Also on today’s menu:
Validating Public Distrust
Showing A Little Compassion
Republicans on the House Education Committee are attempting to poison a program that has proven to be immensely popular by shifting the cost onto property taxpayers in the state. On Tuesday evening, they passed an amendment to HB 607 that would have superintendents divert education funding to Education Freedom Accounts and make those education grants available to anyone, regardless of income level.
Education Freedom Accounts originally were aimed at giving low-income residents the same opportunities as the wealthy to choose the schools their children would attend. They have proven to be more popular than anticipated, with Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut saying the state now expects between 1,000 and 1,500 students to join the program. The New Hampshire Legislature had budgeted enough money to cover 28 students.
According to the Department of Education, Manchester has 166 students enrolled throughout the state, followed by Nashua with 64 students enrolled, Rochester with 52 students, Laconia with 52, and Concord with 46.
Advocates for public schools have charged that the EFAs are aimed at crippling public education, even though the impact was not likely to be significant under the original plan. The amendment changes that by directly dipping into school funds and basing the grants on a district’s budget — the higher the local education funding, the more money that goes to students enrolling in EFAs.
After my article on the amendment appeared at InDepthNH.org, Former Senator Jeanne Dietsch sent this message: “Thomas, thank you very much for the article, but, in my opinion, you do a great disservice to the public by painting the issue as a partisan one in your first sentence. Your paragraph later on, describing this as an issue for taxpayers, should have been at the top.”
It is an issue for taxpayers, but the amendment also makes it a partisan issue by validating complaints from Democrats that, by introducing and passing the bill without advance notice, and without public comment, it became a stealth attack on public education.
Validating Public Distrust
Citizens’ testimony at every public hearing on redistricting opposed the Republicans’ proposal to divide congressional districts into partisan strongholds. Yet, on Tuesday, the House Redistricting Committee approved the GOP plan, 8-7, grouping the districts by political philosophy, rather than by common interests such as sharing school districts, public safety operations, or even county boundaries.
Under the universally panned Republican proposal, 75 communities with about one-quarter of the state’s population would shift into a different congressional district. Republicans said the change would make races more competitive by creating a GOP-dominated First District and a Democrat-dominated Second District.
The committee dismissed virtually all of the public comment in making its decision, validating those who have argued that politicians don’t care about their constituents, only about power.
The state Senate has not yet released its redistricting proposal. The House and Senate versions would have to be reconciled before a final vote takes place.
Showing A Little Compassion
Governor Chris Sununu and the New Hampshire Department of Energy today announced as much as a 60 percent increase in benefit amounts under the New Hampshire Fuel Assistance Program. Benefits will range from $253 to $2,520, up from $158 to $1,575 last winter, they said.
“Ensuring Granite Staters can keep warm this winter is among the most pressing issues facing our state,” Sununu said. “Due to a nationwide spike in energy prices, we are taking steps to help those in need. If you are struggling to pay for home heating costs or know someone who is, help is just a phone call away.”
Interim Energy Commissioner Jared Chicoine said, “Increased energy costs represent a heavy burden for all Granite Staters, especially for low-income households. In light of the growing national inflation and dramatic projected increases in heating fuels, the New Hampshire Department of Energy is increasing the benefit ranges for the Fuel Assistance Program. This benefit increase will help make sure that low-income Granite Staters can keep their homes warm this winter.”
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