Sununu seeks bipartisan cooperation in budget speech

CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu provided a speech outlining his proposed Fiscal Year 2024-’25 budget on Tuesday that appeared to reach out to both sides of the aisle as the slog toward the state’s next biennial budget now truly begins.

Sununu referred to the proposed budget, which is set at approximately $7.6 billion annually in 2024 and 2025, as an exciting opportunity to continue what he referred to as an innovative pathway to economic growth over the last six years.

Democratic legislators praised a projected 10 percent wage hike for state employees set to begin on July 1, with a 2 percent increase for state employees on top of that a year later, with Sununu saying part of the state’s success came from the commitment to customer service embodied by the state’s employees. They also praised pledges by Sununu toward increasing funding in mental health areas, such as peer-to-peer student grief counseling as well as $25 million in additional funding for the state’s affordable housing fund

Likewise, Republican legislators also praised portions of Sununu’s speech, most notably the elimination of the communication tax and the elimination of 34 licenses and 14 licensure regulatory boards in an effort to streamline government. In addition to the removal of those boards, Sununu also pledged that professional licenses obtained in other states through substantially similar processes to those in New Hampshire would be automatically recognized to help attract new professionals into the state.

Republican House Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) referred to the moves as a “game-changer.”

“I want to thank Governor Sununu for putting this issue front and center as we work on passing a budget for New Hampshire. This transformational plan will have a lasting impact on the lives of every Granite Stater. Overly restrictive occupational licensing puts barriers in the way of those pursuing their dreams. Hours of excessive training, exorbitant educational costs, and expensive government licenses keep people from joining the workforce and changing their lives. This plan will empower Granite Staters to unleash their true potential,” he said.

House Speaker Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) also praised the speech.

“We believe that the best form of government is one that empowers you to live free. The legislature will now have its opportunity to continue work on the state budget, and we look forward to input from our constituents and job creators on what we can do to make New Hampshire an even better place,” he said.

Republicans also praised an additional $180 million into the state’s rainy day fund and $8.4 million in new funding for military and veterans services.

Legislators from both parties applauded plans to build a statue of New Hampshire educator and astronaut Christa McAuliffe on state house grounds.

Sununu is also proposing a change in state aid for schools, which seeks to update local data used in calculations for the first time since 2006 and seeks to provide an additional $1 billion in educational aid over the next decade, with additional investment in school building aid coming from the educational trust fund surplus.

Sununu sought support from both sides of the aisle in working on the budget, hoping that neither side delves into partisanship and put people over programs.

“In the next few months, I look forward to working closely with members of both parties as we deliver for the people of our state a fiscally responsible, balanced budget with no new taxes and no new fees,” he said.

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley compared the budget to the “worst chocolate in the assortment – a thin outer layer of good policy masking a dense, chewy wafer of sticky, bitter far-right legislation designed to make New Hampshire look more like Florida.”

“As he runs for president, Sununu will try to paint a rosy picture of his tenure in office, but the facts are clear: the worst housing crisis in a generation, skyrocketing electricity rates and property taxes, and attacks on our teachers and public schools like we’ve never seen,” said Buckley. “This governor has been a failure, and Granite Staters deserve better.”

Additional quotes

Amplify NH Executive Director Craig Brown

“Governor Sununu’s budget priorities make it crystal clear that he is motivated by partisan political interests that will help his Republican presidential campaign at the expense of New Hampshire. Governor Sununu’s budget continues to give massive tax breaks to the wealthy and large corporations and downshift costs to cities and towns instead of helping hardworking Granite Staters deal with rising costs. His budget shows us his priority is to appeal to national Republican donors and special interests that will fund his presidential campaign. Now, enough is enough. Republicans in the legislature need to stop being co-conspirators in this Sununu grift, and stand up for their constituents instead. While the Governor is off selling himself to national special interests, someone needs to be looking out for New Hampshire. We will be watching and ready to hold them all accountable.”

Ross Connolly, Deputy State Director Americans for Prosperity New Hampshire

“We applaud Governor Sununu for breaking barriers to employment in the Granite State. Recognizing out-of-state occupational licenses will make New Hampshire a national leader in welcoming qualified workers. New Hampshire is suffering from a labor shortage and this policy is a commonsense step to take to relieve that burden from employers. We encourage the House and Senate to include this proposal in their budgets so that New Hampshire will be the best place in the nation to Live Free and Work.”

University System of New Hampshire (USNH) Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Provencher

“Public higher education is critical to the state’s workforce, and we appreciate Governor Sununu’s support for our efforts to strengthen the talent pipeline. The proposed increase in the state appropriation will provide aid to help more New Hampshire students attend college in-state, and will allow the University System to expand internships and partnerships with employers to retain graduates in New Hampshire.”

N.H. Senate Democrats Caucus

“We are pleased with some of the initiatives that Governor Sununu announced today in his budget address, like the raises for state employees. It is unfortunate though that many of the rest of the Governor’s priorities are so out of touch with the true needs of Granite Staters. The people of New Hampshire want fully funded public education, protections for reproductive health care freedom, and the prioritization of economic relief for everyday New Hampshire citizens. Over the course of the next few months, Senate Democrats will work with our colleagues across the aisle to ensure that efforts to address our skyrocketing property taxes are reflected in the actual lowering of property tax bills. Further, although the Governor failed to mention it, we know that our residents are facing astronomical electricity costs that are hurting their bottom lines and our economy. Our Caucus is painfully aware that Granite Staters are being hit from all sides with higher costs and we pledge to work on evidence-based solutions, while also protecting our fragile environment and Granite Staters’ wallets. It is glaringly obvious that the Governor wants to avoid addressing some of our most dire crises in the state, and instead continues to rely on grand rhetoric rather than developing solutions. During his address, the Governor made mention of workforce development and yet failed to address our need for increased childcare access for our young families. He also failed to acknowledge the homelessness crisis that he continues to sweep under the rug, instead blaming municipalities for what in reality is a state issue. Senate Democrats will work to pass a clean budget in the best interest of all Granite Staters, free of the political ploys that we have seen in the past under Republican leadership – a budget that reflects the Governor’s calls for bipartisanship.”