 out of 9 positions in the Office of the Child Advocate cut, which will hamper the Office’s ability to advocate for our most vulnerable children 

• $300,000+ cuts per year to Family Planning Services