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New Hampshire
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
Concord celebrates 237 years of Constitution ratification with festivities – Concord Monitor
On June 20, 1788, New Hampshire’s delegates met to debate ratifying the U.S. Constitution. After officially breaking for the day, the delegates met at the Walker House on North Main Street in Concord, where they continued their discussions over drinks.
They met again the next day, this time at the Old North Meeting House, to ratify one of America’s founding documents. With their signatures, New Hampshire became the ninth state to formally approve the Constitution, completing the two-thirds majority needed for it to go into effect.
This Saturday, 237 years later, the Concord Historical Society will host “Liberty and Legacy: Civic Saturday Social” from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The old-fashioned block party will celebrate New Hampshire’s democratic history in the lead up to America 250 and Concord 300.
The event will kick off at 1 p.m. in front of the Walker House at 276 North Main St. with a toast of sparking cider by Mayor Byron Champlin accompanied by a musket salute courtesy of the Bell’s Company NH 2nd Regiment reenactors. The toast and salute will be repeated at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Outside of the toasts, the Bell’s Company reenactors will be at the Pierce Manse open house for interviews. There will be a historical reenactment of the Declaration of Independence on Sparkey Stage at 2:10 p.m., and a 19th-century magic show at 2:45 p.m. at the Kimball Jenkins Carriage House.
Learn about Concord’s history at the Carriage House with Ward 3 City Councilor Jennifer Kretovic at 1:45 p.m. and 4 p.m., including stories from 1726 to 1776. You can also join Binnie Media at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. for a tour of the historic building where the Constitution was ratified. At 5 p.m., Bob Pollock will talk on the Kimball Jenkins Mansion lawn about some of the historic trees planted along North Main Street.
There will also be multiple exhibitions during the event. A replica of the original Concord Coach will be on show, accompanied by other historic vehicles. The Kimball Jenkins Mansion will have an open house to display the “History Woven Through Time” art exhibition, with 30-minute organ recitals at 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
For craftspeople and artists, there will be plenty of activities to enjoy. The Nulhegan Band of Abenaki will present their national needlework project “America’s Tapestry,” and attendees can learn beading and embroidery techniques from those who worked on the tapestry. The Guild of NH Woodworkers will also be hosting a woodworking demo throughout the day.
The Concordia Church Lawn will hold many activities throughout the day, including leather stamping, pottery, face painting, sidewalk chalk and historic games. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Miles Smith Farm will host their Extreme Cow Experience, where you can interact with their Scottish Highland cows. A Parlor Quoits (Cornhole) Tournament will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with team and individual sign ups from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Individuals will be paired as needed, and teams of two will be matched before the tournament begins.
On the Sparkey Stage, the Avaloch Farm Music Institute will hold a performance at 1:15 p.m., and musician Mike Morris will take the stage at 2:30 p.m. for his FreeStyle Folk Music Concert.
Food will be offered throughout the day. Domino’s will be partnering with Made By Us in offering pizza and civic information, and Stacy’s Grill food truck will be right next to Sparkey Stage. New Hampshah’s Mini Donuts and Nice Ice Baby Sno Cones will be available, as well as popcorn, cookies and cotton candy.
Parking will be available at Bennie Media, the Boys and Girls Club, Milestone Construction and the Merrimack County Savings Bank. Handicap parking will be available at the end of Horseshoe Pond Lane.
North Main Street will be closed from Kimball Jenkins Estate to where Horseshoe Pond Lane begins.
BRENTWOOD — A Maine woman was indicted this month on charges that she killed her 88‑year‑old mother‑in‑law in her Exeter apartment in 2025.
Danielle Kelsen, 55, was indicted by a Rockingham County grand jury in June on one count of second‑degree murder for “recklessly” causing the death of Janet Kelsen “by inflicting blunt force injuries.” She was also indicted on a misdemeanor charge of wiretapping and eavesdropping for allegedly recording conversations between the two without consent.
An indictment is not an indication of guilt; it means the grand jury found enough evidence to move the case forward to trial.
Janet Kelsen was found dead in her apartment at 133 Front St. in Exeter on the night of Feb. 9, 2025. An autopsy later revealed the cause of death — and confirmed it was a homicide.
Kelsen was arrested in November of 2025 in Southwest Harbor, Maine, as a fugitive from justice and held without bail in the Hancock County Jail. She initially fought extradition, which forced prosecutors to seek a governor’s warrant to bring her back to New Hampshire.
Benjamin Agati, a senior NH assistant attorney general, previously said the investigation involved a lengthy examination of the physical evidence, interviewing witnesses and verifying statements. An arrest warrant for Danielle Kelsen was obtained only after authorities had sufficient evidence, he said.
The court has sealed the arrest warrant that outlines the evidence in Kelsen’s case.
On March 3, Kelsen made her first in‑state court appearance in Brentwood District Court and was ordered held without bail.
If convicted of second‑degree murder, she faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment without parole or “for such term as the court may order,” according to New Hampshire law.
Kelsen is scheduled to be arraigned in Rockingham Superior Court on June 29 at 10 a.m.
Crime
Autopsies determined both died from gunshot wounds.
Authorities are investigating an apparent murder-suicide after a husband and wife in their 70s were found dead Tuesday inside their home in Keene, New Hampshire, officials announced.
Officers with the Keene Police Department responded to a residence on Hurricane Road at 11:10 a.m. to conduct a welfare check, where they discovered the bodies of two adult residents, according to a statement from New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella’s office.
The victims were identified Wednesday as Donna Fairbanks, 70, and her husband Chandler Fairbanks, 72.
Autopsies were conducted Wednesday at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Concord, New Hampshire, prosecutors said.
Donna Fairbanks died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest, and her death was ruled a homicide. Chandler Fairbanks died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a suicide, according to Formella’s office.
“Based upon the information available at this time, it appears that on June 16, inside their home, Chandler Fairbanks shot and killed his wife Donna Fairbanks and then shot and killed himself,” prosecutors said.
Authorities said there is no threat to the public.
No additional information is expected to be released at this time, according to Formella’s office.
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