CONCORD, NH – Thanks to legislation signed July 24 by Gov. Chris Sununu, Manchester will be receiving more than $1.7 million in state surplus money to go toward infrastructure and bridge repair.
In total, Sununu is returning $30 million to towns and cities around the state as a result of signing Senate Bill 38, making an appropriation to the department of transportation for local highway aid and aid for municipal bridges.
“Addressing New Hampshire’s infrastructure needs is critical to ensure safety on our roads,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “This is a key first step in rebuilding our state’s infrastructure and reducing property tax obligations for every citizen in the state. We’re sending cash back to towns so that localities can provide relief on their tax base – a home run for taxpayers. For years we have heard how the state cannot control local property taxes, but what we can do is use infrastructure grants to give our towns more financial flexibility and target key areas of need to our communities, which will revitalize New Hampshire’s aging infrastructure, and reinvigorate our local economies.”
Mayor Ted Gatsas called the announcement of Manchester’s $1,735,513.41 appropriation “great news” for the city. The money will likely be used to prioritize repairs and maintenance for the city’s red-listed bridges, including the Amoskeag and Queen City bridges.
“This is great news for Manchester and municipalities across the state. I applaud the legislature and Governor Sununu for recognizing the need to improve our infrastructure and thank them. As Mayor I have always made it a priority to invest in our infrastructure and the city has made significant progress repaying, restructuring and resurfacing roads throughout the city. The leadership team at the Department of Public Works is in the process of putting together a comprehensive plan for the additional funding and will present it to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at the next meeting in August.”
The money being returned to municipalities must be put back into infrastructure, something Sununu stressed is crucial to the state.
“Modernizing our state’s roadway and bridge infrastructure is a priority for New Hampshire. Due to responsible budgeting in FY 16-17, our state produced significant surplus that has not only grown the rainy day fund, but allowed our state to return millions of taxpayer dollars to our communities,” said Senate President Chuck Morse (R-Salem). “Nearly $30 million will be returned to cities and towns to directly support critical infrastructure improvements that will benefit our citizens across the state.”
The $1.7 million coming back to Manchester is in addition to the $3 million in roadway degradation fees awarded to Manchester in the June 16 NH Supreme Court decision in the Liberty Utilities (Energy North Natural Gas) vs. City of Manchester case. The order upheld the city’s right to impose degradation fees to public utility companies for opening a road because it compromises the integrity of the road, and escalates the need for road maintenance. The NH Supreme Court also reversed, in part, the lower court’s ruling and ordered that the city can impose an enhanced degradation fee for roadways that have been reconstructed or rehabilitated within five years.
Below is the breakdown of the $30 million in funding being returned to municipalities around the state:
