The New Hampshire Senate
Republican Majority Office
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2013
 
CONTACT
Tom Cronin
 
Senate President Bragdon Responds to Gov. Hassan’s Budget Criticism
 
Concord, NH – Senate President Peter Bragdon, R-Milford, issued the following statement in response to Governor Hassan calling the Senate’s proposed budget fiscally irresponsible:
 
“Governor Hassan is welcome to disagree with the spending priorities outlined in the Senate budget, but given her abysmal fiscal record when she was a state senator we certainly don’t need lectures about responsible budgeting from someone with zero credibility on the subject.
 
“Budgets are about setting priorities and making difficult choices.  Unlike the Governor, who avoided making the tough choices by proposing a budget that relied on an $80 million gamble and more than $100 million in unrealistic Medicaid revenues, the Senate spends responsibly, realizes honest revenues, and does not raise taxes.
 
“Governor Hassan claims Republicans are proposing sweeping across-the-board cuts.  While I disagree with that characterization, I would point out that the Senate budget includes exactly the same type of budget language proposed by Governor Hassan and passed by the House earlier this year.  What’s more, it is exactly the type of language included in the budgets she voted for as a state senator.  And it’s very similar to the executive orders issued by former Governor John Lynch after the 2007 and 2009 budgets – produced by then-Senator Hassan – increased spending by over 25% while relying on phony and inflated revenues.
 
“Governor Hassan also criticized the Senate for cutting state spending on salaries and benefits even though a similar budget reduction was included in the budget Governor Hassan voted for as a state senator in 2009. That sounds like she was for it before she was against it.
 
“If Governor Hassan wants to show some real leadership and get involved in solving the pressing financial issues facing our state we welcome her input.  Until that time, however, we have absolutely no need for her lectures or time for her political gamesmanship.”
 
 
Note: Governor Hassan supported back of the budget cuts as a state senator, and Governor John Lynch used similar executive orders to keep then-Senator Hassan’s budgets balanced:
 
The 2006-2007 budget supported by then-Senator Hassan included $35.9 million in back of the budget reductions, of which $12.4 million came from the Department of Health and Human Services. 
 
Then-Senator Hassan served on the Senate Finance Committee from 2007-2010.  She also served on the Committee of Conference for each of those budgets.
  • The 2008-2009 budget included $12.7 million in back of the budget reductions, of which $4.7 million came from the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • The 2009-2010 budget included $50.4 million in back of the budget reductions, of which $19.6 million came from the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • The 2010 Special Session budget included 52.2 million in back of the budget reductions, of which $4.9 million came from the Department of Health and Human Services.
 
As Majority Leader, then-Senator Hassan’s budgets also:
  • Increased spending more than 25%;
  • Increased more than 100 taxes and fees;
  • Created the job-killing, small business LLC income tax;
  • Attempted to raid $110 million from the JUA fund;
  • Bonded $130 million in operating costs.
 
Governor John Lynch issued three executive orders to curb spending following the 2008-2009 budget produced by then-Senator Hassan.
  • Executive Order 2008-2: Reduced state agency authorized appropriations by $46.4 million, of which $22.5 million came from the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Executive Order 2008-9: Reduced state agency authorized appropriations by $30.1 million, of which $14.8 million came from the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Executive Order 2008-10: Reduced state agency authorized appropriations by $53.7 million, of which $25.4 million came from the Department of Health and Human Services.
 
Governor John Lynch issued one executive order to curb spending following the 2010-2011 budget produced by then-Senator Hassan.
  • Executive Order 2010-2: Reduced state agency authorized appropriations by $25.2 million, of which $13.8 million came from the Department of Health and Human Services.
 
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