Hassan: Will veto budget in its current form
“Without paying for their business tax cuts, Republicans are setting our state on a perilous fiscal path that will mean more expensive college tuition; that will hurt our ability to ensure workers can access health-care without financial ruin; and that will lead to unplowed, unsafe roads for commuters and businesses.” That’s just part of what Her Highness The Governess Margaret Wood Hassan had to say in a statement issued last night threatening to veto the budget now being worked on by the General Court. In the statement, Hassan accused G O P legislators of relying on misleading budget gimmicks, including unpaid for business tax cuts to big, mostly out of state corporations, not living up to employee union contracts and, probably most importantly, not reauthorizing the expansion of Medicaid that brought Obamacare into the state. Hassan called on Republican legislative leaders to quote “prepare a continuing resolution that will fund state government in the short-term, and negotiate in good faith to develop a bipartisan budget that is fiscally responsible and that supports the priorities needed to keep New Hampshire’s economy moving forward.”
Boutin: Lauds passage of tax reform bill
Meanwhile, yesterday, the Senate and House agreed on House Bill 5 5 0, the so called Planet Fitness bill, which is meant to provide tax fairness for New Hampshire’s small businesses looking to expand operations and create jobs in the state. Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Senator David Boutin, Republican from Hooksett said “The Senate Ways and Means Committee worked on this legislation with New Hampshire stakeholders in an effort to preserve quality jobs in the state while providing a fair tax structure that allows businesses to grow and be successful,”
Sanborn: Bill will make NH more attractive to business
District Nine State Senator Andy Sanborn, Republican from Bedford said quote “The current tax provision makes the State of New Hampshire one of the least attractive places to operate a business due to an unfair and unlevel tax burden. The legislation agreed to today would work to restore New Hampshire’s competitive business climate and encourage existing businesses to grow and new businesses to move into the state, creating jobs and a stronger economy overall.”
Budget negotiators from the House and Senate also agreed to include the minuscule cuts to the Business Profits and Business Enterprises taxes that were part of the senate’s budget proposal in their combined budget.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Gatsas: Mum’s the word
Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas is staying non-committal on the proposed teacher contract that will come before the Board of School Committee this coming Monday night. In his weekly interview on Girard at Large yesterday, Gatsas said he is still waiting for numbers from district officials that estimate what the proposed package would cost if it were adopted by the school district’s other bargaining units. School principals, support staff and paraprofessionals unions represent more than four hundred employees. Gatsas said adopting the contract would likely set a precedent the district’s other unions would follow making it necessary to know what the potential financial impact would be. In response to our questions, Gatsas said he was unconcerned that the teachers’ contract would invoke the “me too” clause in contracts governing the city’s employee bargaining groups. Since new teacher hires would not be required to pay twenty percent of their premium cost as new hires on the city side are, we questioned whether or not bargaining units with the me too clause would attempt to exempt the new hires in their unions from that clause of their contract.
The town of Merrimack has announced plans for its 9th Annual Merrimack Fall Festival and Business Expo. The Merrimack Town Council initiated and is overseeing the annual event showcasing businesses, crafters and civic organizations to provide businesses a conduit for meeting town residents and showing how much there is within Merrimack and surrounding communities. This year’s event will be held at Merrimack High School on Saturday, September 19th from 10:00 to 3:00. There will be indoor and outdoor attractions and admission will be free and open to everyone. Over one hundred businesses, organizations and crafters will be on hand to show citizens from all over New Hampshire what Merrimack and surrounding communities have to offer, as they sell their goods and demonstrate their products. Of course, food will be available from many Merrimack restaurants. There will be music provided by Bernie Del Llano of Perfect Entertainment and dance demonstrations, karate demonstrations, K9 demonstrations, Fire Department demonstrations and much more are planned. The event will also have a lot of entertainment for children, with free face painting, McDonny’s Petting Farm and more. For all the details, visit merrimack expo dot com.
MPD: Coffee with a Cop
Officers from the Manchester Police Department will be at the McDonald’s on Second Street this morning from nine to eleven for the department’s ongoing Coffee with a Cop program. Residents of the city are invited to come by and meet their neighborhood officers. There is, of course, no charge for the coffee.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
