New Hampshire

Facing a potential 2025 budget shortfall, Craig, Kelly avoid specifics in debate • New Hampshire Bulletin

Published

1 year ago

October 16, 2024

Facing a potential 2025 budget shortfall, Craig, Kelly avoid specifics in debate • New Hampshire Bulletin

Joyce Craig and Kelly Ayotte made many economic differences clear during a debate Tuesday. Ayotte, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, applauded the elimination of the interest and dividends tax next year, while Craig, the Democratic nominee, said the cut, passed by lawmakers, amounted to a tax cut for the wealthy.

But the candidates were less forthcoming on one key question: How should the next governor handle a potential significant decline in revenues next year?

“Do you have any contingency plan for dealing with a billion dollar shortfall in our budget?” asked Jac Cuddy, the council’s executive director and the moderator of the debate.

Despite multiple prompts during the Mt. Washington Valley Economic Council gubernatorial debate, neither contender fully answered that question. The candidates instead clung to familiar territory, falling back on the policy disagreements that have defined their campaigns.

But the budget question could be unavoidable for the next governor.

After multiple years of flush state revenues spurred by historic federal stimulus during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as strong revenues from the state’s business taxes, the flow of money is likely to decrease.

New Hampshire’s share of American Rescue Plan Act funds is near an end, with most of the remaining share required to be spent by 2026. And future revenue projections are lower, in part because of the reduction of the interest and dividends tax, according to a monthly revenue report by the Department of Administrative Services.

That means the next governor might face an unpalatable choice when she crafts her first budget: raise taxes to make up revenues or find ways to cut some state programs.

Neither candidate appeared interested in detailing their preferred response to that situation Tuesday.

Instead, the two sparred over the state’s 2022 abortion law barring most abortions after six months of pregnancy, the value of the state’s education freedom account program, and the best approach to diversifying energy sources and lowering costs.

When it came to the interest and dividends tax, which is due to be phased out after April 2025, Craig painted the tax cut as a handout to wealthier Granite Staters. Research shows that higher income households were much more likely to pay the tax than lower-income households. Craig said she would restore the tax but change the threshold to make sure it would not affect middle class families.

Ayotte said that proposal was tantamount to a tax increase to Granite Staters and used it to bolster her argument that Craig would usher in higher taxes as governor. Craig pledged not to introduce an income or sales tax.

Addressing education funding in the state, Ayotte repeated her opposition to a November Superior Court ruling in which Judge David Ruoff found the state’s $4,100 per pupil base grant for public schools to be unconstitutionally low, and held that it should be at least $7,356.01.

Ayotte said it was inappropriate for the court to have weighed in, arguing the funding level is a question that should be put to the Legislature and the governor. But she did agree that the state should put more money into targeted funds for school districts in which property taxes are inordinately high

Craig, who supports the ruling, said the current level of state education funding is woefully inadequate and has helped keep property taxes high. She also criticized the education freedom account program, which she said could “decimate” public schools if allowed to grow.

Ayotte countered that the program, which allows low income families to use state education funds toward private school and home school expenses, provides educational opportunities for children who aren’t succeeding in their public school.

The two agreed that they would not support overriding local zoning codes using state statutes in order to facilitate more housing. But both candidates do support some of those zoning overhauls, and both have endorsed legislation to require towns to allow more accessory dwelling units to be developed by property owners.

On energy policy, Ayotte argued that Craig’s positions in favor of expanding clean energy would prove too costly and were too aligned with other New England states. Craig countered that the reforms are necessary to reduce the state’s carbon footprint and that they would ultimately lower costs.

And on many answers, the two candidates returned to familiar attack lines – Ayotte accusing Craig of adopting progressive policies akin to Massachusetts and failing to lead Manchester through a drug and homelessness crisis, and Craig hammering Ayotte over her past votes as U.S. Senator to defund Planned Parenthood and her support for the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

After about an hour, the state budget question remained largely unaddressed.

“I’m just cranky and old at this point, and I haven’t done very well as far as getting you to answer questions about the huge potential budget deficit that we have,” Cuddy said. “So as we get closer to finishing up, the more specific you can be, the more I’d appreciate it.”

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New Hampshire

NH lawmakers approve bill that would make judges’ job evaluations public

Published

10 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

NH lawmakers approve bill that would make judges’ job evaluations public

A bill that would add elements to judicial performance evaluations for all state judges and make those evaluation reports public, cleared the New Hampshire House along party lines Thursday.

The bill’s backers, including Rep. Bob Lynn of Windham, former Chief Justice of New Hampshire Supreme Court, promoted the new requirements as a way to “invigorate” judicial performance, and said fully disclosing the reports is crucial.

“I have to emphasize this provision in the bill as well as the other provisions of the bill were adopted in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,” Lynn said

Under the bill, which was written with input from Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald, all judges – including part-time judges and retired judges who sometimes hear cases – would undergo evaluation at least every three years. Evaluations would include courtroom observations and analyses of how efficiently they process cases. Right now, judicial performance reviews remain confidential unless a judge receives two consecutive subpar evaluations.

