Where to begin. We knew the budget would pass in some shape or form, and while Gov. Ayotte threatened a veto, which she didn’t really want to do, she cut a last-minute deal and signed the budget on Friday. Manchester school cuts were delayed and retirement funds for first responders were restored, but the housing crisis was ignored and healthcare funding was slashed. To add to this, Gov. Ayotte signed a bill in early June that promises to drain the Education Trust Fund to cover the EFA universal vouchers.
Read Rep. Laurel Stavis explanation of what happened to Gov. Ayotte’s housing pledge in a wonderful Op Ed. Listen to Sen. Sue Prentiss weighing in on the final budget vote this week. Hear NH House Democratic Caucus leader Rep. Alexis Simpson in her “People’s Minute” talk about Republican efforts to sideline Democrats in the budget vote. Garry Rayno has a blow-by-blow report on how 22 Republicans changed their vote to support the budget. As for Medicaid cuts, Steve Marchand calculates that 30% of the population in Berlin is enrolled in Medicaid, 40% in Stratford, and 26% in both Littleton and Lancaster. This is a huge economic issue for voters and we need to keep messaging this through the 2026 elections. Republicans own this budget. All are shared below.
- OP ED: Ayotte Promised to Prioritize Housing, So Why Does Her Budget Cut the Programs That Work? Rep. Laurel Stavis, Valley News
- The Passage of the State Budget, Senator Sue Prentiss
- “People’s Minute”, Rep. Alexis Simpson.
- 4 Thoughts About the New State Budget, Steve Marchand
- Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places, Garry Rayno, indepthnh.org