Government Spending

Over the past four years, the current administration has over-spent our state budget to the point that it has become a crisis. Taxpayers are being forced to pay for these mistakes.  The current budget continues a pattern of irresponsibility, creating enormous fiscal challenges on both the spending and revenue side of future state budgets.

Our next Governor must help to control government spending.  Big spending has not led to improved results. The total budget deficit, not covered by ongoing revenues, is approximately $500 million. Using one-time revenues like federal bailout money and $110 million in funds from the Joint Underwriters Association (JUA) to pay for state operating expenses is a temporary, questionably legal, and inefficient “fix”, not a solution. Increased taxes are burdening struggling families and small business owners at a time when they can least afford it. In the last budgetary period, there was an increase in spending by 17.5%, along with 28 new fees and taxes and an additional 10.5% increase in the overall budget for the present spending period. On top of that, another 40 new taxes and fees were added during this budgetary period. All of these increases occurred while we are in a severe recession.

Tragically, many of these new fees and taxes are directed at our small businesses that are already overburdened. A state that once was a thriving business environment is now hurting its small businesses and extinguishing an environment for growth. The New Hampshire Advantage is in jeopardy.

Cutting spending increases revenue. As a long-time, successful small business owner, Jack Kimball will work to cut unnecessary costs in the budget.