Live Blogging the Budget

6pm Session.

3pm Session.

1:43- Lou Speaks- Sen. Lou D'Allesandro has scheduled a 2:00pm press conference downstairs in the LOB. He is not currently in the Conference Committee meeting room.

DUELING BLOGS- Rep. Steve Vaillancourt is also providing a running commentary at RedHampshire.

1:34- Cutting local retirement- The Commitee just agreed to cutting the state's contribution for municipal retirement. It's currently 35%, and would go to 30% in FY10 and 25% in FY11. This would not reduce the benefits owed to municipal workers, but would require local taxpayers to pay a greater share of those costs.

1:25- Lynch arrives- Governor John Lynch is on the scene, and holding private discussions with various Senators and Representatives.

1:13- Gambling compromise- Sen. Kathleen Sgambati has offered a compromise gambling amendment that would limit the state to a single slot-machine gaming license, which would automatically go to Rockingham Park in Salem. The amendment also allows for a study to look into whether other licenses should also be added. Sgambati's proposal also includes a number of cuts to various Health and Human Services Programs.

1:04 pm- Courts stay open. The Committee will leave open four District Courts that would have been closed in the budget, Keene, Claremont, Colebrook, and Milford.

UPDATE- Revenue down. The Committee is downgrading its revenue estimates by $189 million. That just means more taxes they have to raise, since they've already agreed to a big spending increase.

We're live at the Legislative Office Building in Concord, where the House-Senate Committee of Conference is finishing up its work on New Hampshire's two-year $11.5 billion budget.

Updates as warranted until the pass the budget.

Send your questions to grantbosse@jbartlett.org