Budget Reax

Tom Fahey rounds up reaction to the New Hampshire budget in this morning's Union Leader:

Gov. John Lynch said the roughly $11.6 billion package, which a joint legislative committee passed at 1 a.m. yesterday, is "a responsible, balanced budget that protects essential services without an income tax, a sales tax or an increase in the gas tax." He urged lawmakers to "do the responsible thing and pass this budget."

Democrats, who hold the majority in the Legislature, joined Lynch in saying the budget is the best the state can get in difficult times. Republican leaders said they will tell their members to reject it.

The budget plan calls for higher car and boat registration fees; increases in taxes such as the rooms and meals tax and the tobacco tax; tighter tax laws on businesses; closing real estate and dividend tax loopholes; and a 10 percent tax on gambling winnings of more than $600. Moves to expand gambling failed.

Republicans say the proposed budget goes too lightly on tax cuts and should be defeated and reworked. House Minority Leader Rep. Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, said more spending cuts should have been made "before we just arbitrarily raised six or seven taxes at midnight."