For Immediate Release Contact: Deb Howes (president@aft-nh.org) 603-930-9248
February 15, 2023
CONCORD, N.H.— Today, Governor Sununu delivered his budget address. During the budget address the governor announced more money to our neighborhood public schools while also increasing public money to the ballooning, unaccountable and unproven voucher program. AFT-NH President Deb Howes released the following statement:
“The money to our local neighborhood public schools is welcome and long overdue. Our public schools have long been some of the least funded in the country and local property taxpayers have been forced to pick up the tab. We are happy to see more state funds going to support the educational needs of our students in our local neighborhood schools by increasing the base adequacy aid and free and reduced aid per student.
However, the governor’s budget also included a dramatic increase of funding for the state’s voucher program. The funding for the program, which is already massively over-budget, should not come out of the education trust fund, which is constitutionally obligated to fund only our public schools.
We look forward to HB2 coming out and learning further how these programs will be funded this year and, in the future, and engaging with the legislature to make sure the increased funds for our neighborhood public school become. Something Granite State students, their families and communities can count on this year and every year moving forward.
