NH House Progressive Caucus

The New Hampshire House Progressive Caucus (NHHPC) is elated that the full House did the right thing in defeating SB61, a union busting law misleadingly touted as a “Right to Work” (RTW). We know that over time, RTW legislation leads to lower wages and weaker unions. Workers are the backbone of the American economy, and organizing has bettered their lives. Unions have brought us the weekend, child labor laws, sexual harassment laws, and countless other worker protections. The NHHPC will always stand with workers and their right to unionize.

This week, the New Hampshire House will vote on a state budget. The New Hampshire House Progressive Caucus is deeply concerned about the 2021 budget in its current form. This budget irresponsibly cuts the business enterprise tax, the business profits tax, the rooms and meals tax, and the interest and dividends tax resulting in a $100 million revenue decline for the state. Consequently, there will be massive cuts to social services and education. Costs will shift to towns, likely forcing them to increase property taxes, which will disproportionately harm folks on fixed incomes.

The people of New Hampshire deserve a state budget that invests the health, education, recovery, opportunity, and vitality of our communities. In line with this, we endorse the NH People’s Budget, which was drafted by a coalition of social justice organizations including NH Voices of Faith, the American Friends Service Committee, Granite State Organizing Project, Rights & Democracy NH, Granite State Progress, 350NH, Kent Street Coalition, Unitarian Universalist Action NH, NH Council of Churches, the NH Youth Movement, The Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, Change for Concord, and the NH Conference United Church of Christ Economic Justice Mission Group.

The People’s Budget demands we invest in our recovery from COVID-19 pandemic, in real economic security, in our state workers, in adequately funding education (including adult education), in our young adults, in people with disabilities and their families, in our children along with their parents and caregivers, in our elders, and in comprehensive healthcare, including but not limited to mental health, reproductive health, and dental health.

We are tremendously grateful to the organizations and activists who have brought forward this proposal, which will genuinely benefit all Granite Staters. We see you, we hear you, and we will amplify your voice within the legislature.

The New Hampshire Progressive House Caucus is dedicated to working to advance public policy that promotes social, environmental, and economic justice within the NH legislature.

On Saturday February 27, 2021, the Caucus elected the following leadership team to serve:

Co-chairs: Joshua Adjutant, Tim Smith, and Chuck Grassie
At-Large: Sherry Frost, Maria Perez, and Ellen Read
Whip: Nicole Klein Knight
Communications officer: Amanda Elizabeth Toll

The newly elected leadership team and Caucus members are ready to fight boldly to advance progressivism in New Hampshire.