Bettencourt: GOP bailed Lynch out

(The following letter to the editor was published in the June 30th)

Lost in the commentary about passing the state budget was the fact that, for the first time in recent history, not only does this budget affect next biennium but it also closes the governor’s “red ink” gap for the current biennium. As if the current budget were not difficult enough, we had to bail out Gov. John Lynch and the Democrats from their deficit of the last two budgets.

The governor actually admitted to the committee of conference that the budget was so deeply in dept that there was not enough money in the rainy day fund to balance the budget for the year ending on June 30. The Legislature then added a section to provide the money necessary to end the year with a balanced budget, but of course the bailout of the governor went unreported in the media.

We also took steps to restore many things that Lynch took out, such as funding for the developmentally disabled waitlist. He also cut all school construction aid payments. In fact, the state still owes $540 million to our municipalities over the next 30 years for construction projects that were funded before the program was suspended in the last biennium.

Republicans put that funding back in the budget and made sure that towns and school districts were held harmless.

Anytime you hear Lynch say that “we could do better” in our budget, bear in mind he is not only the problem criticizing the solution, but he actually made the problem worse as it was being fixed.

D.J. Bettencourt
Salem, NH
NH House Majority Leader