Hassan’s Budget Veto is Hurting New Hampshire

MANCHESTER – Citizens for a Strong New Hampshire is launching a significant, statewide television and online advertisement buy. It focuses on Governor Maggie Hassan’s budget veto and the detrimental impact it is having on the Granite State’s ability to fight a tragically growing heroin epidemic. Click HERE to view the advertisement.

 

Derek Dufresne of Citizens for a Strong New Hampshire released the following statement;

“New Hampshire has been engulfed in a tragic heroin epidemic for months. More Granite Staters are now dying from drug overdoses than car accidents, suicides, and homicides. Tragically, Governor Maggie Hassan made the decision to veto a fiscally responsible budget that would have provided the resources communities needed to fight the epidemic. It was an irresponsible decision that has needlessly stalled the resources necessary for drug treatment, prevention, and recovery.

“Governor Maggie Hassan needs to stop playing politics with the lives of New Hampshire citizens. Granite Staters are suffering as a result of her veto. It is time for our state’s chief executive to finally do the right thing and sign the state budget.”

Background: 

With New Hampshire facing as many as 1,000 drug overdose deaths a year, drug deaths have nowsurpassed traffic deaths, suicides and homicides. To make matters worse, Joe Harding, director of the state’s Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services, has stated the grim fact that “New Hampshire has…very limited resources to deal with substance abuse.” 

The New Hampshire Legislature passed a budget that would have doubled prevention, treatment, and recovery funding to $6.7 million, allowing the state to begin investing in recovery programs that the state is sorely lacking. Regrettably, Governor Maggie Hassan vetoed the budget in June, and has since only supported budget proposals that include increases in taxes and fees. Thus, due to her veto, Granite Staters have been forced to suffer as the state operates under a continuing resolution that does not include necessary funding for the required programs and services.

Without the additional funding found in the budget originally passed by the New Hampshire Legislature, the state cannot start issuing requests for proposals for new programs and providers. For people who need help, advocates say, the delay will have real consequences. “That means continued wait lists, that means continued overdose deaths,” said Tym Rourke, chair of the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Recovery.