In the last decade, ridership on Manchester Transit Authority (MTA) buses fell by 38.6%, yet city taxpayer spending on the MTA increased by 38.2% above the rate of inflation, an analysis by the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy shows. As Mayor Jay Ruais and city aldermen search for savings in a stressed city budget, […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/images-12.jpeg179282Mitchell Scacchihttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngMitchell Scacchi2024-04-10 16:43:022024-04-10 16:43:02As Manchester bus ridership collapsed in the last decade, city spending on bus service soared
By Jason Sorens The New Hampshire House of Representatives recently passed a couple of bills to make certain types of housing easier to build: single-family conversions to duplexes on lots with adequate sewer capacity, and detached accessory dwelling units. A more ambitious Senate bill comes up for a vote of the full chamber this Thursday, […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1084684019-1-scaled.jpg17072560Editorial Staffhttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngEditorial Staff2024-04-03 09:58:062024-04-03 15:37:26How the big “HOMEnibus” housing bill would do more harm than good
As legislators consider making more Granite State families eligible for the popular Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, there appears to be some disagreement about what types of families would be able to use the program depending on where the income limits are set. Currently, only families whose income does not exceed 350% of the federal […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_562405753-scaled.jpg17072560Mitchell Scacchihttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngMitchell Scacchi2024-04-02 21:06:202024-04-02 21:06:20For Education Freedom Accounts, capping income at 400% of poverty would exclude these moderate-income families
New Hampshire’s health care provider shortage has been a major news story for years. The demand for health care is growing as New Hampshire’s population ages. Yet the supply of providers is not keeping pace with demand, as physicians retire and too few young people enter the field, particularly in the three primary care occupations: […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_562143196-scaled.jpg17092560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2024-03-27 17:45:512024-03-27 17:45:51How one licensing requirement limits patient access to PAs
Editor’s note: To avoid social repercussions in a small community, the subject of this story requested that only her first name be used and that her son’s name not be used. We granted the request. Christine M. spent three years trying to find the right learning environment for her son. When he started at Stevens […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_256626130-scaled.jpg17072560Mitchell Scacchihttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngMitchell Scacchi2024-03-27 17:32:442024-03-27 17:51:20Out of options, one Granite State family turned to EFAs only to find out they ‘made too much’
“This is not a world to live at random in as you do.… Everything in this world is matter of calculation.” — Thomas Jefferson, Oct. 12, 1786 Random chance is a constant feature of life on Earth, and for centuries it was a feature of human government. Kings and councils ruled with “arbitrary power,” as […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1913444224-scaled.jpg10802560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2024-03-20 17:01:252024-03-20 17:06:02Legislators distributing random numbers is no basis for sound public policy
Child care in New Hampshire is often hard to find and, when you do, expensive. A bipartisan group of legislators has offered families some relief in a surprising way: zoning reform. Child care offered to small groups of children in a caregiver’s home was once a popular option for many families. But professionalization and regulation […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1008699211-scaled.jpg22192560Mitchell Scacchihttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngMitchell Scacchi2024-03-20 15:07:272024-03-20 15:07:27A zoning fix for child care can apply to education too
The second group of bills to saddle the Education Freedom Account program with onerous red tape will be considered this week by the state House and Senate. State lawmakers took up the first set of regulatory measures last week, voting down both House Bills 1512 and 1594. This week, the House will vote on HB […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_679523059-scaled.jpg18142560Mitchell Scacchihttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngMitchell Scacchi2024-03-20 14:38:592024-03-20 15:41:30House and Senate to vote on second round of anti-EFA bills this week
Despite being the main metropolitan area in the state, the City of Manchester’s zoning ordinances are surprisingly hostile to the construction of new multifamily housing. As a review of the city’s zoning ordinances championed by former Mayor Joyce Craig continues, aldermen are considering three relatively small changes unanimously approved by the Planning Board and brought […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1561753468-scaled.jpg19192560Mitchell Scacchihttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngMitchell Scacchi2024-03-13 18:12:522024-03-13 19:23:07Manchester considers first housing-friendly zoning changes to come from major zoning review
