Josiah Bartlett Center - Join us on 12/4: Josiah Bartlett Annual Dinner

Dear Friends,

I’m taking a break from writing about the budget and hoping you’ll be able to help us do more to analyze the budget more often and entertain yourself at the same time. Most of you know that we exist on the kindness of others. Some – left-leaning mostly – think tanks are subsidized by government grants, colleges or ideological billionaires. We aren’t. We rely on hundreds of small contributions from people who want us to make a difference in New Hampshire. Next week, we’re holding our annual dinner – a fundraising event that does much to help supply the very small but efficient budget that allows us to do everything we do.
 
We’ll be honoring a great public servant, Ray Weiczorek with our Libertas Award. We’ll also have a chance to hear three distinguished former governors (Benson, Merrill, Sununu) talk together about not candidates or personalities but policy and the challenges our state faces. It should be fascinating.
 
Most of all, I hope you’ll consider coming because it will help the Josiah Bartlett Center survive and thrive. Links at the bottom of the invitation will bring you to our website where you can securely order your tickets for the dinner. There are good seats still available (no one has to sit in the kitchen) so I hope you can join us.

                                                                                                                     ~ Charlie

Josiah Bartlett Center - Fireside Chat with the Governors

Governors Benson, Merrill, and Sununu headline Josiah Bartlett Dinner

(CONCORD, NH)  The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy today announced the 2nd Josiah Bartlett Dinner will take place on Tuesday, December 4th at the Grappone Center in Concord. The dinner will feature a Fireside Chat with three former New Hampshire Governors and longtime supporters of the organization, Governors Craig Benson, Steve Merrill, and John H. Sununu.

"After a long campaign season, we hope people will enjoy hearing three wise friends of ours in a fun and freewheeling chat about the future of the state," said Center Chairman Rich Ashooh.

The evening will begin with a reception at 6pm, followed by dinner at 7pm. The Josiah Bartlett Center also announced that Executive Councilor and former Manchester Mayor Ray Weiczorek will receive the 2012 Libertas Award, which will be presented at the Josiah Bartlett Dinner.

"No one embodies the virtues of public service like Ray Wieczorek and it is an honor for us to be able to say thank you," Center President Charlie Arlinghaus added.

For tickets, sponsorships, or more information, contact Robin Anderson at robin@jbartlett.org.

Josiah Bartlett Center - State Debt and the Upcoming Elections

Weekly Update from the
Josiah Bartlett Center

Keeping you up to date on our latest research
on the issues impacting New Hampshire

Yes, New Hampshire Has a Debt Problem

Starting in 2008, the governor and Legislature adopted a series of unusual practices that obscured spending decisions. As a result, the two gubernatorial candidates this year fight over what the facts really are.

Republican Ovide Lamontagne claims that Democrat Maggie Hassan raised spending when she was Senate majority leader and left the state with an $800 million deficit. She claims she balanced the budget and spending went down. A careful look behind the curtain shows that significant spending increases without the money to pay for them caused a huge deficit that forced the most recent Legislature to pass a significant correction... Click here to keep reading.

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Crash Course at the Electoral College

Grant Bosse and Paul Westcott look behind the numbers in the last ten days of the 2012 Presidential Election, including which swing states are in play, how early voting could impact the race, whether the “Incumbent Rule” actually exists, and what happens in the case of an Electoral College tie... Click here to Listen

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JBC Report

NH's Growing Debt Problem

Charlie Arlinghaus talks to Jack Heath about New Hampshire’s increased reliance on debt to finance its budget, and why it’s important in next week’s election. Click here to listen.

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Taxpayer Investment in Cannon Mountain tops $9.2 Million

Lost roughly 250k in FY12

State-owned Cannon Mountain Ski Area will more than a quarter million in Fiscal Year 2012, after turning a profit for the first time in a decade in FY11. And that doesn’t include large capital construction subsidies provided by New Hampshire taxpayers. In all, New Hampshire taxpayers have put over $9.2 million into Cannon Mountain since the state began leasing out Mount Sunapee in 1999. Click here to keep reading.

Josiah Bartlett Center - 'Balanced' Budgets explained, Foreclosures, and the Electoral College

How a 'Balanced' State Budget
Created an $800 Million Deficit

Starting in 2008, the governor and Legislature adopted a series of unusual practices that obscured spending decisions. As a result, the two gubernatorial candidates this year fight over what the facts really are... Click here to keep reading.

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Crash Course at the Electoral College

Grant Bosse and Paul Westcott look behind the numbers in the last ten days of the 2012 Presidential Election, including which swing states are in play, how early voting could impact the race, whether the “Incumbent Rule” actually exists, and what happens in the case of an Electoral College tie... Click here to Listen

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Was the Budget Really Balanced?

Charlie Arlinghaus and Jack Heath discuss a key disagreement in the 2012 NH Governor’s Race, the 2009 budget that Maggie Hassan says was balanced, and Ovide Lamontagne says led to an $800 million deficit. Click here to listen.

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NH Foreclosures Tumble in September

Continues a Downward Trend since April

According to the foreclosure tracking firm Realtytrac, the number foreclosure filings in New Hampshire fell sharply to 423.  240 are headed for the auction block, while the balance were taken over by the lenders. With only 423 filings statewide, September saw the fewest monthly foreclosures in the 12 months, continuing the general downward trend that began in April. Click here to keep reading.