Josiah Bartlett Center - The Budget, CON, School Choice, and Safety's Cut

Weekly Update from the
Josiah Bartlett Center

Keeping you up to date on our latest research
on the issues impacting New Hampshire

Wishing and Hoping are not the Best Budget Practices

The state budget is a mess. So what’s new? House budget writers are working to make sense of that mess before Friday. Their budget will be different from the governor’s but likely leave a lot of work left to be done.

In New Hampshire, governors present a budget more or less fully formed to the legislature. Then the House of Representatives takes six weeks to develop their own draft, plug any holes in assumptions, and then pass that draft to the state senate for further work... Click here to keep reading.

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House Finance Wants to Revive CON Board

Due to Expire in 2015

The House Finance Committee has voted to bring the state’s Certificate of Need Board back from the brink of extinction. The panel yesterday approved an amendment to the state budget that would undo last year’s repeal of the Health Services Planning and Review Board. Click here to keep reading

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Indiana Supreme Court Upholds School Choice Vouchers

Upheld for Religious Schools as well

The Indiana Supreme Court’s has unanimously upheld that state’s controversial school choice program, defeating a union challenge to the tax-funded scholarships for low-income students... Click here to keep reading.

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Highway Fund Diversion: What Does Safety's Cut Pay For?

Continuing our look at the Highway Fund

As detailed in an earlier piece on the Highway Fund diversion the Department of Safety receives a sizeable portion of the revenue raised by the state Highway Fund. Historically the Department has received roughly between 24% and 32% of the amount collected, net of block grants to the municipalities... Click here to keep reading.

NH House Finance chooses to play politics over helping children

  www.nhcharterschools.org

Today the House Finance Committee voted along party lines to derail a bill that would remove the moratorium on public charter schools and prevent the loss of federal funding.

The main proponent behind retaining the bill was Representative Dan Eaton. Coincidentally Rep. Eaton was recorded on video tape last week discussing strategy with a lobbyist. In the video Rep. Eaton thought HB299 would make a great political trump card to save for later.

Public charter school students, political pawns in the house.

So in a very political move, the committee threw New Hampshire's children under the bus and decided to play Russian roulette with millions in federal funding. We will post today's video later so that you can contrast the theater of today with the strategy discussed last week.

We believe that the final vote was 14-9

Vote to derail the bill?	Yes	No
Chairman Mary Jane Wallner(d)	X
Vice Chair Cindy Rosenwald(d)	X
Clerk Katherine Rogers(d)	X
Sharon Nordgren (d)	X
Peter Leishman (d)	X
Alfred Lerandeau (d)	X
Stephen Spratt (d)	X
Kenneth Weyler (r)		X
Mary Allen (r)		X
John Cebrowski (r)		X
Colette Worsman (r)		X
Daniel Eaton (d)	X
Thomas Buco (d)	X
William Hatch (d)	X
Robert Walsh (d)	X
Lynne Ober (r)		X
Karen Umberger (r)		X
Bernard Benn (d)	X
David Huot (d)	X
Susan Ford (d)	X
Neal Kurk (r)		X
Robert Elliott (r)		X
Dan McGuire (r)		X

About NHCIS

 

The New Hampshire Center for Innovative Schools is a NH registered non-profit whose members are committed to helping inspire the creation of innovative public schools in New Hampshire. We offer assistance to all New Hampshire charter schools and groups wanting to learn more about these innovative programs. Our services are free, we do not charge or accept payment for our assistance.

Sen. Stiles Statement on Passage of Scholarship Repeal Bill

The New Hampshire Senate

Majority Office

"Today's action by the House is premature" 

Concord, NH – Sen. Nancy Stiles, R-Hampton, issued the following statement today after the House of Representatives voted to repeal the School Choice Scholarship Program enacted last year:

“Today's action by the House is premature, and as this bill moves to the Senate I will not support a repeal.  The School Choice Scholarship Program has garnered significant interest from students, parents, and business owners who applied to it based on their understanding of the law.  I believe we should allow the program and these applicants this opportunity before voting to repeal program that has yet to even begin.”

NH House Republican Leaders Comment on Passage of Bill Repealing School Choice Tax Credit

CONCORD – Today House Republican Leader Gene G. Chandler (R-Bartlett), Deputy House Republican Leader David Hess (R-Hooksett) and House Republican Policy Leader Laurie Sanborn (R-Bedford) offered the following comments following the passage of HB370, a bill that would repeal the school choice tax credit program. The bill passed the House 188-151.

House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett)

“Choice in education should not only be available to the rich. No parent should be forced to send a child to a school that does not meet the child’s needs. This program became law less than one year ago. Its first program year was to be this year. We now have businesses who have committed donations and families who have applied for scholarships who are in limbo, not knowing if they will be able to receive those scholarships. This program should be given a fair chance to succeed or fail on its own merits.”

Deputy House Republican Leader David Hess (R-Hooksett)

“This bill repeals a completely need based scholarship opportunity that makes programs of academic excellence available to moderate and low income families. We poured hundreds of hours into ensuring the program would not adversely affect school districts or state revenue. Now a politically motivated bill has threatened to end the program before it can be fully assessed. It’s unfortunate for those families and children who could benefit.”

House Republican Policy Leader Laurie Sanborn (R-Bedford)

“No child learns exactly the same and each child has his or her talents and strengths. Unfortunately, other than the choice to uproot and move to a different school district, most middle class families have lacked choice in education, which is a barrier preventing many children from achieving their full potential. It’s a real shame the Democrat controlled House voted today to take that opportunity away from our state’s lower income families. Parents know their children best and we should allow families to make choices together that are in the best interest of individual students. We made a promise to the hundred of families who have already applied for financial assistance. We hope the repeal fails in the Senate and we’re able to give this program and the children it helps a chance to succeed.”

House Republican Leaders Comment on Committee Vote on Bill to Repeal School Choice Law

CONCORD – Today House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) and House Republican Policy Leader Laurie Sanborn (R-Bedford) issued the following statements in reaction to the House Ways & Means committee vote on HB 370, a bill that would repeal the education tax credit program enacted in 2012. The committee voted 10-7, along party lines, to recommend the bill ought to pass.

House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett)

“Needless to say I’m disappointed in the committee recommendation. Choice in education should not be available only to the rich and no parent should be forced to send a child to a school that does not meet the child’s needs. The School Choice Bill we passed last year gives more options to students and parents, protects local property taxpayers and gives businesses the chance to ensure a strong workforce in the future. We need to protect choice in education, empower families and give this program a chance to succeed. We will work with the Senate to defeat this bill and ensure this program has an opportunity to prove itself.”

House Republican Policy Leader Laurie Sanborn (R-Bedford)

“No child learns exactly the same and each child has his or her talents and strengths. Unfortunately, other than the choice to uproot and move to a different school district, most middle class families have lacked choice in education, which is a barrier preventing many children from achieving their full potential. It’s a real shame the committee voted today to take that opportunity away from our state’s lower income families. Parents know their children best and we should allow families to make choices together that are in the best interest of individual students.”