FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2016
Concord, NH – Today, Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) issued the following statement urging Governor Hassan to release spending reports, illustrative of the State of New Hampshire’s overall financial footing.
“The Governor continues to claim credit for the budget she vetoed and the tax cuts she fought vociferously. Claiming credit for something you are only, at best, marginally responsible for is one thing, but today she is only revealing half of the budget picture and potentially providing a misleading view of New Hampshire’s financial situation.”
“The surplus generated from business tax and other revenues is only half of the picture, we call on Governor Hassan yet again to reveal the other half: spending. We know she has overspent her budget by not meeting required lapses. In addition, the Legislature passed SB 32 last year, which Governor Hassan signed into law, requiring detailed quarterly spending reports by each department to be made available to the Legislature. The first report was due back in March, we are now due three reports, none of which have been released by the Governor.
“Governor Hassan is not complying with the law she signed, and we have yet to see detailed spending reports since the close of the FY ’16 budget at the end of June. This lack of transparency on the part of the Governor must be resolved before future budget preparations can begin for the next biennium.”
“While news of the surplus and money going in to the Rainy Day Fund is certainly positive, we should be cautious to commit any surplus funds without first knowing the full spending picture.”
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