LCHIP Alert: Attend Senate Budget Hearing on May 9th!
Conservation advocates will have a key opportunity to support the restoration of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, or LCHIP on May 9. The Finance Committee of the New Hampshire Senate will hold a public hearing on the state’s next two-year budget at the State House in Concord. It will be the public’s one and only opportunity to speak on behalf of LCHIP before the Senate committee in an open hearing. The public hearing will be held in Representative’s Hall from 3 to 5 p.m., then after a break for dinner, continue from 6 to 8 p.m.
In February, Governor Hassan released her proposed budget for the next two years (FY14-15), which included a partial restoration of LCHIP’s dedicated fund. Under the Governor’s proposal, LCHIP would receive $5.2 million of the $8.2 million its dedicated fee is expected to bring in over the next two years, and $3 million would be diverted to the general fund. The New Hampshire House passed its version of the budget in early April, and maintained the Governor’s funding levels for LCHIP. The Senate now has the budget, and must act on its final version by early June. As we work with the Senate, our goal is the full restoration of LCHIP’s dedicated fund.
Five years ago the NH legislature established a dedicated funding source for LCHIP: a $25 fee paid on document recording at the county registries of deeds. Since then the legislature has repeatedly raided the fund to pay for general government. To date, more than $10 million of the “dedicated” LCHIP fee has been diverted to the general fund, or almost two thirds of all the funds collected from the fee since its inception. During the same five years, only $5.8 million of the LCHIP fee – a fee that has been paid by literally hundreds of thousands of New Hampshire citizens -- has gone to its intended purpose.
This bait and switch on taxpayers has eroded the credibility of the state’s elected officials, and if ever challenged in the courts it may prove unconstitutional. LCHIP is an investment in the very basis of our state’s economy and quality of life, and is supported by New Hampshire citizens of every political stripe. This is the year we can – and must -- finally get LCHIP back on track.
Here’s what YOU can do for LCHIP in the month of May:
1. ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 9th
The hearing is on Thursday, May 9th at the New Hampshire State House, which is located at 107 North Main St. in Concord. The public hearing will be held in Representative’s Hall from 3 to 5 pm, and again from 6 to 8 pm.
2. SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY
If you can’t make it to the public hearing (or even if you do), submit written testimony to the Senate Finance Committee. Address the testimony to the Committee as follows:
Senator Chuck Morse
Chair, Senate Finance Committee
NH State House, Room 103
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
In your testimony, specifically request that your testimony be shared with the full committee. Also don’t forget to cc your own State Senator: click here to find out who they are and how to reach them: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/Senate/members/wml.aspx
You can also see if your rep is ON the Finance Committee.
3. CONTACT YOUR SENATOR
Last but not least, please reach out directly – on the phone, in a letter or via email -- to the State Senator who represents YOU. Again, you can use the link above to find out who they are and how to contact them. The most important thing is to convey your own thoughts on the importance of LCHIP, and why the dedicated fund should be respected. Talk about specific conservation projects in your town that received LCHIP funding, projects that didn’t happen because LCHIP funding wasn’t available, or projects that could happen if LCHIP’s dedicated fund is restored. The bottom line message is that it’s time to STOP diverting LCHIP’s dedicated fund.
Please remember that the members of the Finance Committee are public-minded people doing a difficult job for essentially no pay, so please be respectful as well as passionate.
For more information on LCHIP and how you can help support the restoration of the program’s dedicated fund, call or email Chris Wells at (603) 224-9945, cwells@forestsociety.org