This week, two bills that would take Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) away from children enrolled in the program will be considered in the state House of Representatives. We previously summarized a group of bills that would heavily regulate the EFA program to the point that its functionality and growth would be severely curtailed. The House […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_68157886-scaled.jpg17072560Mitchell Scacchihttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngMitchell Scacchi2024-03-13 18:09:002024-03-13 19:34:30House takes up two bills that would yank Education Freedom Accounts from kids
As Manchester bus ridership collapsed in the last decade, city spending on bus service soared
FEATURED, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, TRANSPORTATIONIn the last decade, ridership on Manchester Transit Authority (MTA) buses fell by 38.6%, yet city taxpayer spending on the MTA increased by 38.2% above the rate of inflation, an analysis by the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy shows. As Mayor Jay Ruais and city aldermen search for savings in a stressed city budget, […]
How the big “HOMEnibus” housing bill would do more harm than good
BLOG, HOUSING, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, REGULATIONBy Jason Sorens The New Hampshire House of Representatives recently passed a couple of bills to make certain types of housing easier to build: single-family conversions to duplexes on lots with adequate sewer capacity, and detached accessory dwelling units. A more ambitious Senate bill comes up for a vote of the full chamber this Thursday, […]
For Education Freedom Accounts, capping income at 400% of poverty would exclude these moderate-income families
BLOG, EDUCATION, FEATUREDAs legislators consider making more Granite State families eligible for the popular Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, there appears to be some disagreement about what types of families would be able to use the program depending on where the income limits are set. Currently, only families whose income does not exceed 350% of the federal […]
How one licensing requirement limits patient access to PAs
BLOG, FEATURED, REGULATIONNew Hampshire’s health care provider shortage has been a major news story for years. The demand for health care is growing as New Hampshire’s population ages. Yet the supply of providers is not keeping pace with demand, as physicians retire and too few young people enter the field, particularly in the three primary care occupations: […]
Out of options, one Granite State family turned to EFAs only to find out they ‘made too much’
EDUCATION, FEATUREDEditor’s note: To avoid social repercussions in a small community, the subject of this story requested that only her first name be used and that her son’s name not be used. We granted the request. Christine M. spent three years trying to find the right learning environment for her son. When he started at Stevens […]
Legislators distributing random numbers is no basis for sound public policy
BETTER GOVERNMENT, FEATURED“This is not a world to live at random in as you do.… Everything in this world is matter of calculation.” — Thomas Jefferson, Oct. 12, 1786 Random chance is a constant feature of life on Earth, and for centuries it was a feature of human government. Kings and councils ruled with “arbitrary power,” as […]
A zoning fix for child care can apply to education too
EDUCATION, FEATURED, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, REGULATIONChild care in New Hampshire is often hard to find and, when you do, expensive. A bipartisan group of legislators has offered families some relief in a surprising way: zoning reform. Child care offered to small groups of children in a caregiver’s home was once a popular option for many families. But professionalization and regulation […]
House and Senate to vote on second round of anti-EFA bills this week
BLOG, EDUCATIONThe second group of bills to saddle the Education Freedom Account program with onerous red tape will be considered this week by the state House and Senate. State lawmakers took up the first set of regulatory measures last week, voting down both House Bills 1512 and 1594. This week, the House will vote on HB […]
Manchester considers first housing-friendly zoning changes to come from major zoning review
BLOG, HOUSING, REGULATIONDespite being the main metropolitan area in the state, the City of Manchester’s zoning ordinances are surprisingly hostile to the construction of new multifamily housing. As a review of the city’s zoning ordinances championed by former Mayor Joyce Craig continues, aldermen are considering three relatively small changes unanimously approved by the Planning Board and brought […]
House takes up two bills that would yank Education Freedom Accounts from kids
BLOG, EDUCATION, FEATUREDThis week, two bills that would take Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) away from children enrolled in the program will be considered in the state House of Representatives. We previously summarized a group of bills that would heavily regulate the EFA program to the point that its functionality and growth would be severely curtailed. The House […]