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 Preshow Return to index of stories... |
Next on New Hampshire Outlook tonight. It's about choice and who will pay for it. We'll take you to Concord. where a bill to provide a ten percent tax abatement to families who choose private schools is being introduced. Plus digging out from the worst snowstorm in years. And we'll show you the owls of winter that call the granite state home. |
| Headlines Return to index of stories... |
Good Evening. I'm Allison McNair. Welcome to New Hampshire Outlook. We begin tonight with a summary of state news. |
| Shaheen Tax Return to index of stories... |
Governor Jeanne Shaheen delivers her solution to the state's education funding crisis tomorrow. Published reports indicate that the Governor will propose a combined sales and state property tax. Shaheen's news release indicates she'll also address education adequacy, performance and accountabilty standards and early learning. We'll have a complete report on the Governor's proposal and reaction tomorrow night here on Outlook at 7:30. |
| Chandler Budget Return to index of stories... |
House Speaker Gene Chandler is also considering ways to deal with the education funding crisis. The speaker says the state budget and education funding should be tackled as a package. In an outline released today, Chandler suggests budget writers should start with spending at its current level and include adjustments proposed by the Governor. |
| Parental Choice Return to index of stories... |
In a public hearing today at the statehouse, the debate was focused on a bill that would provide a ten percent tax abatement to families who choose private schools. In just a few minutes we' ll look at the pros and cons of the bill and we'll hear from one New Hampshire family dealing with the cost of choice. |
| Legal Fees Return to index of stories... |
Should the state pay legal expenses for state supreme court workers who were involved in last year's impeachment proceeedings? That's what's under consideration by The House Finance Committee. Concord Representative Elizabeth Hager today asked the committee to support a bill appropriating more than seven thousand dollars for ten court workers subpoenaed during Chief Justice David Brock's impeachment. Hager says it's unfair for the workers to pay legal fees when they were subpoenaed only because of their employment status. |
| Digging Out Return to index of stories... |
All over New Hampshire today, people spent the day digging out from the biggest storm its seen in three years. Snowfall amounts totalling close to three feet in some areas closed many schools across the state. Today, the weather cooperated, whether you were clearing out the driveway, or shoveling off the roof. The cost to communities may be hefty. It's estimated Manchester will have to fork over about 100-thousand dollars for snow removal from this last storm. |
| Intro Mt. Washington Return to index of stories... |
So how long will the calmer weather be around? For the answer to that question and for details on the weather on top of the mountain - we checked in a few minutes ago with Katie Hess at the Mount Washington Observatory. OUT: |
| Mt. Washington Return to index of stories... |
CG:WEATHER\Tonight\North\Mostly Cloudy\Chance of evening showers\Lows in the mid 20s \West wind 10-15mph CG:WEATHER\Tonight\South\Mostly cloudy \Lows 20-25\Light winds\ CG:WEATHER\Tomorrow\North\Mostly sunny \High near 40\West wind about 10mph\ CG:WEATHER\Tomorrow\South\Mostly sunny\Highs 30-35 \Winds 5-10mph\ Tonight: the North will see mostly cloudy skies with a chance of evening snow showers. Lows in the mid 20's and a west wind 10-15mph For the South: mostly cloudy skies with lows 20-25 with light winds. For tomorrow: The north will be mostly sunny with high near 40 degrees with a west wind at about 10mph. The south should see mostly sunny skies with highs 30-35 dgrees with winds 5-10mph. |
| Intro Choice Return to index of stories... |
Should parents pay lower school taxes if their children don't go to public school. That's the intent of a proposed law that had a legislative hearing this morning. Producer Richard Ager has the story. |
| PARENTAL CHOICE Return to index of stories... |
Soundup: PCA tape 18:00 "Tell us something about the school boy in line 7" Track: For 14-year old David Dwyer, his first year at Portsmouth Christian Academy after 8 years in public school has been an inspiration. Bite: PCA tape David Dwyer 00:03:00 You have more to look up to here than at a public school because a public school - you get school over with - and here, you're more involved with the school. Track: That inspiration comes with small classes and a stress on academics. Bite: PCA tape 24:38 Our test grades are very high, it's because of the small classrooms, the one on one ability to work with teachers. It's because of the atmosphere at the school. As a faith-based school, we're able to integrate character, faith, morality along with the academics and everything from community service hours to opportunities to help the kids in the school, we have a family atmosphere and the kids feel very comfortable here and the parents feel very comfortable that their kids are taken care of during the school day here. Bite: PCA tape David Dwyer 8:02 You can kind of tell that Jesus's presence is with you so that way you can always have help when you need it. Track: For David, leaving public school has been a welcome change. For his younger brother Derek, it became a necessity. Soundup: Debbie Dwyer tape 36:20 "We can find the Gulf of Mexico." "Right there". "Good" Track: Two years ago, Derek was in public school, and failing fast. Bite: Debbie Dwyer tape 40:57 The teachers weren't helping me a lot and I needed a lot of help because I had no fine motor skills - so my mom took me out of school around Christmas and we started doing home schooling. HOW ARE YOU DOING? Good. Very good. It's fun. Track: Derek's mother says while her family is religious, their decision to home-school Derek was strictly developmental. Bite: Debbie Dwyer tape 45:35 He couldn't read. When we pulled him out of school, he was at a first grade level and he was half-way through his fourth grade year. Bite: Debbie Dwyer tape 45:54 At one point, as parents, we just felt that we were fighting instead of working together and we just knew it was in Derek's best interest to pull him at that point and really give him