Ayotte's $16.5B state budget includes $150M in cuts
Feb. 13—Gov. Kelly Ayotte presented her first state budget Thursday before a joint session of the Legislature.
Here are highlights of Ayotte's proposed two-year, $16.5 billion plan:
—Making do with less: The plan contains $150 million less in state spending than the current year, which ends June 30.
—EFA for all in public schools: Ayotte proposes to give an Education Freedom Account to any family whose children are now in public schools. The current income limit for eligibility is 350% of the federal poverty level, or $109,000 a year for a family of four.
—Group II "investment": A $33 million increase to boost pension benefits that got cut in 2011; she called it a "big step" to enhance recruitment and retention of all state, local and county first responders.
—Cellphones in schools: The state will have a $1 million grant program for all school districts to develop their own policies for limiting student access to phones while classes are in session.
—Slot machines at casinos: This would allow these gambling houses to convert from historic horse racing to traditional slot machines, which Ayotte says will raise an additional $127 million for the state by mid-2027.
—Landfill moratorium: She proposed a ban on new landfills and a "revamped" regulatory process to protect the environment.
—New Medicaid copay: New Hampshire would join neighboring states that require Medicaid clients who are able to do so to pay a "nominal" copay for their benefits.
—Cold case investigator: Ayotte, a former attorney general, would add another full-time staffer to the unit working on unsolved major crimes.
—Mental health centers: Provides $10 million for 10 centers struggling with high uncompensated care budgets.
—Housing permitting process: Vows to set a 60-day period for developers to get an answer on all their applications for permits from state agencies.
—Northern Shield: A new initiative for $1 million for law enforcement in Coos, Grafton, Carroll and Sullivan counties to combat drug trafficking.
—Community college tuition freeze: With an 8% increase in funding for the system, the freeze on tuition that's been in place for the past six years will continue. Spending on the state's four-year colleges will be cut by 4%.
—Bail reform: Ayotte called on lawmakers to repeal the 2019 bail reform law that allows some offenders with a violent past to be released on personal recognizance.
—Special education: The governor called for spending $99 million, a 50% increase in what school districts receive for the cost of educating students with special needs under the catastrophic aid program.
klandrigan@unionleader.com
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