Budget compromise up for vote

Update: The compromise budget passed both the House and Senate and was signed by Gov. Hassan.

Democrats and Republicans are both claiming victory on a compromise budget plan.

The compromise includes business tax cuts and a pay raise for state employees.  Some of the tax cuts will only go into effect if business tax revenue is high enough.  Gov. Hassan says this “trigger” mechanism will prevent a future budget deficit.

The budget still includes additional funding for substance abuse treatment, although not as much as Gov. Hassan originally proposed.

Medicaid expansion is not in the budget.  Rep. Thomas Sherman (D-Rye) has already requested a 2016 bill to reauthorize Medicaid expansion.

For the budget compromise to pass, legislators must first amend the budget vetoed in June, then override Gov. Hassan’s veto of the budget with a two-thirds vote.

Former House Speaker Bill O’Brien (R-Mont Vernon) is organizing against the budget compromise.  O’Brien says the budget unnecessarily increases spending and should have been subject to public hearings. 

Other opponents want to wait on a new budget until after the Department of Revenue Administration releases its data on the last fiscal year October 1.