Cybersecurity Among Needs in Proposed New Hampshire Budget

Source Domain: www.govtech.com

(TNS) — Two new courthouses, replacing steam lines at the aging Concord men’s prison and beefing up the state’s cybersecurity defenses are on the wish list of projects proposed for New Hampshire’s capital budget for the next two years.

As is always the case, there are more wants to shore up ailing infrastructure and add upgrades than there are available funds, Gov. Kelly Ayotte advised during the first of two days of public hearings to open the process.

“We can’t control everything. We have one important thing we can control — our fiscal discipline,” Ayotte said in opening remarks.

“Living within our means, strong credit ratings and building budgets that reflect the needs and priorities of the state will be my focus.”

The current two-year public works budget (HB 25) that Ayotte signed in June 2025 spent nearly $138 million in bonds backed by state taxes and fees, another $10 million from highway funds and $23 million from “other” funds such as dedicated revenues.

During Tuesday’s hearing, agency heads from the first six departments to make presentations asked for a total of $253 million in projects.

Administrative Services Commissioner Charles Arlinghaus said he operates under no delusion that the $143 million he’s asked for to maintain state buildings and courthouses will win final approval.

Over five of the past half dozen capital budgets, his agency received just over $25 million in projects, though in the current plan the number fell to $15.4 million.

“I wanted to give you a sense of the scope of the need for the state to catch up on deferred maintenance work,” Arlinghaus said.

Karen Rantamaki, state director of plant and property under Arlinghaus, said her staff wouldn’t be able to complete all 36 projects on her wish list even if lawmakers approved them all.

Her division has 220 positions but 60 of them — or 27% — are vacant, she said.

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