Advocates Respond to Governor Ayotte’s State of the State Address
NEW HAMPSHIRE – Advocates and community leaders from across New Hampshire issued the following responses to Governor Ayotte's State of the State address:
“While Governor Ayotte claimed success in her State of the State address, Granite Staters are living a very different reality,” said Matt Mooshian, Program Director at 603 Forward. “Housing, child care, healthcare, and utility costs continue to rise, but Governor Ayotte and the Republican majority are prioritizing making a small group of billionaires and their lobbyists even richer – and we’re living the consequences every day. But young people aren’t sitting this out. Across the state, they’re stepping up, running for office, and organizing for change.”
“What exactly is Governor Ayotte's version of the New Hampshire ‘advantage’?” said Lucas Meyer, Senior Advisor and Founder of Our Economy Our Future. “Is it that young people are leaving in droves because there are no affordable homes left? Maybe it's letting homeless people freeze to death thanks to her budget cuts? Or that kids and seniors are going hungry and losing health care because legislators would rather protect corporate profits? Governor Ayotte and Republican lawmakers have spent over a decade taking an axe to any ‘advantage’, cutting our public services to the bone and grinding them to dust, while driving up our property taxes by continuing to give massive tax breaks to billionaires and corporate CEOs. Granite Staters aren’t falling for it. Our families deserve real solutions to make our lives more affordable, not irresponsible leaders who speak out of both sides of their mouths.”
“If you didn’t do your job, you’d be fired. So why is Kelly Ayotte celebrating as costs for Granite Staters continue to rise?” said Grace Murray, Political Director at New Hampshire Youth Movement. “The Republican-controlled legislature and Governor Ayotte have driven our state further into deficit while failing to address rising costs. That makes it increasingly difficult for young people, families and seniors to afford to live here. Granite Staters deserve real solutions to make their lives more affordable, not leaders who take victory laps around their irresponsible cuts to the services New Hampshire families rely on.”
“Instead of getting what people need to live healthy lives in New Hampshire, we’re getting a session full of climate denial, corporate tax cuts, and destruction of resources our communities rely on to live in this state.” said Pat Hart, Youth Organizer with 350NH Action. “What we really need is legislation to prevent price gouging, protections for our neighbors to prevent electricity shutoffs, and investment in clean, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. We are paying extreme rates for expensive, polluting energy. Ignoring the damage that fossil fuels cause to our environment is not how we protect the health of our people or the environment our state is known for.”
“Families don’t need Governor Ayotte to tell them child care matters. They’re already paying the price for years of underinvestment,” said MacKenzie Nicholson, Co-Senior Director at MomsRising New Hampshire. “We’re ready to work with anyone who’s serious about solutions, but solutions require real funding. Cutting revenue through bills like HB 155 while child care still lacks stable funding moves us backward. Real progress starts with dedicated revenue for child care so we can recruit and retain a talented workforce and help families access affordable, high-quality care.”
###
603 Forward envisions a thriving New Hampshire where people are free to live, work and raise a family. In our New Hampshire: democracy is protected above all else; young people have a voice in government at all levels; and policy changes help build an inclusive, affordable and resilient state.
