Statement from Governor Hassan on Casino Study

CONCORD – Governor Maggie Hassan released the following statement today in response to the study by the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies on the benefits of a high-end casino in New Hampshire:

“Today’s report reinforces that one high-end, highly regulated casino can generate a licensing fee of $80 million dollars or more for the next budget that will help New Hampshire invest in priorities that are critical for building a more innovative economic future. The report also emphasizes that a high-end casino with a significant capital investment will generate thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars a year in revenue to the state.

“And while the study appropriately notes the impact of social costs, it fails to recognize that with gambling already taking place in our communities and with Massachusetts moving forward with casinos, costs will be felt with or without a New Hampshire casino. The study also fails to recognize other benefits of a high-end casino in the form of local and state tax revenues and economic development opportunities.

“Moving forward with a New Hampshire plan will allow us to invest in the priorities that are critical to an innovative economy and fund programs to address on-going social costs, and I will continue working with the legislature to finalize legislation for one high-end casino that can help strengthen our state’s economy while protecting our brand as a family-friendly state with a great outdoor economy. The true risk we all face is the risk of letting our economy fall behind and allowing the good jobs and growing businesses of the innovation economy to develop elsewhere. We must take action and lead the way to build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire.”

Governor Hassan Announces Job Training Fund Grant Awards for Six NH Companies

Office of New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan

Matching Grants Will Help Train 97 Workers in New Skills

CONCORD – Continuing her efforts to ensure New Hampshire workers have the skills needed for jobs in the innovation economy, Governor Hassan announced today six new Job Training Fund grants totaling $47,577.25. The grants, administered by the Department of Resources and Economic Development and acting Commissioner Philip R. Bryce, will be used to train 97 workers in new skills.

The six companies contributed $48,677.25 in matching funds, bringing the total funds for training workers to $96,254.50.

“I am proud to announce these critical funds to help prepare workers for good jobs at New Hampshire’s growing businesses,” Governor Hassan said.  “New Hampshire’s job training fund is a critical resource that has provided important skills to thousands of workers. We need to continue working to ensure that our workforce is as highly skilled as possible to attract innovative businesses with good jobs that can support middle-class families.”

Eptam Plastics of Northfield received a grant of $18,375 to train up to 28 employees in Manufacturing Fundamentals at Manchester Community College and using Skye Business Solutions for training in Professional Development.

Princeton Technology Corp. of Hudson received a grant of $812.50 and matched it with its own funds for training from UNH for five employees in “Essentials of Leadership”.

Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions will use its $3,800 grant award for training two workers in the Lean Enterprise Certificate Program, training performed by Manchester Community College and the NH Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Exchange Networks LLC of Jaffrey will match its $18,000 grant award to train seven employees in product and sales development using Robert Sales Training Associates as trainer.

Teleflex Medical of Jaffrey received a $4,144.75 grant award for training 40 employees in Mentoring, Teamwork and LEAN using Manchester Community College and NHMEP as trainers.

ABTech, Inc., of Swanzey  received a $2,445 grant for training up to 15 workers in Managing Change, Communications and Workplace Goals using The Sarson Group as trainer.

The Job Training Fund has awarded $5,436,507 in grants since October 2007, with employers contributing $8,018,258 for a total of $13,454,766 in new training for 16,481 New Hampshire workers.

Companies interested in applying to the Job Training Fund should visit the JTF web site at www.nhjobtrainingfund.org.

Governor Hassan, Attorney General Delaney Announce New Hampshire Has Joined Multi-State Effort in Support of Marriage Equality

Office of New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan

Amicus Briefs Encourage U.S. Supreme Court to Overturn DOMA, California’s Prop 8

CONCORD – To ensure that New Hampshire’s citizens and all Americans are treated equally under the law, Governor Maggie Hassan and Attorney General Mike Delaney announced today that New Hampshire has joined more than a dozen other states in two amicus briefs to the United States Supreme Court defending the right to civil marriage for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.

“Throughout our history, every time we have sought to include all people in the life of our democracy, we have grown stronger,” Governor Hassan said. “I’m proud that New Hampshire has led the way in ensuring marriage equality for all of our citizens, because encouraging strong marriages for loving couples strengthens families and communities. We are urging the Supreme Court to strike down these discriminatory measures because all New Hampshire married couples should receive fair and equal treatment from the federal government.”

