The Union Leader defends New Hampshire’s new school choice scholarship law from political attacks.

Grant Bosse and Paul Westcott discuss the shocking Supreme Court decision upholding the individual mandate under the tax and spend clause and a record setting Veto Day at the State House. Governor John Lynch has now been overturned more times in his final term than all other Governors dating back to 1989 combined.

Tune into NH Watchdog on the Paul Westcott Show Friday morning at 7:20 on AM610 WGIR and 96.7 The Wave, through the I Heart Radio ap, and on WGIRam.com.

Charlie Arlinghaus and Jack Heath discuss passage of the School Choice Scholarship Act, Voter ID, and the rest of Veto Day at the New Hampshire State House on this installment of The Josiah Bartlett Report.

Grant Bosse reports on the NH House and Senate overriding Gov. John Lynch’s veto of the School Choice Scholarship Act, among other actions on Veto Day in Concord.

Josiah Bartlett Center President Charlie Arlinghaus issued this statement following the votes in the New Hampshire House and Senate to override Governor John Lynch’s veto of the School Choice Scholarship Act:

“This modest program promises more opportunity for more more children and will make a tremendous difference in the lives of individual students.

“The success would not have happened without the diligence and patient work of many but particularly Sen. Jim Forsythe and Rep. Greg Hill.”

Research Fellow Jason Bedrick’s study “Choosing to Learn” helped guide lawmakers in drafting the School Choice Scholarship Act. He reached the following conclusion:

“When designed and implemented properly, a scholarship tax credit program is a constitutional, popular, and fiscally sound method to increase educational options for low-­income families.”

Grant Bosse reports on the fight to override Governor John Lynch’s veto of the School Choice Scholarship Act, including a press conference from Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Maggie Hassan and support for the bill from Josiah Bartlett Center President Charlie Arlinghaus.

Published in the Union Leader

On Wednesday, New Hampshire’s legislators will decide whether to give low- and middle-income families the option to look beyond their zip code when selecting the best school for their child. Lawmakers will have the opportunity to override the governor’s veto of SB 372 and thereby provide some of the state’s most vulnerable students the opportunity to attend the school that best fits their learning style and needs.

In the Union Leader, Ted Siefer reports on Governor John Lynch correcting the wording of his veto message to confirm that the School Choice Scholarship Act is fully means-tested.

Second Veto Message Corrects Mistakes in First

Josiah Bartlett Center President Charlie Arlinghaus issued the following statement thanking Governor John Lynch for correcting his mistake on school choice:

“I want to thank Governor John Lynch for correcting his mistake on the School Choice Scholarship Act. While we disagree with the Governor’s veto, we are confident that the Legislature can now consider the School Choice Scholarship Act on its merits, and on what is actually in the bill.”

The Legislature convenes on Wednesday to consider vetoes of SB 372 and HB 1607.

Policy debate must be based on the actual bill; not the Governor’s mistakes

In response to the Governor’s statement yesterday, Josiah Bartlett Center President Charlie Arlinghaus released the following call for a retraction:

“Earlier this week, we corrected the factually incorrect part of Governor Lynch’s veto statement on the School Choice Scholarship Act. Rather than admit his mistake, he doubled down. On the front page of today’s New Hampshire Union Leader, Governor Lynch reiterates a claim that the bill he vetoed does something it doesn’t. His claim is clearly and demonstrably incorrect and he should immediately correct the record. He is free to veto the bill but anything more than a cursory reading immediately shows that the bill simply does the opposite of what he claims. Every scholarship is means tested. He continues to claim they are not. This is not a matter of opinion. The plain language of the bill requires every scholarship to be means tested, but the Governor continues to claim that some are not.

“The source of the Governor’s error is easily tracked. He incorrectly suggests that only 70% of scholarships are means tested. The only time the number 70 appears in the bill is in requiring 70% of scholarships to go to students currently in public schools. The language of that paragraph (section 77-G:2, I, (b) of the law) refers back to the section about existing public school children. The section on means testing is nearby so perhaps someone skimming the document would make that error. But it is an error and I suspect the Governor knows that by now. In the interest of good government, he must now retract his claim to correct an egregious mistake.

“The dispute over the Governor’s mistake is not an academic argument. It is important that as bills are debated, they rise and fall on the basis of what they actually say. The Governor simply must correct the record immediately. He is free to oppose the bill for other reasons but every scholarship is means tested and he must not officially claim otherwise.”