The New Hampshire House adopted a two-year, $16.3 billion state budget after a long day of debate, with House Majority Leader Jason Osborne working through three private GOP caucuses to assemble the majority needed to pass it, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader. House Republicans beat back a Democratic better budget amendment that would have undone an Education Freedom Account expansion. Osborne defended a school spending cap as protection against property tax hikes.
Early test votes set the tone for the rest of the day, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.
Key test votes early on Thursday prompted a sigh of relief for House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, whose forces hosted three different private caucuses with GOP members, trying to get enough of them to embrace a plan.
the New Hampshire Union Leader
Osborne was determined not to repeat an earlier failure to pass a budget, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports.
Osborne was determined not to repeat 2017 when a House GOP majority failed to pass a budget.
the New Hampshire Union Leader
He pressed the case that the spending cap addresses the top concern of constituents, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports.
The final spending plan drew on multiple revenue streams, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports.
The final plan spends $5.7 billion from state taxes and fees (36%), $5.2 billion from federal grants (32%) with the rest from dedicated funds, lottery and such things as investments on state balances.
the New Hampshire Union Leader
Osborne kept an earlier setback in mind, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports.
Osborne was determined not to repeat 2017 when a House GOP majority failed to pass a budget.
the New Hampshire Union Leader
In his own words, House Majority Leader Jason Osborne framed it this way, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports.
This is only the first step of negotiating outside of this body. If I want our positions to have a place at that negotiating table, we must first vote for this,
Jason Osborne
Osborne hosted three private GOP caucuses through the day to line up the votes, determined to avoid a repeat of 2017 when a House GOP majority failed to pass a budget. House Republicans turned back a Democratic better budget amendment that would have undone an Education Freedom Account expansion, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports.
Osborne pressed the case that the spending cap addresses the property tax concerns he hears most from constituents. After steering the budget through three private caucuses, he framed the vote as the first step toward negotiations with the Senate and governor, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports.
With the test votes behind them, House Republicans moved the budget and trailer bills forward, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports. Leaders said the vote positioned House Republicans to carry their priorities into negotiations with the Senate and governor.
Read the full story at the New Hampshire Union Leader.
