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March 07. 2013 10:11PM
CONCORD - A House Finance subcommittee on Wednesday sent a recommendation to the House Finance Committee that the proposed restoration of funding to the University System of New Hampshire be cut in half.
But the subcommittee's vice chairman said Wednesday night that he regrets the nonbinding vote and will not support it when it reaches the full Finance Committee.
"I shouldn't have gone along with it," said Rep. Thomas Buco, D-Conway. "I'm second-guessing it now."
Buco said the subcommittee is struggling to find ways to fund the budget without counting on $80 million in gambling revenue Gov. Maggie Hassan included in her budget proposal. The Senate is considering a bill to allow a single casino, but without the law on the books, the subcommittee didn't want to count on the money, Buco said.
"The general funds don't add up," he said.
Buco said supports the gambling bill and believes contingencies can be part of the budget to restore funding should the bill become law.
Attempts to reach subcommittee Chairman Daniel Eaton were not successful.
The subcommittee recommendation drew a rebuke Wednesday from Richard Galway, chairman of the university system board of trustees. The university system has offered to freeze in-state tuition should the governor's funding - she proposed an increase of $55 million for the 2014-15 biennial budget - be adopted.
"We strongly disagree with any action that would reduce funding for New Hampshire public higher education below the levels proposed by the governor," Galway said in a statement. "We understand the challenges facing legislators. Nevertheless, the funding levels voted by the House subcommittee would not allow us to commit to freeze tuition, let alone fund the additional need-based and merit aid we advocate to benefit New Hampshire families."
The 2012-13 budget, adopted by a Republican House and Senate in 2011 and which became law without then-Gov. John Lynch's signature, slashed funding to the university system by about $100 million. Democrats won a majority in the House in the 2012 election.
Buco said Wednesday's vote was not binding and that he planned to reverse course and not support the cut at full Finance Committee deliberations on the budget.
"Truthfully, I hope it doesn't fly when it gets to the committee," he said. "We all ran as Democrats to restore the funding."
tbuckland@unionleader.com
House subcommittee recommends restoring half of USNH funds
But the subcommittee's vice chairman said Wednesday night that he regrets the nonbinding vote and will not support it when it reaches the full Finance Committee.
"I shouldn't have gone along with it," said Rep. Thomas Buco, D-Conway. "I'm second-guessing it now."
Buco said the subcommittee is struggling to find ways to fund the budget without counting on $80 million in gambling revenue Gov. Maggie Hassan included in her budget proposal. The Senate is considering a bill to allow a single casino, but without the law on the books, the subcommittee didn't want to count on the money, Buco said.
"The general funds don't add up," he said.
Buco said supports the gambling bill and believes contingencies can be part of the budget to restore funding should the bill become law.
Attempts to reach subcommittee Chairman Daniel Eaton were not successful.
The subcommittee recommendation drew a rebuke Wednesday from Richard Galway, chairman of the university system board of trustees. The university system has offered to freeze in-state tuition should the governor's funding - she proposed an increase of $55 million for the 2014-15 biennial budget - be adopted.
"We strongly disagree with any action that would reduce funding for New Hampshire public higher education below the levels proposed by the governor," Galway said in a statement. "We understand the challenges facing legislators. Nevertheless, the funding levels voted by the House subcommittee would not allow us to commit to freeze tuition, let alone fund the additional need-based and merit aid we advocate to benefit New Hampshire families."
The 2012-13 budget, adopted by a Republican House and Senate in 2011 and which became law without then-Gov. John Lynch's signature, slashed funding to the university system by about $100 million. Democrats won a majority in the House in the 2012 election.
Buco said Wednesday's vote was not binding and that he planned to reverse course and not support the cut at full Finance Committee deliberations on the budget.
"Truthfully, I hope it doesn't fly when it gets to the committee," he said. "We all ran as Democrats to restore the funding."
tbuckland@unionleader.com
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