structured, one on one work and the only way to do that was home school. Track: The whole Dwyer family has made sacrifices for David and Derek's education. Debbie no longer runs a home day care, and finances have been tight. State Rep. Daniel Itse believes families like the Dwyers deserve a break on their school taxes. Bite: Hearing tape 5:00 There is an avoided cost in taking a student out of the public system, and that is what should be returned to the families. Track: Itse says the bill is a stand for economic justice - and not an attempt, such as vouchers would be, to get a refund for tuition. Bite: Hearing tape 3:44 The abatement is 10% of the school taxes - state and local - and for somebody whose school taxes are $4000, that's going to be about $400 per student. If their school taxes are more on the order of $500, that's going to be $50 per student. It's not going to pay for everything, but it does take some of the insult out of the injury of having to pay twice. Bite: Hearing tape 8:30 The real issue is I think this is bad public policy and bad precedent. Track: Opponents to the bill say it would not only violate the constitution by indirectly subsidizing religious schools, it also attacks the very concept of a community with shared institutions. Bite: Hearing tape 11:20 Does that mean that if I never call the fire dept. that I should get an abatement on the fire portion of my taxes? If I never call the police dept. I should get a rebate on the police portion of my taxes? Track: But one state rep asked what if every student went to public school? Bite: 17:14 If these private schools emptied out and these kids ended up in public school - Oh my! So I speak in favor because I think 10% is little enough to ask. Track: The bill now goes to subcommittee. For NH Outlook, I'm Richard Ager. |
| Intro discussion Return to index of stories... |
Joining us are State Representative Daniel Itse who sponsored House Bill 349, and Dennis Murphy of the NH Chapter of the National Education Association. Welcome to both of you. |
| Thank guests Return to index of stories... |
Thanks to representative Daniel Itse and Dennis Murphy of the NH Chapter of the National Education Association. |
| BP Bump Return to index of stories... |
CG:BUMP\NH Education Funding Crisis\Governor Jeanne Shaheen will announce her plan to solve the education funding crisis tomorrow at 1 p.m. The news conference will take place at the Dame School in Concord.\ |
| Business Outlook Return to index of stories... |
For the first time in three and a-half years, Cisco Systems has missed Wall Street's earnings expectations. The high-tech bellwether blames its second-quarter slip on the softening U-S economy. Today, investors went shopping for bargain-priced tech issues as they ignored worries that the slowing economy might pinch tech profits the most. High-tech shares made gains at the expense of old economy blue chips. The Dow Jones industrial average ended down eight points at ten-thousand-957. The tech - weighted Nasdaq composite rose 21 points. And the S-and-P 500 ended down two points to 13-hundred-52. |
| STOCKS Return to index of stories... |
Here's a look at some of the stocks of interest to New Hampshire. Sanmina Corp was down more than 2 and a half. State Street Corp was down 3. Timberland was up just over 5 points. UNUM was down almost 2. While Verizon Communications was up almost 2. |
| PanAm Return to index of stories... |
Pease International Tradeport is losing some of its business to Worcester Airport. Pan American Airways recently discontinued service from Pease to Pittsburgh. Now it says it will end service between the Seacoast and Gary, Indiana; Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Mid-America Airport outside Saint Louis as of February 16th. Flights from Pease still will serve Sanford, Florida; and Bangor, Maine. The airline says although it is cutting back service from Pease,it plans to keep its operations, including its heavy-maintenance facility, at the tradeport. |
| Intro Owls Return to index of stories... |
Finally tonight. if you spent the day digging out from last night's nor'easter. perhaps you're wishing winter would end. But even in the harshest of seasons, the natural beauty of New Hampshire is something to behold. Two years ago we visited Dave Erler of the Squam Lake Sciene Center. He's our guide. to the owls of winter. |
| Tomorrow Return to index of stories... |
Tomorrow on New Hampshire Outlook - Governor Jeanne Shaheen announces her long awaited solution to the education funding crisis. We'll have a detailed look at her plan as well as reaction from granite staters. And, we'll meet some elementary school children who are "hooked on books." We'll watch them as they go on a shopping spree for their school library. |
| Goodnight Return to index of stories... |
That's it for this edition of New Hampshire Outlook. For all of us here at New Hampshire Public Television, thanks for joining us. Stay tuned for Nova. We'll be back tomorrow at 7:30. Good night. |
| founders Return to index of stories... |
Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook: New Hampshire Charitable Foundadtion Public Service of New Hampshire Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust Putnam Foundation Stratford Foundation |
| website Return to index of stories... |
For information on tonight's program, and links to our guests and interviews, visit our web site at nhptv.o-r-g. You can see and hear streaming video of our broadcasts and participate in our daily poll. If you've got a story idea or comment on our program you can call us at 800-639-2721. |
| PROMO Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Governor Jeanne Shaheen unveils HER tax plan for solving the education funding crisis. We'll have a complete analysis and reaction. Join us tonight at 7:30 only on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| Legal fees Return to index of stories... |
Should the state pay legal expenses for state supreme court workers who were involved in last year's impeachment proceeedings? That's what's under consideration by The House Finance Committee. Concord Representative Elizabeth Hager asked the committee to support a bill appropriating more than seven thousand dollars for ten court workers subpoenaed during Chief Justice David Brock's impeachment.Hager says it's unfair for the workers to pay legal fees when they were subpoenaed only because of their employment status. |