Governor Hassan: "Together, we can build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire"
CONCORD - Pledging to bring people together to grow the economy through innovation and commonsense problem solving, Maggie Hassan today was sworn in as the 81st Governor of New Hampshire.
"I know that, together, we can build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire, a New Hampshire where all of our citizens are included in our shared success and prosperity," said Governor Hassan in her Inaugural Address.
"To our very core, we value freedom, independence, hard work, fiscal responsibility, family and community," Hassan continued. "We live these values in our personal lives and in our workplaces. And every citizen, regardless of circumstance, should have the opportunity to live them too - to hold a good job, work hard, raise a family, and share in the high quality of life we enjoy in New Hampshire. When they do, they become empowered and our state grows stronger. Our ability to accomplish this goal lies in our willingness to innovate - not only to develop innovative new products and services, but to innovate in other areas as well: in the operation of our traditional industries, in the way we educate our citizens, in the way we deliver government's essential services, and in providing the tools that support growing businesses and create good middle-class jobs."
Hassan called for implementing her "Innovate NH" jobs plan, which focuses on building the best educated workforce in the country, doubling the research and development tax credit, and giving businesses technical assistance to help them create jobs.
"New Hampshire has many distinctions we can be proud of. We have the lowest poverty rate and lowest teen birth rate in the country," Governor Hassan said. "We are consistently rated as one of the safest states and one of the best places in the country to raise children. We are uniquely suited to seize the promise and opportunity that innovation presents. But adapting to the demands of an innovation economy presents immediate challenges, too."
Hassan pledged to work in the state's tradition of openness, bipartisanship, and collective problem solving and to foster an open dialogue across party lines.
"To address our challenges and seize the opportunity of innovation, we must summon our best traditions of cooperation and problem solving," said Hassan. "The people of our state collaborate and make things work all the time, and their elected leaders must be able to do the same. The people of New Hampshire have made it clear that they want to restore balance, that they want us to work together."
As she has emphasized throughout the transition, the Governor made it clear that one of the most pressing challenges ahead is balancing the state budget, without a sales or income tax, and that the state must innovate to provide services more efficiently.
"While we are seeing signs of recovery and growth, we still face fiscal uncertainty," Governor Hassan said. "We will need to be prudent as we develop our budget. And I am mindful that innovation is not confined to the private sector. We need to continue to find ways to innovate in state government, so that we can honor our tradition of fiscal responsibility while serving the people of New Hampshire effectively and efficiently."
