News – Politics – Opinion – Podcasts
Andrew Cline 
For years, decarbonization was New England’s most fashionable energy policy. Except for New Hampshire, New England states made carbon-emission reductions their top priority, even if it meant higher prices, slower economic growth, and a higher risk of periodic energy shortages. Fashions are fickle, though. As the far left is scrambling to distance itself from the … Read more
Though New Hampshire legislators have passed about 30 housing reform bills in the last three years, possibly the biggest reform—lowering minimum lot sizes—has remained elusive. Many legislators have refused to support it because they view it as too controversial. Yet a new St. Anselm College Poll shows that legalizing small homes on small lots is … Read more
This week, two separate justices rejected a last-ditch effort to keep a school district spending cap question off this November’s ballot. Those dual orders clear the way for New Hampshire voters to decide this fall whether to cap the rate of growth of their local school district budgets, as well as the size of school … Read more
New Hampshire’s “live free or die” motto expresses a core value deeply embedded in our culture and our government. People who cherish freedom don’t need large government. They don’t to impose their beliefs with a book of codes enforced by the point of a sword. That’s what unfree societies do. These reflections come to mind … Read more
During the past week, New Hampshire progressives have gleefully shared an internet post that ranks New Hampshire fourth in the nation in “lifetime taxes” paid. The analysis itself is, to use the technical term, bogus. The social media treatment of it is even worse. On social media, “lifetime taxes paid” very quickly morphed into “lifetime … Read more
On August 14, the New Hampshire Attorney General filed an appeal to the state Supreme Court that could change how the state funds public education. In the appeal, the AG’s Office argued that the court’s Claremont school funding decisions were so legally flawed that they should be overturned. In a series of decisions starting in 1993, the … Read more
Turnpike tolls and state park fees have stayed flat for years as inflation has eaten away at their value. To fight the effects of inflation, legislators voted this year to increase tolls and park fees for non-residents. Gov. Kelly Ayotte vetoed both bills, but in August legislators overrode those vetoes. Now that they’re law, here’s a … Read more
In 2017, 49% of Americans said a four-year college degree was worth the cost, according to NBC News polling. Last year, it was down to 33%. This week, the University of New Hampshire responded to those cost concerns by unveiling a pair of three-year online bachelor’s degrees available through the College of Professional Studies. These … Read more
In 2015, the year New Hampshire legislators began a series of business tax cuts, revenues from the state’s two primary business taxes were a combined $561.7 million. In the decade since, business tax revenues grew $3 billion in nominal dollars, or $2.5 billion in real dollars. From 2016-2025, the state collected $2.5 billion in new … Read more
With the passage into law of House Bill 1300, voters this fall will have the opportunity to cap their local school district budget increases and administration spending. How would this work? Josiah Bartlett Center President Andrew Cline wrote in NH Journal in May about the strange fact that Massachusetts has a statewide property tax cap, but New … Read more
Higher electricity prices are coming for Granite Staters this August. As you shake your fist and yell at the electricity gods, just remember one thing: More fuel = lower prices, and that includes the fuel we call natural gas. Confusingly, the media won’t stop suggesting the opposite. Here’s how New Hampshire Public Radio reported on the … Read more
Last year, a bipartisan majority of legislators agreed to legalize manufactured homes in all residential zones in the state. But it never happened. Though House Bill 685 passed both chambers on voice votes, it died in conference committee. The bill was an effort to open the housing market to a cheaper, smaller form of residential dwelling that … Read more
Granite Staters are often told that our low taxes are a liability and that copying the other New England states’ higher-tax, higher-spending model would improve affordability and the overall quality of life. New polling from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center suggests that the exact opposite is true. A series of UNH surveys released … Read more
In 1776, Josiah Bartlett really could’ve used a good cell phone plan. Stuck in sweltering Philadelphia as July crawled ever closer on the calendar, the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy’s namesake Founding Father was getting nervous. New Hampshire’s lead delegate to the Continental Congress, Bartlett was a passionate patriot. His first year as a … Read more
On March 21, Laconia launched New England’s first social district, a designated area where drinking is allowed in public under tightly regulated conditions. With Motorcycle Week looming, critics on social media mockingly predicted disaster. A week later, Joia Hughes, Laconia’s economic development and housing director, summed up the damage. “No problems,” she said. Mayor Mike … Read more
At the request of Gov. Kelly Ayotte, the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department has paused a proposed increase in fishing and hunting license fees. Department officials say the increases are needed to shore up the budget. The last fee increase took effect in 2016. A decade’s worth of inflation has eroded the value of … Read more
New Hampshire’s unique state tax structure is hard to understand, especially for people who don’t own a business. More than a third (36%) of the state General Fund and Education Trust Fund revenue comes from business taxes. The vast majority of that comes from the Business Profits Tax (BPT), but the lesser-known Business Enterprise Tax … Read more
As the 2026 legislative session wound down, it looked as though Republicans wouldn’t be able to agree on one of the party’s signature issues: cutting business taxes. During committee of conference negotiations last week, word spread (and was even reported in the news) that a House-passed Business Enterprise Tax cut was dead. House and Senate … Read more
The New Hampshire Turnpike System facilitates tourism and commuting in the Granite State. The three toll roads slash travel times in key corridors, which improves quality of life and helps the state’s economy grow. Turnpike users pay a small fee for the convenience of using these roads vs. more congested and slower local roads, essentially trading cash … Read more
Remote work, flex time, and independent contracting have reshaped the American workforce, creating new opportunities for both employers and employees. But in some states, including New Hampshire, outdated labor laws create obstacles to innovation, lost opportunities for employees, and unnecessary costs for employers. To modernize New Hampshire labor laws, legislators are addressing two outdated statutory … Read more