Hold Ayotte and State House Republicans Accountable for Bad Budget
- Amplify NH
- 12 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Last week, Republican state lawmakers finalized their state budget proposal and it remains clear that this budget fails hardworking Granite Staters. Instead of securing essential resources for New Hampshire communities and reducing costs for Granite State families, Republicans opted to continue their pattern of unnecessary spending cuts to critical resources.
And by making a series of last minute changes Thursday in hopes of growing its appeal before the full House and Senate votes this week, budget writers may be heading down a path of resistance and party infighting. But even as Kelly Ayotte threatens a veto of the budget, she bears the responsibility of a budget that raises costs and decimates services for Granite Staters.
Let’s take a look at what’s going on with the latest version of the budget, and how it stands to impact Granite Staters:
Republican Infighting Threatens Viability of State Budget
After months of deliberations, Republican negotiators in the House and Senate have agreed on a state budget proposal last week. However, Governor Kelly Ayotte has already promised to veto.
“If this budget were to come to me now, I couldn’t support it and would have to veto it,” Ayotte told WMUR Thursday.
Before this version of the budget was even finalized, Ayotte repeatedly criticized it for not fully restoring the pensions of 1,500 police officers and firefighters whose benefits were altered by a 2011 law passed to improve the solvency of the state’s retirement system.
Ayotte cited three major concerns in her decision to veto this version of the budget, including the legislature's attempt to restore Group II first responder retirement benefits, which she said fall short of her campaign promises.
Additionally, Ayotte also opposed changes to state aid to schools, saying they would result in teacher layoffs in Manchester, as well as a back-of-the-budget cut to the Department of Health and Human Services that she believes still goes too far.
‘We need a budget that serves all of New Hampshire, and this budget falls short of that promise,” Ayotte said.
The full House and Senate will meet Thursday, June 26, for an up-or-down vote on the final spending package, but Ayotte’s commitment to veto put Republicans in a precarious position for overall passage: vote down the budget next Thursday and assemble a package Ayotte will sign, or pass it and challenge the governor to veto it.
And as the current two-year budget expires June 30, lawmakers face a tight deadline. If no budget is passed next week, lawmakers may need to pass a short-term continuing resolution.
And in the midst of this infighting, the Granite Staters set to be impacted by the state budget are once again left in the lurch. Each subsequent version of this year’s budget has been set to still increase costs for Granite Staters while simultaneously failing to address the challenges our state is facing by gutting critical services.
Don’t Let Ayotte’s Veto Threat Fool You
As Kelly Ayotte threatens a veto of the budget, we can’t let her off the hook. She bears as much responsibility as the Republican legislators in a budget that raises costs for New Hampshire families and guts essential services.
Just a few weeks ago, Ayotte signed a law that will give millionaires public taxpayer dollars to fund their kids’ private school tuition and could cost property taxpayers up to $100 million a year. All of Ayotte’s so-called objections to the current budget could have been funded had she not prioritized a tax handout to the wealthy.
And let’s not forget that Ayotte’s original budget proposal also introduced a new healthcare income tax and would further increase property taxes on hardworking Granite Staters.
Granite Staters deserve leaders who will be honest with them and who will make critical investments in our communities, not raise costs and put on political theater. No matter the end result with this year’s budget, hardworking Granite Staters will bear the costs while the wealthy and well-connected get rewarded by Ayotte and Republicans at the State House.
Fight for Our Future Tomorrow!
Tomorrow, June 24, at 5:00 PM, Granite Staters will come together in front of the NH State House to demand more than broken promises and rising bills from our elected officials.
The rally will feature community members who are impacted by cuts in the NH state budget and other legislation passed this session and will kick off a grassroots effort to hold elected officials accountable. Following the rally, members of the “Fight for Our Future” coalition will focus their efforts on educating their friends, families, and communities on key votes taken at the State House this year and the impact they have had on our families and communities. The “Fight for Our Future” coalition consists of hardworking Granite Staters who are fed up with excuses, backroom deals, and broken promises from elected officials in Concord.
Granite Staters deserve a future where their hard work is respected instead of exploited, one where our economy works for those who power it, not just those who profit from it. It’s time to fight for a future we can all afford because New Hampshire deserves better.
Event Details:
🗓️ Tuesday, June 24, 2025
🕛 Rally begins at 5:00 PM
📍 New Hampshire State House, 107 N Main St, Concord, NH
🔗 RSVP HERE!
Take Action This Week
Make a plan to attend the “Fight For Our Future” Rally on Tuesday, June 24, at 5:00 PM at the State House Plaza in Concord.
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Thank you,
Ryan Mahoney
Executive Director