Governor Hassan Issues Executive Order Creating Consensus Revenue Estimating Panel

Office of New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan

Panel of Experts Will Advise Governor

On State Revenue Projections Throughout Budget Cycle

CONCORD – Fulfilling her commitment to implement fiscally responsible reforms to the state budgeting process, Governor Maggie Hassan issued an Executive Order today creating a Consensus Revenue Estimating Panel. The panel of experts will work to periodically develop and update revenue estimates and provide advice to the Governor both through the budget process and after the budget’s adoption.

The Governor’s Consensus Revenue Estimating Panel will be chaired by Gerard Murphy, the Governor’s Budget Director. The members are Linda Hodgdon, Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services (or designee); Kevin Clougherty, Commissioner of the Department of Revenue Administration (or designee); Richard Samuels, a director of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association and an attorney at McLane, Graf, Raulerson and Middleton; Dennis Delay, an economist with the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy; Jeff McLynch of the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute; and Ross Gittell, an economist and Chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

“A balanced budget is the cornerstone of a strong economy, and a fiscally responsible balanced budget requires revenue estimates that are as reliable and accurate as possible,” said Governor Hassan. “By bringing together experts from the business community, academia, and the public sector, we can work to improve our revenue estimates and ensure more accurate information throughout the budget process. I thank the members of our Consensus Revenue Estimating Panel for agreeing to serve their fellow citizens by supporting our efforts to balance the budget while protecting our priorities.”

The panel’s responsibilities include reviewing revenue estimates to confirm accuracy and reliability; monitoring variables materially impacting estimates such as employment, population trends, interest rates, income, business growth trends and other indices as are appropriate; and providing periodic revenue estimates to the Executive branch and to share such estimates with the Legislative branch. Once the budget is adopted, the panel will meet regularly to review revenue estimates and to help ensure that the state remains on track for a balanced budget. Legislative leaders will also be invited to meetings of the panel to ensure an open and informative exchange of information between the Executive and Legislative branches regarding revenue projections.

The first meeting of the Governor’s Consensus Revenue Estimating Panel will be tomorrow, Thursday, January 24, at 3:30 p.m. in the Executive Council Chamber at the State House.

The full text of the Governor’s Executive Order is attached.

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http://bit.ly/RnQobx

by Seton Motley What So Proudly He Hails The reasons to un-elect President Barack Obama are myriad. His has a litany of failings that is massive and nearly all-encompassing. One of the most important reasons to dispatch this President is his governing via Executive Order and regulatory fiat - well outside the Constitutional process and proscribed bounds of his office. People say that President Obama isn’t interested in the legislative process.  If he ever was, he checked out after turning over the highly dubious and unpopular ObamaCare operation to then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. It’s not much fun to go to the People’s House when the People repeatedly express disdain for your worldview.  Built into ObamaCare is the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).  Fifteen bureaucrats who can - in Congress-free, unilateral fashion - decide who does and does not receive medical care. The IPAB approach is much more to President Obama’s liking.  He has all along been - in Congress-free, unilateral fashion - imposing all sorts of new “laws,” “rules” and “regulations” via royal edict. And this has created tremendous uncertainty for - and done egregious damage to - the economy. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor just released a detailed report entitled “The Imperial Presidency.”  Here are - culled from just its “Creating Laws” subsection - some of Emperor Obama’s Greatest Hits: ·         Tech Layoffs Hit 3-Year High in First Half of 2012 ·         January 19, 2009 av. gas price:      $1.85 per gallon. October 22, 2012 av. gas price:     $3.69 per gallon. Coal plants closed under Obama:  111 - more than 1/5 of the nation's nearly 500. Public land oil-gas production under Obama: ·         Leases: Down 11%. ·         Land in use: Down 19%. ·         Drill permits approved: Down 36%. Which brought us those doubled-under-Obama gas prices.  But wait, there’s more.  For instance, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been a one-stop bureaucratic wrecking shop. ·         ·         Telling Businesses Where They Are Allowed to Locate Obama Touts S.C. Boeing Plant That NLRB Sued ·         Imposing Union “Propaganda” Mandates on Employers Then there is the Obama Administration doubling car CAFE mileage requirements.  The results? New cars are expected to cost about $2000 more because of this mandate. And on, and on, and on.... Oh - and how’s ObamaCare doing for us? During Obama’s term, between 2009 to 2012, premiums have climbed $2,370 for the average family with an employer-provided plan – a rate faster than the during the previous four years under President George W. Bush.... During the 2008 campaign and health care reform debate in 2009, President Obama said repeatedly that his plan would bend the cost curve downward, ultimately saving the average family $2,500 per year. The Barack Obama Presidency has been conducted almost entirely against the Constitution and the will of We the People.  The results? 2012 GDP growth thus far: 1.77%. Next Tuesday, We the People get to Constitutionally express our will about that.

Seton Motley is the founder and president of Less Government.  He is a writer, television and radio commentator, political and policy strategist, lecturer, debater, and activist.  Please feel free to follow him on Twitter and Facebook - it’s his kind of stalking.

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