“This is a balanced and fiscally responsible budget that makes smart investments in building a better future for New Hampshire’s citizens, without a sales or income tax,” Gov. Lynch said.

“With this budget, we are making affordable health insurance available to thousands more children; putting more state troopers on the roads to protect our citizens; making it possible for more of our young people to graduate from high school; dramatically cutting the waiting list for services for people with developmental disabilities and providing critical services to our seniors; protecting New Hampshire’s open spaces and beautiful natural environment; and significantly increasing our state’s investment in higher education,” Gov. Lynch said.

Despite major increases in the state’s non-discretionary costs, this budget is balanced with sound revenue estimates, based on modest economic growth and consistent with historic trends. It significantly cuts state agency budget requests; eliminates vacant positions; and redirects state resources wherever possible to direct services to New Hampshire citizens.

The budget:

• Provides a $4 million increase in dropout prevention to help more young people graduate from high school, including doubling tutoring and one-on-one assistance for at-risk students; expanding adult high schools; expanding access to the career and technical education centers; and investing in apprenticeship programs.
• Allows an additional 10,000 children to enroll in New Hampshire’s Healthy Kids Children’s Health Insurance Program over the next three years.
• Provides a funding increase to reduce the expected waiting list for people with developmental disabilities over the biennium and completely eliminate it in three years.
• Increases state aid to schools.
• Helps keep higher education affordable and accessible to New Hampshire families by increasing funding for New Hampshire’s community technical colleges by $11 million and increasing funding for the University System by $16 million.
• Expands access to affordable housing for New Hampshire families, by providing $400,000 for a pilot grant program to help communities develop workforce housing and creating a $400,000 revolving loan fund to help homeless families with security deposits and first month’s rent.
• Increases funding for home- and community-based care for seniors.
• Provides funding to implement legislation aimed at reducing instances of lead poisoning in children. It will allow the state to increase its inspections for lead poisoning cases; reduce the threshold blood level limit for children with lead poisoning from 20 micrograms per deciliter to 10 micrograms per deciliter, the level recommended by the Centers of Disease Control; and allows the Department of Health and Human Services to do preventative inspections.
• Protects New Hampshire’s natural and historical landmarks by funding the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program at $12 million over the biennium.
• Allows for the creation of a research and development tax credit to encourage innovative companies to create new jobs in New Hampshire.
• Funds seven state trooper positions, created by the legislature last year, and adds six new trooper positions over the biennium.
• Provides almost $10 million to pay for direct care staff, medications and serving an additional 50 people at the State Veterans Home.