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Steve Winter State Representative District 3	April 15, 2011 "Disgusted with HB 1" Steven Winter represents the towns of Newbury and Sutton, Merrimack District 3, in the NH House of Representatives. Representative Winter is a member of the House Executive Department & Administration  Committee, The Special Committee on Public Employee Pension Reform and the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (JLCAR).

"I am honestly disgusted and embarrassed by the budget that passed through the state house last week." – Email from a New Hampshire voter

I received the following email from a voter: "I am honestly disgusted and embarrassed by the budget that passed through the state house last week. I am a loyal resident and I work in the field of education and mental illness as a guidance counselor for a population of at-risk students who need the social services that our tax dollars provide …. Evidently you are NOT representing me, and all the wonderful folks I work with and for, if this is the sort of cut-throat platform you are willing to vote for."

My response to this voter:

I’m sorry that you are disgusted but I need more information as to what disgusts you –

Are you disgusted that the Dept of Health and Human Services was cut $200M from the Governor’s budget but still has $3.76 BILLION for assistance to the disabled, blind and troubled folks in our small state?

Are you disgusted that the Commissioner of HHS can move that $3.76 BILLION around within his department to cover the $200M cuts to meet the needs of the underprivileged of our state?

Are you disgusted that, since there was deflation in the last two years rather than inflation, the Education Adequacy Grant Fund was level-funded so that no town or school district would receive less than last year with no donor towns?

Are you disgusted that all School Building bonding money will continue to be paid with only new projects being deferred for two years?

Are you disgusted that even though the governor cut the Catastrophic Aid (for Special Education) by 40%, that the new House budget restored those payments to 100%?

Or...

Are you disgusted that the Democratic legislature over the last four years increased spending by 25% thereby putting this state on an unsustainable trajectory which required the spending cuts achieved by the new Republican legislature to keep the state solvent?

Are you disgusted that the new Republican legislature was able to achieve a balanced budget even though we began with a more than $850M hole left to us by the Democrats?

Are you further disgusted that this new legislature responded to messages that ran 3 to 1 for passage of this budget that balanced our budget without new or expanded taxes, bonding that would encumber our children and grandchildren, and avoided downshifting of state costs to municipalities and school districts of this state?

Please tell me what disgusts you. I need more information. Thank you for your message.

Rep. Steve Winter

Newbury and Sutton

I no longer debate with folks who cheered their patrons over the last four years but who are now not willing to pay the piper when the bills come due. We are out of money. We had to prioritize needs versus wants. We experienced no joy in making cuts. Each cut was vetted and seriously considered. As shown above, the cuts were made with a scalpel and not with a hatchet.