NH House: Budget passed
The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a budget yesterday, sending the process over to the State Senate. In February, Her Highness Governess Margaret Wood Hassan proposed an eye popping eleven point five billion dollar spending plan that pushed spending up by nearly one billion dollars over current levels. Republican factions led by Majority Leader Jack Flanagan of Brookline and Republican Majority Caucus Leader Stephen Stepanek of Amherst came together on a package of amendments that paved the way for an eleven point two billion dollar plan that dramatically downsized the governor’s revenue estimates in addition to spending.
Jasper: GOP came together
Speaker Shawn Jasper issued a statement saying he was confident from the first day that he became speaker that Republicans would coalesce and come together on the important issues and yesterday’s work was a good example of that. Of the budget itself, he said quote “In the 11 budgets that I have voted on during my time in the legislature I have never seen one that is perfect and today’s budget is no different.” For his part, Leader Flanagan praised the “tremendous job” the House Finance Committee did to project reasonable revenues and bring spending down to meet them. Said Flanagan quote, “Republicans were elected to majorities in the legislature, in part, to hold the line on spending, slow the growth of government, and stop new or increased taxes. This House budget achieves those objectives. House Republicans stood united in support of our core principles.”
Senate President Chuck Morse and Senate Finance Committee Chair Jeanie Forrester both issued statements thanking the House and saying the Senate will get the budget process underway.
Myler: Insults parents
Cornerstone Action is calling on State Rep. Mel Myler, Democrat from Hopkington, to apologize for remarks he made during a meeting of the House Education Committee on Tuesday. As we told you yesterday, Myler excoriated parents and constituents who had emailed in support of Senate Bil one oh one, which would prohibit the state Board of Education from requiring local school districts to adopt the Common Core national standards. Myler basically bellowed over how allegedly uninformed the people emailing him were and how they were purveying misinformation about the standards.
McCormack: Calls for apology
His comments apparently also applied to a Souhegan High School student who testified before the committee regarding what a train wreck the Common Core math methods have been. Apparently, she went from being an honors student in math to unable to do the work and not because it’s harder, or more rigorous as the eduspeak would be, but because it’s simply not math. Cornerstone Executive Director Bryan McCormack said the parents who had testified before the committee and otherwise emailed Myler and other members were dealing with Common Core in their living rooms and across their kitchen tables, arguing the experience of their children in the classroom had informed them well enough.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Pappas: Declares candidacy
Well, the city of Manchester has heard from three who would be mayor, and now it’s heard from the first candidate for alderman. Former charter commissioner Nick Pappas has announced he will run for alderman in Ward Six, the seat currently occupied by Alderman Garth “Vader” Corriveau. Corriveau is actually expected to announce his candidacy for alderman at Large. Pappas has been working behind the scenes to prepare a run for several weeks, leading many to question whether or not Corriveau’s desire for citywide office is a function of Pappas’ candidacy. Corriveau has won three elections in the East Side ward by fewer than fifty votes and many believe that Pappas, a savvy political consultant who finished third in the charter race in two thousand twelve, had his number.
Corriveau: Running for or from Ward 6?
Anyway, we’ll see what Corriveau does as in an interview with Girard at Large last week, he did not deny considering a run for the at-Large seat. Pappas is a Manchester native and, in announcing his campaign, said he had the backing of former Ward Six Alderman Real Pinard, current Ward Six state representatives Will Infantine and Larry Gagne, Ward Six resident Paul Lessard, a former President of the Board of Water Commissioners, and Larraine Lencki, who knows everybody.
In a statement issued to and published on Girard at Large dot com yesterday, the twenty nine year old Pappas said the city had been good to him and his family and that he wanted to give back. He said he was looking forward to meeting his neighbors and actually listening to them. Quote “They don’t want grand-standers, they don’t want to come second to special interests, but they do want a strong voice for them at City Hall.” We’ve linked to the statement from this news read at Girard at Large dot com.
Craig: Establishment Dems falling in line
Also in city political news, it would appear as if the Democratic establishment is lining up behind the newly announced mayoral candidacy of Ward One Alderman Joyce Craig. District Twenty State Senator Casino Lou D’Allesandro endorsed Craig last week, as did her colleagues Alderman at-Large Dan O’Neil, Ward Three Alderman Patrick Long, Ward Ten Alderman Bill Barry and Ward Eleven Alderman Normand Gamache. Ward Two Alderman Ron Ludwig and Ward Nine Alderman Barbara Shaw announced their support for former Ward Twelve Alderman Patrick Arnold’s mayoral candidacy several weeks ago. Ought to be interesting to see how the budget politics play out this year, that’s for sure!
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ starts right now!
