Rob Werner

To the editor,

The New Hampshire Healthy Families Campaign (NHHFC) is running a newspaper ad this weekend thanking the 168 members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives that stood with New Hampshire's kids, families, and seniors by voting for the "B Budget" endorsed by the House Finance Committee last week. The "B budget" was defeated by a vote of 212-168.

The "B Budget" would have restored funding for critical prevention and health care programs, including tobacco and alcohol prevention program, funding for health care providers, funding for the NH Healthy Kids, and many other important health care initiatives.

The full page ad states, "Last week we asked...and 168 New Hampshire representatives answered in support of New Hampshire kids, families and seniors. Thank you for showing New Hampshire whose side you are really on." The names of the 168 representatives who voted in favor of the "B Budget" are then listed.

"The New Hampshire representatives that voted for the "B Budget" proved that they care about a healthy New Hampshire and have the courage to stand up for our kids, families and seniors over the interests of big tobacco in our state," said Debbie Carluccio, Executive Director of the Smoke-Free NH Alliance. "The New Hampshire House of Representatives sent a budget to the Senate that is in need of considerable improvement, even in the opinion of many who voted for it. The over 170 organizations across the state of New Hampshire that compromise the NHHFC remain hopeful that the budget developed by the Senate will meet the important health care needs of New Hampshire children and families and be supported by a rational funding source, as the budget passed by the House does neither."

Rob Werner

Bedford