FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 7, 2008

CONTACT:
Kate Bedingfield
603 647 2008
603 361 8036

Caitlin Legacki
603 647 2008

SHAHEEN KICKS-OFF "MIDDLE CLASS MATTERS" TOUR IN SALEM

Discusses Plans to Strengthen Middle Class in New Hampshire

(Manchester, NH) —On Day One of her "Middle Class Matters" tour, Governor Jeanne Shaheen visited with voters in Salem and discussed how we can help New Hampshire's working families and strengthen America's middle class. Shaheen knows that, for too long, Washington has put the wealthy special interests before the interests of New Hampshire families.

"Here in New Hampshire, families are struggling to afford the cost of everyday needs like gas, milk and home heating oil," Shaheen said. "They're also struggling to afford mortgage payments and college tuition. They are getting squeezed at every turn.

We need real change. Washington has betrayed middle class families. New Hampshire families need immediate action but Washington's response has been to sit and watch."

Shaheen believes we need real leadership in Washington who will work every day to fulfill the following proposals and strengthen New Hampshire's middle class families:

*Middle class tax cuts - Expand tax cuts for the middle class, paid for by rolling back tax cuts for the wealthy.

*College affordability - Increase Pell Grants and expand tuition tax credits to help families pay for college.

*Lower energy costs - Extend clean energy tax credits to assist transition to energy efficiency and reduce heating costs for small businesses and homeowners.

*Lower health care costs - Reduce health care costs by increasing access to preventive care, moving to electronic medical records, and allowing re-importation of safe, affordable drugs from Canada

*Balance budgets - Tackle our nation's record debt and deficits by eliminating no-bid contracts, ending giveaways to big oil and drug companies, and ending the war in Iraq

*Protect home ownership – Expand home ownership and protect homeowners

*Create good jobs - Invest in emerging industries like clean energy and biotech and end tax breaks to companies that move jobs overseas

The three-day "Middle Class Matters" tour continues Tuesday in Plaistow and Wednesday in Derry. For more information, please visit www.JeanneShaheen.org.