Sununu Gives NH Business Leaders State Of The State Preview

CONCORD, NH — Winter in New Hampshire sometimes makes public events a little difficult to book or keep scheduled. Last week, New Hampshire's Republican governor, Chris Sununu, was scheduled to address Representatives Hall at the Statehouse for the annual state of the state speech. A week later, he was booked to meet with Concord and capital region business leaders at a Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce luncheon to offer a more casual overview of the state of the state.

Instead, snow postponed last week's speech before state Senators and representatives of both parties. And that speech was rescheduled for a week later, Thursday, about an hour after his luncheon event with chamber leaders.

Sununu, though, wasn't scrambling. He said he hoped chamber members wouldn't hold it against him if he didn't read directly from a prepared speech but, instead, offered an off-the-cuff view on how great things were in New Hampshire: Opportunity abounds, unemployment is down, employment is up, manufacturing and exports are booming, taxes are down, but spending on education and other functions was up — while more money was being returned to cities and towns.

"When the state has extra money, when we have extra opportunity, is not the opportunity to create more government," he said. "It is the opportunity to send the money back to cities and towns; back to the real taxpayers. So that you guys can invest in roads and bridges and schools and needs at the local level and you, the citizens, can decide what to do with that money at town meeting or with your city council or whatever. That's the power of the state; that's how we separate ourselves from everybody else."

Sununu congratulated Secretary of State Bill Gardner for successfully continuing the tradition of the first-in-the-nation primary, something that state had earned to have, across 100 years. The election showed any candidate could compete if they invested their time and resources into retail politics, like U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar did, he said, who placed a strong third after essentially polling in the lower tier of candidates for most of the presidential race in 2020.

Was there more work to do? Sure, Sununu said, especially working in a bipartisan manner with Democrats who control both the House and Senate — without implementing an income tax or higher fees. He explained why he vetoed the budget last year, calling it unbalanced, and also made a pitch for alternative proposals for paid family leave with an opt-in option instead of an opt-out payroll tax provision as well as environmental bills that don't raise electric bills or transfer gas taxes to pay for public transportation projects in Massachusetts.

Sununu said some have been critical of the fact that he vetoed 57 bills but, at the same time, the bills were "extreme," and had never been sent to governors who were Democrats. He also approved more legislation than any other governor last year, he said.

Sununu called the political climate in the state divisive and said he and his staff — one of the smallest gubernatorial staffs in the country, he added — worked not to be political. After elections, he said, officials had to govern. But by June, he said, yes, the 2020 campaign would kick into gear again until Election Day.

On the local level, Sununu said the state was committed to working with business leaders in Merrimack County to widen the Interstate 93 corridor between Bow and Penacook and promised to rip up Stickney Avenue and knock down the New Hampshire Department of Transportation building for new development to increase the tax base in the capital city.

One attendee asked about education and the future of the workforce of the state and Sununu made a pitch for New Hampshire Career Academy, a proposal created by Frank Edelblut, the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education, which has a dual track opportunity for high school seniors to enter into a community college in the 12th grade and then, in the next year, graduate from both high school and with a certificate to work — at no cost to the student.

"Free college … leave it to the Republicans on how to get free college done," he said. "We challenged ourselves to look at things differently."

The state is also expanding CTE offerings in trades, nursing, and other professions, as well as CTE education offerings.

"Those aren't jobs," he said. "Those are careers. You can make a fortune."

Concord Mayor Jim Bouley asked the governor to work with the federal government to allow for better signage on the highway so that tourists heading to the mountains or the Lakes Region will stop in the city and frequent all of its offerings like new restaurants and stores. Sununu said there were issues about compliance and working with the feds but agreed it should be considered.

Byron Champlin, an at-large Concord City Councilor, also made a pitch to have the Statehouse open on weekends for tourists. Sununu said there were security issues but it was something to look at.

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