Governor John Lynch’s Budget

By Jim on February 15th, 2009

It looks like he’s doing a significant amount of cutting but he’s also raising taxes and I don’t agree with that part of it.

And, frankly, I think he got himself and our state into this mess to a larger degree than it should have been by inflating the last budget up so high. And that is going to make the upcoming cuts even more painful than they would have been otherwise.

The state will spend less, cut up to 300 workers, close eight courts and the Laconia prison as part of a move to balance its books under the two-year budget plan Gov. John Lynch proposed yesterday.

Lynch told lawmakers, “This budget recognizes the extraordinary economic crisis facing our state and our nation by lowering costs, making state government more efficient and meeting our fundamental responsibilities to people.”

Besides spending cuts, he outlined a series of higher taxes and fees. It will cost more to smoke, drive on turnpikes, register cars, eat out or rent a room.

Lynch renewed his pledge to veto a sales or income tax bill. As for expanded gambling, he said, “I remain skeptical.” He did propose a new tax on charity gambling winnings.

Lynch would hold back for state use about $83 million it shares with local communities, and use federal stimulus money to cover the move.