One word for Hassan’s top challenges: Budget

CONCORD – Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan has three major challenges facing her as she becomes 81st governor of New Hampshire this week. Budget. Budget. Budget. Every single priority item Hassan’s 2012 campaign hoped to make progress on during her first term relies upon a state budget for 2014-15 that is balanced but has enough room for at least some of her wish list. Outgoing Gov. John Lynch said Hassan, 55, starts out on more-firm footing than he found himself over the last two years, given that the voters have delivered to her a closely-divided Legislature. A Hopkinton Democrat, Lynch spent his last two years paralyzed by a super-majority Republican caucus that had at least a 3-1 edge in both legislative bodies. “I truly believe we are going to see a return to civility that New Hampshire government has always been known for,” Lynch said. New Hampshire has one of the weakest governor’s offices in the nation.