The proposal comes at a time of tension between the judicial branch and lawmakers, spurred by recent court rulings finding the state isn’t meeting school funding obligations, and by judicial branch spending and management practices.

Democrats who criticized the new judicial evaluation bill say it goes too far and that the legislature should resist the urge to meddle in court operations.

“Many of us have been frustrated by recent activities coming out of the judicial branch – this is probably a bipartisan sentiment,” said Rep. Mark Paige of Exeter. “But to the extent that this bill appeals as a means to scratch your judicial frustration itch, consider other available remedies.”

Democrats also argued that making judicial reviews public could pose safety risks in an era of increased political violence including against judges.

“Publication would do real harm, inviting harassment of judges as violent threats against U.S judges have surged 327 percent since last year,” said Rep. Catherine Rombeau of Bedford, citing research from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.

But Republicans disputed such arguments, and said public reviews are also one of the few tools lawmakers have to make sure judges are performing their duties effectively.

“Judges are appointed once and serve until the age of 70,” said Rep. Ken Weyler of Kingston.

“All employees, including judges, benefit from constructive evaluation.”

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New Hampshire

AI posts, selfies, and dank memes: The very online politics of NH’s Joe Sweeney

Published

22 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

AI posts, selfies, and dank memes: The very online politics of NH’s Joe Sweeney

The New Hampshire State House, where tradition often reigns supreme, is scarcely more technologically savvy than a couple of still cameras streaming hearings to YouTube.

But like a lot of places these days, political power — and attention — there is increasingly shaped by what’s happening online.

And while plenty of New Hampshire lawmakers maintain busy Facebook feeds and X accounts, perhaps no public official better exemplifies the high speed, high volume, digital-ready approach to politics than Republican Rep. Joe Sweeney.

As the House’s deputy majority leader, Sweeney’s job is to make sure fellow Republicans show up in Concord and support caucus priorities. In many ways, it’s about as old-fashioned as political work gets in 2026. And to see Sweeney in action is to observe a politician who still embraces plenty of his party’s traditional priorities.

“Let the voters see that we oppose income taxes now and forever,” Sweeney proclaimed from the House floor earlier this month.

But Sweeney didn’t stop at merely pledging to oppose income taxes inside the walls of the State House. Soon after, he also posted the video of himself doing so to social media. Sweeney isn’t the first — or only — state politician bent on cultivating an online presence. But his position of power in the Republican Party means he is well-positioned to amplify what he chooses. It could be AI-generated graphics promoting nuclear power, photoshopped images supporting ICE, or Sweeney himself talking straight into a camera.

According to Sweeney, to succeed on social media in politics, it’s best to keep messages short, sharp — and sometimes trollish.

“It’s kind of this perverse incentive to present that sort of profile online, because that’s what’s going to get people engaged,” Sweeney said in an interview last week.

Facebook is one of several platforms where Rep. Joe Sweeney maintains a robust online presence.

Politics as personal

At 32, Sweeney came of age in politics and on the internet. He started earning paychecks for political work in 2012, on the campaign of former Congressman Charlie Bass. Sweeney was a University of New Hampshire student at the time, and won election to the New Hampshire House that same year. Back then, he courted voters on social media with an earnestness that seems far removed from the politics of 2026, welcoming voters of all stripes to reach out and support his candidacy.

“I am running as a Republican, but I promise to represent all of my Salem constituents when elected,” a baby-faced Sweeney said in a YouTube video from that race.

A lot has changed for Sweeney since then. He’s now a top Republican lawmaker in Concord, vice chair of Salem’s town council, and also operates Granite Solutions, a political advocacy and fundraising group.

According to filings with the state, Granite Solutions’ purpose is “Electing Fiscal Conservatives in New Hampshire.” It essentially operates as Sweeney’s personal PAC, raising money, running ads, pushing policies, and urging lawmakers to sign pledges.

As New Hampshire PACs go, Granite Solutions is not exactly flush with cash: It’s reported raising about $60,000 over the past few years. Notable receipts include a $10,000 donation from a trust connected to Joe Faro, the developer of Salem’s Tuscan Village; a contribution from Churchill Downs, which owns the casino at the Rockingham Park Mall; and a smattering of Concord lobbyists.

A state lawmaker running what amounts to a one-man political advocacy organization is unusual, to say the least. But Granite Solutions also serves to boost Sweeney’s personal brand.

Last week, after Sweeney debated tax policy on WMUR’s political talk show, he sent an email to the Granite Solutions’ mailing list, urging people to stream the debate and donate to Granite Solutions.

Sweeney says he sees the work of his personal political committee as an extension of his public service: “I view Granite Solutions as supporting the economic agenda of Republicans in the state.”