By Grant D. Bosse Summary: Certificate of Need laws, or CONs, have been set up across the country under the assumption that rationing hospital construction and expansion would limit increases in health care costs. Four decades of experience have shown that CONs do not control costs, but do provide a significant barrier to entry to [...]

Joshua Elliott-Traficante February 2012   Earlier this month, the New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS or ‘the System’) released its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) revealing the current state of the System at the close of the last fiscal year. Fiscal Year 2011 saw assets grow by nearly $1 Billion, however the funding ratio dropped more [...]

Charlie Arlinghaus February 1, 2012 As originally published in the New Hampshire Union Leader MOST PROPOSALS on health care are part of a highly charged ideological debate. One exception this year, the health care compact, is not a short-term solution but a longer-term project that will allow New Hampshire to benefit by letting other states [...]

Charlie Arlinghaus January 18, 2011 As originally published in the New Hampshire Union Leader Be careful not to get on the wrong side of your legislator or he might pass a law just to get back at you. We are being treated to an example of the temptations of power this year as one legislator [...]

Charlie Arlinghaus interviews former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the first installment of the Josiah Bartlett Center’s “Substance Over Soundbites Series” Part 1- Gingrich says it would be “virtually impossible” to support Ron Paul if he is the Republican Presidential Nominee. Part 2- Gingrich explains why he’s running for President Part 3- Gingrich discusses the [...]

Using a recently released report from the Department of Administrative Services and its own independent investigation into the data, the Josiah Bartlett Center is publishing a series of stories on its investigative journalism website, NewHampshireWatchdog.org. Monday:  NH state workers drive 1.5 million personal miles a year Tuesday: NH takes the keys from Liquor Commissioners Wednesday: [...]

The oft cited growing unfunded liability, pegged at the end of last fiscal year at $3.7 billion, has been the driving force behind pension reform in Concord. This shortfall is not just a result of poor investment returns from the recent recession, rather it is systemic. Every year, for the past ten years, the dollar value of the unfunded liability has increased. Even in years with double digit investment returns, liabilities continued to out pace the growth of assets.

Of the 1.5 million miles that New Hampshire employees drove state cars for Non-Business Use last year, 1.1 million were in the Department of Transportation. The agency responsible for the Granite State’s roads and bridges has the largest number of vehicles in the state’s fleet, and by far the most of those cars and trucks outside of official business. But DOT officials insist that letting workers take state vehicles home at night can ultimately save taxpayers money.

By Grant Bosse December 23, 2011 As originally published in the Concord Monitor Economic downturns and budget deficits are not good things.  But like most things in life, we can always look on the bright side.  One of the fringe benefits of tough times is that public officials spend our money a little more carefully.  [...]