Published on EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA

March 30, 2011

NH religious leaders protest proposed budget cuts

By Doug Ireland
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Police, firefighters and other union members had their say. Now, the state's religious leaders are speaking out against the Legislature's proposed budget cuts.

Hundreds of people are expected to protest on the Statehouse lawn tomorrow afternoon. The New Hampshire Council of Churches is weighing in on the potential impact on social services.

"We hope to have between 500 and 1,000 people on the Statehouse plaza on Thursday," said David Lamarre-Vincent, the council's executive director.

The House is expected approve the $10.1 billion state budget tomorrow and send it on to the Senate.

"The message is: This is just not those state employees who are advocating for their (jobs)," Lamarre-Vincent said. "These are people advocating for their neighbors' and families' needs."

The group will include religious leaders, church members and people from social service organizations, he said.

"I think you will find that, unlike other rallies, this one will be quite moderate," Lamarre-Vincent said.

While they want to get their message across, they will do so in a civil way tomorrow and in the weeks before the Legislature finalizes the state budget in June, he said.

"We'll be welcoming with civil communication between now and in the next 10 weeks," he said.

Lamarre-Vincent and other religious leaders say the Republican-led House continues to slash the proposed two-year state budget without considering the impact on people.

While New Hampshire is more prosperous than many other states and has the lowest tax burden per capita, its leadership is ignoring the public's needs, he said.

"They don't understand the consequences of their actions," Lamarre-Vincent said yesterday. "We have leadership driven by ideology, rather than the common good for the people."

The cuts in social service programs will take their toll on the state's poor, he said.

"We are balancing the budget on the backs of the people who can least afford to bear the burden," Lamarre-Vincent said.

People from Southern New Hampshire churches will be in the crowd tomorrow, including members of Triumphant Cross Lutheran Church in Salem, the Rev. David Yasenka said. Representatives from other churches in Salem and Windham will be there, too, he said.

Although Yasenka can't attend the rally, last week, he presented a petition to the House Fiscal Committee that was signed by Lutheran pastors. Local lawmakers and clergy will meet in Salem on April 7 to discuss the state budget and how they can work together, he said.

"I am very much in support of it," Yasenka said of the rally. "We're asking that they at least prioritize where they are going to cut."

Although the budget cuts would not take effect until July 1, local residents are still reeling from the impact of the recession, Yasenka said.

"We are just finding more and more people in need," he said. "The use of the food pantry has increased already."

Other local religious leaders said lawmakers are being irresponsible.

"There are only so many things that can be cut," the Rev. Bill Ferguson said. "The objective right now is cut, cut, cut."

Ferguson, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Pelham, said lawmakers are eliminating funding for crucial social services. That means more people will turn to clergy for help, he said.

"Unfortunately, it's the churches that bear the brunt of it," Ferguson said. "Our resources have dwindled as well."

But some religious leaders disagree.

"I would be for most budget cuts," said the Rev. Steve Pauwels, pastor of Church of the King in Londonderry. "The churches need to take care of needy people, not the government."

Pauwels said he opposes "the notion that Christianity requires the government to shake down the taxpayers to care for everybody."

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