Council protests gov's spending power, jobless claims down

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Members of the Executive Council are protesting Gov. Chris Sununu’s authority to spend state money to combat the coronavirus.

The council voted 4-1 Wednesday to table what usually is a routine request from the state treasurer to spend money for all functions of state government for the next month. The request included $500 million in state funding and $450 million from the federal coronavirus relief aid package.

Councilor Andru Volinsky, a Democratic candidate for governor, objected, saying the council and the public deserve more details, including information about which health care providers applied for no-interest loans from a $50 million fund.

Republican Councilor Russell Prescott joined Volinsky and the other two Democrats in voting to table the request. Sununu said he assumes the council will approve the request May 20, otherwise all of state government would shut down.

Here are the latest coronavirus-related developments in New Hampshire:

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UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS

Nearly 12,000 initial unemployment claims were filed in New Hampshire last week, down more than 3,000 from the previous week, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday.

The latest number covers new claims through May 2.

The number of new claims in a week peaked at 39,000 in early April and has since been declining.

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THE NUMBERS

As of Wednesday, 2,740 people in New Hampshire had tested positive for the virus, an increase of 108 from the previous day. There have been at least 111 coronavirus-related deaths in the state.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.