Enticing people to buy electric vehicles does not fit comfortably into the core duties of state government. And yet it’s among the list of pet causes legislators will consider subsidizing with other people’s money.  The latest effort comes in House Bill 1472. The bill, as amended, would confiscate $1.5 million that belongs to electric utility […]

A surprising divide has arisen this year over how the state should respond to increasing volumes of public records requests. On one side, we see discord and anger. On the other, unity and progress. The split shows the value of a win-win approach to solving problems. Many officials responsible for providing access to public records […]

The Manchester school district’s proposed 2025 budget continues the city’s trend of spending more to teach fewer students.  The district is asking for $232,227,530 for its 2024–25 school year budget. That’s an increase of $49,175,526, or 26.9%, since 2020–21. Even after adjusting for inflation,* the increase is still $16,967,892.80, or 7.9%, over the last four […]

By Andrew Cline and Jason Bedrick Nearly 1 million American students participated in a school-choice program last year, according to data compiled by EdChoice. Across the country 72 choice programs operate in 32 states. And who has the most popular program in the nation? New Hampshire. With an Education Freedom Account (EFA), parents can customize […]

All power residing originally in, and being derived from, the people, all the magistrates and officers of government are their substitutes and agents, and at all times accountable to them.  Government, therefore, should be open, accessible, accountable and responsive.  To that end, the public’s right of access to governmental proceedings and records shall not be […]

New Hampshire is less than a year away from eliminating its income tax.  Maybe.  A bill up for consideration in the House Ways & Means Committee on Tuesday would bring it back. It’s a myth that New Hampshire has no income tax. The state’s Interest & Dividends Tax is a levy on income derived from […]

School choice in New Hampshire has become increasingly popular, with more and more Granite State families accessing Education Tax Credit (ETC) scholarships and Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) to shop the best learning environments for their children in the state’s growing educational marketplace.  But as the program becomes more popular, the governmental instinct to impose controls […]

    Join us for a New Hampshire Primary party hosted by the Josiah Bartlett Center and The Dispatch When: 6 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 17th, 6 p.m. Where: Grappone Conference Center, 70 Constitution Ave., Concord What: Enjoy cocktails, camaraderie & conversation with Steve Hayes, Jonah Goldberg & Sarah Isgur of The Dispatch and Josiah Bartlett […]

The NH Coalition to End Homelessness (NHCEH) recently released The State of Homelessness in New Hampshire Annual Report 2022, and the results are understandably concerning.  According to annual Point-in-Time (PIT) counts, statewide homelessness grew from 1,382 people in 2019 to 1,605 in 2022, a 16% increase.  While sheltered homelessness (people living in shelters) increased by […]

The Josiah Bartlett Center has warned for the last few years that local government inaction on housing might prompt legislators to restrict local zoning authority. But legislators might have an even stronger incentive to act than the growing public frustration with local land use regulations: Falling revenue. A combination of high interest rates and an […]