About The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy

For further information, contact Charlie Arlinghaus, arlinghaus@jbartlett.org

Mission
The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy is a non-profit, non-partisan, independent think tank focused on state and local public policy issues that affect the quality of life for New Hampshire's citizens. The Center has as its core beliefs individual freedom and responsibility, limited and accountable government, and an appreciation of the role of the free enterprise system. The Center seeks to promote policy that supports these beliefs by providing information, research, and analysis.

Josiah Bartlett

"Josiah Bartlett could not have been better suited to the task of restoring public faith to the institutions of government."
Professor Jere Daniell, Experiment in Republicanism, 1970.

The Center is named for Josiah Bartlett (1729-1795), a distinguished New Hampshire patriot. Bartlett was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a distinguished physician, founder of the New Hampshire Medical Society, a Colonel of the Militia, and Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He served as chief executive of New Hampshire from 1790-1794. After the 1793 revision of the constitution, he became the first constitutionally elected chief executive of New Hampshire to bear the title of governor.

According to a modern account, "Bartlett took his ideas of limited government seriously. In 1792 he told members of the legislature that they had carried out their duties so well that he could not think of anything for them to do. They packed their bags and went home." The same article noted that, "Bartlett was a reluctant politician, and in any case he was more public servant than politician."

Policy Papers

Some recent publications include:

• The Claremont Game, by Eugene M. Van Loan III, July 2006
• Making New Hampshire a Regional Center for Financial Services by Cutting the Insurance Premium Tax, by Charles M. Arlinghaus, January 2006
• The Coming Electricity Shortage in New England and What We Can Do About It, by Charles M. Arlinghaus, October 2005
• Interstate 93: A Modest Proposal, by J. Mark Lennon, May 2005.
• Balancing the needs of Prisons and Business, by Charlie Arlinghaus, March 2005.
• A School Choice Certificate Program Could Save the State Budget $32 Million Over Eight Years, by Brian J. Gottlob, February 2005.
• One budget, Not Two: Recognizing a Simple Budget Truth by Doug Hall and Charlie Arlinghaus, January 2005.
• Bureaucratic Tax Proposals Subvert the Democratic Process, by Charlie Arlinghaus, July 2004.
• The Constitutionality of School Choice in New Hampshire, Charles G. Douglas, May 2004.
• Historical Considerations Concerning New Hampshire's Blaine Amendment, Richard D. Komer, May 2004.
• The Fiscal Impacts of School Choice in New Hampshire, by Brian J. Gottlob, February 2004.
• Should the State Government Import Prescription Drugs? by Charles M. Arlinghaus, January 2004.
• Amending the Constitution: Being Against Claremont is Not Being Against Education by Eugene van Loan III, January 2005.
• Amending the Constitution: Can We Trust the Legislature? by Charles M. Arlinghaus, January 2005.
• The Opportunity to Eliminate the Statewide Property Tax, by Charles M. Arlinghaus, August 2003.
• The Results of New Hampshire Education Funding Reform, by Brian J. Gottlob, June 2003.
• Financial Impact of the No Child Left behind Act on the State of New Hampshire, by Theodor Rebarber, February 2003.
• Environmental, Economic, and Social Impacts on the I-93 Highway Expansion, by J. Mark Lennon, December 2002.
• Restore the New Hampshire Legislative Advantage, by Arthur W. Mudge, September 2002.

  Conferences
  The Center hosts conferences and forums on critical public policy issues. Our conferences include public policy experts with a broad range of viewpoints. Recent conferences include:

  • The Future of New Hampshire, Concord, December 2, 2004.
  • Defending New Hampshire: New Hampshire's Preparation for Homeland Security, Concord, September 15, 2003.
  • Environmental, Economic, and Social Impacts of the I-93 Highway Expansion, Concord, November 22, 2002.
  • Model Charter Schools Across the US, University of New Hampshire Manchester, February 8, 2002.
  • The Uncertain Economy and New Hampshire's State Budget, co-sponsored with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Bedford, May 21, 2001.
  • Tax and Expenditure Options for Closing the State Budget Deficit, Courtyard by Marriott, Concord, April 30, 2001.
  • Ethics vs. Economics? A Healthcare Futures Forum, co-sponsored with Notre Dame College, Notre Dame College, Manchester, April 24, 2000.

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New Hampshire Charter School Resource Center, Director, Susan D. Hollins, Ph.D.
The Center hosts a clearinghouse for information on charter schools. Charter schools are public schools that operate free of most state regulations and offer an alternative to traditional public schools. Susan Hollins is available to speak or consult with any groups desiring advice about charter schools. A periodic Charter School News is published. The most recent publication is: The Promise of Charter Schools in New Hampshire: What We Know and What We Need to Do. Additional information on charter schools in New Hampshire can be found at http://www.nhschoolreform.org.

Financial
The Center is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization supported entirely by private donations. Donations are welcome and tax deductible.

For information about making a contribution, call (603) 224-4450 or e-mail to jbartlett@jbartlett.org.

Co-Founders

Emily M. Mead,Etna

Edgar T. Mead, Etna

Board of Directors

Eugene M. Van Loan, III, Chairman Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, PLCC, Manchester

Rich Ashooh, BAE Systems, Nashua

Donald R. Dwight, Dwight Partners, Lyme

Frank W. Getman, Jr., Baycorp Holdings, Portsmouth

Anna Barbara Hantz, Attorney, Nashua

John Kayser, UNH Professor, Durham

Gordon MacDonald, Attorney, Nixon Peabody, Manchester

Paul J. McGoldrick, Northeast Planning Associates, Inc., Littleton

Emily M. Mead, Co-Founder, Etna

John W. Mitchell Aavid Thermalloy, Concord

Arthur W. Mudge, Legal Consultant, Hanover

Mike Murray, Financial Consultant, Portsmouth

Gov. Walter R. Peterson, Former Governor, Peterborough

Sara Shirley, Shirley Farm, Goffstown


Emeritus, Colin D. Campbell, Prof. Emeritus, Dartmouth College, Hanover

Emeritus, Gov. John H. Sununu, Former Governor, Hampton Falls

Founding Trustees

Stephen P. Farrar, Guardian Industries Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI

Joan P. Fowler, Hanover

Janice B. Kitchen, Small Business Development Center, Gilford

Johannes Kuttner, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Dennis E. Logue, Ph.D., Price College of Business, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

Mary H. Mead, Artist, Warner

Mark Lennon, New London

Charles M. Arlinghaus, President, Canterbury



© 2010 The Josiah Bartlett for Public Policy. The Center is committed to publishing a range of viewpoints and ideas.
The views expressed herein represent the author’s and not necessarily those of the staff or Board of Directors.