CONCORD--The Republican legislative leadership argued that Gov. John Lynch's (D-Hopkinton) inaugural speech lacked specifics on a variety of his proposals.

State Rep. Sherm Packard (R-Londonderry) and state Sen. Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) argued that Lynch's address did not list any potential cuts to the state budget.

"It was a nice speech, but I didn't see the substance," Packard, the House Republican leader, told PolitickerNH.com after the speech. "A lot of these speeches don't have substance, but his party is in power and he needs to be specific."

Bragdon, the Republican leader in the state Senate, said that he was pleased Lynch promised not to institute a sales or income tax but that he also felt the speech lacked specific budget goals.

"I'm a little concerned that when it came to the Rainy Day Fund that there was no promise not to raid it," Bragdon said.

Bragdon also said he was worried that Lynch did not offer any budget cuts or promise that he would not raise taxes, besides the sales or income tax.

Both Bragdon and Packard sounded skeptical about Lynch's proposed Green Jobs Initiative.

"It's an interesting program but in the grand scheme of things the budget is the 800 pound gorilla in the room," Bragdon said.

While Packard argued, "I think that if it gets us off of Middle East oil than it's a good start but now are we going to pay for it. I have to see the specifics of it."

See Also:

Senate Republicans Respond to Governor Lynch's Inaugural Address