In the state of New Hampshire, services across all sectors are currently a convoluted tangle. In many areas, a citizen in need of assistance will need to access services across too broad a range of divisions; likewise, a business owner or entrepreneur will often face a confusing matrix of various…
With an aging population and ballooning medical expenditures, end of life care has become an issue of prime importance for the State of New Hampshire and the country as a whole. The Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) paradigm has become a particularly influential approach to end of life…
The purpose of this report is to inform the New Hampshire state government of ways in which various welcome centers in the Northeast area sustain themselves so they may consider the possibility of reopening three centers that have recently been shut down due to budget cuts. Additionally, the report aims…
Vermont is currently evaluating whether or not to divest its pension plan from holdings in the fossil fuels industry. This report reviews the crucial elements behind the decision to divest. It addresses the legal and fiduciary impacts that frame the decision to divest, as well as the possible effects on…
The minimum wage is one of the most debated topics in economics and the political arena. In this report, we analyze the economic impacts, stakeholder perspectives, and public opinion regarding an increase in the New Hampshire minimum wage. The report first reviews the large body of research on effects of…
In 2013, Vermont developed the Lake Champlain TMDL Phase 1 Implementation Plan to reasonably assure the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that Vermont will reduce phosphorus loading in Lake Champlain attributable to nonpoint sources. This plan proposes the establishment of the Vermont Clean Water Improvement Fund (VCWIF) to assist the Vermont…
Aquaculture is a burgeoning industry in New England, but current aquaculture policy in New Hampshire requires additional infrastructure to adequately allow for economic growth. Due to the lack of a regulatory framework, aquaculturists are currently able to erect illegal structures and operations on public lands. The New Hampshire Department of…
This report presents an overview of natural gas and its role in New Hampshire’s energy future. There has a been a large increase in the use of natural gas in New England in the past decade, but the infrastructure for transporting natural gas has not been updated. Infrastructure constrains have…
President Obama’s job approval rating (34 percent) in New Hampshire remains constant from 2014, while his favorability rating rises to 35 percent from 28 percent in 2014.
New Hampshire Senate trial heats show a potentially competitive race between incumbent Senator Kelly Ayotte (R) and current Governor Maggie Hassan; Ayotte has…
Created in 2000, the Energy Efficiency Charge in Vermont funds incentives and subsidies aimed at reducing energy consumption and electricity costs for residents and businesses throughout Vermont. Promoting energy efficiency through the Energy Efficiency Charge remains an important policy goal in the state. In 2011, Governor Shumlin and the Vermont…