Although New Hampshire legally recognizes their marriages, same-sex couples continue to be discriminated against by the federal government. For example, same-sex spouses on a family health plan have to pay taxes on the coverage, while other married couples do not. Same sex couples cannot file their taxes jointly. Nor can they collect survivor benefits.

“First and foremost, this is a fairness and civil rights issue, but it is also an economic issue for our state, our businesses and our families,” Governor Hassan said.

The briefs have been filed in two cases, Windsor v. United States, which challenges the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and Hollingsworth v. Perry, which challenges California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriages. In the briefs, the states highlight that they have been strengthened by measures to provide marriage equality and argue that the DOMA and Prop 8 measures actually harm families by denying the multitude of legal and social benefits of marriage to same-sex couples and their children.

“Federal laws have for many years deferred to states on the issue of marriage. In order to protect New Hampshire’s law and ensure the equality of New Hampshire’s citizens we join other states on both amicus briefs,” Attorney General Delaney said. “DOMA departs from tradition by seeking to define domestic relations through federal law, and compels New Hampshire to discriminate among our own lawfully married couples. New Hampshire has a compelling interest in ensuring we can protect the rights the legislature has provided to our citizens. In addition, we urge the Court to strike Proposition 8 down because all Americans have a right to fair and equal treatment.”

Other states joining in the effort include Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington as well as the District of Columbia.

NHGOP RESPONSE TO HASSAN’S UNWILLINGESS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT GAS TAX HIKE

Concord – New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Jennifer Horn released the following statement today on Governor Maggie Hassan’s unwillingness to answer questions about a proposed gas tax hike. During an editorial board meeting with Seacoast Media Group today (2/27/13) Governor Hassan “did not technically answer the question about whether she would veto a gas tax hike proposal.”

"It is time for Governor Hassan to stop dodging questions about the disastrous and dishonest gas tax hike that is being proposed by her House Democrat leadership.

“House Democrats have clearly misled Granite Staters about the actual motives behind their proposed gas tax hike. They have dishonestly claimed that all funds generated from the tax would be used for infrastructure repairs. But secret emails discovered this week show that the Democrats believe that their gas tax hike is ‘a gift that keeps on giving’ that should not be “spent all in one place.” The Democrats view their tax hike as tool that can be used to scam New Hampshire motorists into funding their plans to grow government.

"A devastating gas tax hike during a recession is bad policy, and the Democrat House Leadership’s leaked emails proves that Democrats are not being honest about the real goals of their tax increase. It is time for Governor Hassan to stop refusing to answer questions about this deceptive ploy, start providing leadership on this issue, and pledge to veto this bad legislation."

Sen. Morse warns Gov. Hassan is over inflating MET revenues

Says bad estimates likely to create a $200 million hole in next budget

CONCORD, NH -- Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Morse, R-Salem, has taken a closer look at revenue projections in Gov. Maggie Hassan's budget relating to the Medicaid Enhancement Tax (MET), and is voicing concerns today. Morse says his analysis reveals her MET estimates, combined with a federal match, are overinflated by over $200 million.  The MET is a 5.5 percent tax paid by all hospitals in the state on their net patient revenues.

     Morse urged caution over the inclusion of unrealistic revenues to balance the next state budget for 2014-2015.  For 2014, Hassan estimates MET revenues will be $232 million, a 19% increase over 2013. In 2015, her total is $250 million which is

8% more than the previous year. The two years put together equal $112 million more in anticipated revenues.    

     “We have hard data on what the MET tax raised in 2012 and 2013,” Morse said. “It is fiscally irresponsible to include revenue projections that anticipate $112 million in growth over what the MET tax is expected to raise in the current budget. Combined with a federal match, this one area inflates Gov. Hassan's budget over $200 million.”

     Morse added, “We continue to peel back the layers of this budget without the benefit of HB2 which is the written explanation of how all of the numbers in HB1 work.  Despite this obstacle that the governor has created, I will remain focused on building a budget in the Senate that is based on realistic and reliable revenue projections."