Watchdogs sound alarm on spending

Kevin Landrigan writes up yesterday's "Stop the Spending Summit", featuring some of the leading state budget experts in New Hampshire who are also my boss.

Charles Arlinghaus, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, said lawmakers in 2012-13 face a shortfall of $637 million when one-time stimulus grants totaling $550 million go away as well as other one-time fixes.

To close the current budget, lawmakers deeply cut aid to cities and towns for revenue sharing and retirement costs but those get restored after July 1, 2011.

“That’s the starting problem for the budget next year,” Arlinghaus said. “I don’t know how many of you have decided to run for re-election or not; God help you.”