NH Residents: NH House Finance Committee Recommends Raid on LCHIP Fund

[YankeyMCC]

Hello,

I don't know if you have to have a FB sign in to see the actual posting but I will paste the the message here.

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On March 17, the Finance Committee of the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to recommend to the full House that it pass a spending reduction bill that includes a raid on much of what remains in New Hampshire's Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP). The bill proposes to take $1 million from LCHIP, leaving a balance of $721,000 for use in project funding in fiscal year 2011. If passed, this new raid would be the third diversion of the LCHIP fee since collection began just 20 months ago, and this time the diversion is proposed for fees that have yet to be collected!

LCHIP receives its revenue through a dedicated fund collected from a surcharge on certain documents filed with County Registrar of Deeds. The program receives no funding from the state’s general fund. Of the more than 200 dedicated funds that exist within the state budget, LCHIP is the only one that has been targeted for use other than its legal purpose.

The House Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend passage of HB1664, which includes the proposed raid on LCHIP, as well as a series of new cuts to state government agencies and services in the state's next fiscal year (FY11) which begins on July 1. The full House is expected to vote on the bill on Wednesday, March 24.

Take action: Please call today and ask your N.H. state representative to oppose this diversion of LCHIP funding. Ask them to restore the funds that the Finance Committee proposes to raid, and urge them to speak out in support of LCHIP to their fellow House members and leadership. Please make your call before March 24th!

Locate your representative at: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx

Thank you for your support of funding to protect New Hampshire’s natural and historic resources!
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Every state is facing sever challenges meeting budgets, and there are many important commitments that must be met. However, please consider just how fundamentally important land conservation is to our quality of life.

Although NH is dear to me, I spend so much time in the White Mountains and on the shore, I'm not a resident so I not implore action one way or another on this based on my own desires. I'm sharing this to spread the word to anyone who may be concerned and is a resident and in a better position to decide what budget priorities should or should not be supported.