New Hampshire collected a record $430.1 million budget surplus in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended June 30th. Most of it is already gone. From January to June, legislators spent $261.7 million — or 60% — of the surplus. For context, the amount of new spending in 2022 was just a bit larger than the […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_2141393497.jpg476847Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2022-08-08 18:30:022022-08-08 18:30:02Legislators have spent (at least) 60% of the state’s record budget surplus
If you planned to start a new enterprise and hire someone to run it, you’d probably avoid applicants who racked up disastrous safety records and massive financial deficits on their way to being investigated and placed under remedial safety orders by the feds. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation, though, has tapped an operator with […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_146136107.jpg317523Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2022-08-02 15:22:232022-08-02 15:22:23New Hampshire’s chosen commuter rail partner has a dismal safety record
Government energy plans too often focus on replacing consumers’ choices with those of government planners, regardless of the impact on consumers. New Hampshire’s 10 Year Energy Strategy goes in the other direction. It puts consumers first. The new strategy is little changed from the 2018 version. Its top priorities are shrunk from 11 to 10, […]
New Hampshire has the top two hottest housing markets in the country, as rated by real estate search website realtor.com. These ratings should be taken with a grain of salt, as they’re based in part on search queries on a single listings website. But even if the rankings are an accurate representation of the market, […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_508556.jpg500752Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2022-07-19 16:28:282022-07-19 16:28:28Having the ‘hottest housing market’ means you don’t have enough houses
IRS migration data show that “taxpayers prefer to move to states with lower tax burdens and away from states with higher tax burdens,” an analysis from the National Taxpayers Union shows. (The data are from tax returns received in 2019 and 2020.) “Right from the start, the three states losing the most taxpayers and income – […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_2162046377.jpg9661449Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2022-07-19 16:07:092022-07-19 16:07:09IRS data show migration from high-tax to lower-tax states, including New Hampshire
One of the most consequential laws of the 2022 legislative session received next to no media coverage. But thanks to its passage, you might get to keep seeing your doctor, or have a nurse the next time you go to the hospital. During the pandemic, health care facilities found themselves with sudden, critical shortages of […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1694955259.jpg538806Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2022-07-12 13:55:352022-07-13 11:28:03New Hampshire makes emergency health care licenses permanent
When inflation comes for your property tax bill, will your local officials be prepared? Greed is the real cause of inflation, according to the President of the United States, progressive senators and left-wing activists. You, simple American selling driftwood sculptures on the roadside to cover gas money, are merely the victim of corporations who greedily […]
If relief from burdensome regulations could be measured in pint glasses, this year’s relief for New Hampshire’s beer industry wouldn’t fill a 2 oz flight glass. New Hampshire alcohol laws are a twisted knot of post-Prohibition restrictions pocked with favoritism and special protections for incumbent players. Reforms come slowly and gradually. This year, Granite State […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1632008410-scaled.jpg17092560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2022-06-28 14:00:212022-06-28 14:21:42A small shot of relief for N.H. brewers this year
Until 2017, New Hampshire had a concealed carry law similar to New York’s, which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional last week. And until last year, the state, like Maine, did not explicitly allow recipients of town tuitioning dollars or other school choice grants to spend their education aid at a religious school. […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1294329694-scaled.jpg17072560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2022-06-28 13:51:352022-06-28 13:51:35How did N.H. get ahead of two consecutive U.S. Supreme Court rulings?
High energy prices are a major concern of voters, so naturally the political party that controls Congress and the White House has offered a set of serious policy proposals to lower prices as quickly as possible. Hey, we can dream, can’t we? In reality, voters are being sold a container ship full of malarky about […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_750610873-scaled.jpg16332560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2022-06-20 21:20:182022-06-20 21:20:18Government manipulation of energy markets is a cause of, not a solution to, high energy prices
Legislators have spent (at least) 60% of the state’s record budget surplus
BUDGET, FEATUREDNew Hampshire collected a record $430.1 million budget surplus in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended June 30th. Most of it is already gone. From January to June, legislators spent $261.7 million — or 60% — of the surplus. For context, the amount of new spending in 2022 was just a bit larger than the […]
New Hampshire’s chosen commuter rail partner has a dismal safety record
BLOG, FEATURED, TRANSPORTATIONIf you planned to start a new enterprise and hire someone to run it, you’d probably avoid applicants who racked up disastrous safety records and massive financial deficits on their way to being investigated and placed under remedial safety orders by the feds. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation, though, has tapped an operator with […]
New Hampshire’s 10-year energy strategy puts consumers first
ENERGY, FEATUREDGovernment energy plans too often focus on replacing consumers’ choices with those of government planners, regardless of the impact on consumers. New Hampshire’s 10 Year Energy Strategy goes in the other direction. It puts consumers first. The new strategy is little changed from the 2018 version. Its top priorities are shrunk from 11 to 10, […]
Having the ‘hottest housing market’ means you don’t have enough houses
BLOG, FEATURED, HOUSING, LOCAL GOVERNMENTNew Hampshire has the top two hottest housing markets in the country, as rated by real estate search website realtor.com. These ratings should be taken with a grain of salt, as they’re based in part on search queries on a single listings website. But even if the rankings are an accurate representation of the market, […]
IRS data show migration from high-tax to lower-tax states, including New Hampshire
FEATURED, TAXATIONIRS migration data show that “taxpayers prefer to move to states with lower tax burdens and away from states with higher tax burdens,” an analysis from the National Taxpayers Union shows. (The data are from tax returns received in 2019 and 2020.) “Right from the start, the three states losing the most taxpayers and income – […]
New Hampshire makes emergency health care licenses permanent
FEATURED, REGULATIONOne of the most consequential laws of the 2022 legislative session received next to no media coverage. But thanks to its passage, you might get to keep seeing your doctor, or have a nurse the next time you go to the hospital. During the pandemic, health care facilities found themselves with sudden, critical shortages of […]
Will local governments pass rising costs to taxpayers?
BLOG, LOCAL GOVERNMENTWhen inflation comes for your property tax bill, will your local officials be prepared? Greed is the real cause of inflation, according to the President of the United States, progressive senators and left-wing activists. You, simple American selling driftwood sculptures on the roadside to cover gas money, are merely the victim of corporations who greedily […]
A small shot of relief for N.H. brewers this year
FEATURED, REGULATIONIf relief from burdensome regulations could be measured in pint glasses, this year’s relief for New Hampshire’s beer industry wouldn’t fill a 2 oz flight glass. New Hampshire alcohol laws are a twisted knot of post-Prohibition restrictions pocked with favoritism and special protections for incumbent players. Reforms come slowly and gradually. This year, Granite State […]
How did N.H. get ahead of two consecutive U.S. Supreme Court rulings?
BLOG, FEATUREDUntil 2017, New Hampshire had a concealed carry law similar to New York’s, which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional last week. And until last year, the state, like Maine, did not explicitly allow recipients of town tuitioning dollars or other school choice grants to spend their education aid at a religious school. […]
Government manipulation of energy markets is a cause of, not a solution to, high energy prices
ENERGY, FEATUREDHigh energy prices are a major concern of voters, so naturally the political party that controls Congress and the White House has offered a set of serious policy proposals to lower prices as quickly as possible. Hey, we can dream, can’t we? In reality, voters are being sold a container ship full of malarky about […]