NH Resources

The Wall Street Journal has had some good recent articles about low commodity prices, particularly in the agricultural sector. It's a reality and from a strategy perspective should be most interesting to see where this goes. Some basic economics would say that as supply leaves the market the prices should be coming up. But for whatever reason(s) this doesn't appear the be the case. And not strangely surprising the politicians aren't saying too much. Remember the Farm Bill? Low Commodity Prices Cause Many Things.

  If former senator Molly Kelly were a stronger gubernatorial candidate Gov. Chris Sununu might be in trouble, but she isn't.   Starting with his seriously flawed proposal to bring amazon to New Hampshire the performance of this governor has been essentially nothing.   All of his legislative initiatives from school vouchers to right to work crashed right along with parts of the state budget and contract negotiations with the state employees union. The first term governor shuffled the Department of Resources and Economic Development or infamous DRED to Business and Economic Affairs which is supposed to be advancing the state economy and creating jobs. But instead it picks winners and losers with the winners being mostly from Concord.   In the Granite State the next election is never more than two years away. This encourages performance by elected officials but it really doesn't work like this. Statewide political campaigns simply cost too much.   Almost r...

  Kirby, Vermont resident Melanie Finn wants to restrict free speech and letter writers to the Caledonian Record.   "Limit length of letters. This paper needs more diverse, fresh voices on the letters page. Many other newspapers have such policies." Finn said. One would not need to look further than New Hampshire to see just how dangerously bad this would be.   All New Hampshire newspapers restrict length in one form or another. This isn't ideal but it's fair considering the rising costs of newsprint and the market competition newspapers face. These are also opinion letters not graduate level dissertations and some letter writers don't understand this. But the rest of the letter writing policies that exist in the Granite State are clear restrictions of free speech and constitutional rights.   This starts with one letter per month, geographical requirements for submission and with content has to be in alignment with the political philosophy of the editor. The...

The Business Finance Authority made the right decisions in the now withdrawn Balsams Bailout.     New Hampshire does alot for a small state to advance economic development and create good jobs. This is significant because the Granite State can't dole out generous tax, land, energy and workforce incentives the way states like Tennessee, South Carolina and Connecticut can. Yet New Hampshire still manages to attract some quality business endeavors.     The Balsam's Bailout proposal wasn't a quality business endeavor. It was an example of speculation, risk and more to this point- gambling. And had these real estate dice rolls come up short the real loser would have been NH taxpayers.     But post Balsams Bailout I'm not understanding the behavior of local elected officials like Executive Councilor Joe Kenney and Berlin Mayor Paul Grenier. Their attitude seems to be one of complaining if not whining why this risky real estate deal didn't move forward. ...

 Apathy kills things faster than the politicians in Concord.   And a killing time is coming. The fate of the New Hampshire biomass industry will be decided on September 13th which is veto override day at the Statehouse.   Some things will happen before then. New Hampshire has two advocacy groups dedicated to forestry and biomass energy production. The New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association and the NH Wood Harvesting Council both have a long-term lobbying presence in Concord. But neither are doing enough statewide outreach especially as $100 million dollars, good jobs and an entire way of life that sits in the crosshairs. Apathy Kills Things. Quickly.   If the legislature does not override the veto of Gov. Chris Sununu of Senate Bill 365 means the closure of six biomass energy plants, mass layoffs and some towns will lose as much as 27% of their total property taxbase. Bethlehem and Tamworth as examples.   The economic consequences for New Hampsh...

 In July the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau appointed a new minister of border security and organized crime reduction.       Changes are coming to the Canadian border.     "Managed in a way that promotes legitimate travel and trade while keeping Canadians safe and treating everyone fairly and in accordance with our laws." said Bill Blair the new minister.       While treating everyone fairly the question becomes what this could actually mean in places like Derby Line, Norton and West Stewartstown, New Hampshire? The border with Canada is either open or it's closed.     It goes both ways.  🛃🛃🛃

The candidates for the next election in New Hampshire have all filed.   As in all state elections there is alot of political speculation as to what could happen. I've heard for some time that the democratic party is poised to make big election wins because of President Donald Trump, and that the NH Republican Party is not only disorganized but is experiencing real issues in fundraising for it's slate of candidates.   The history of elections in the granite state is interesting. Many decisive political races have been fought and won not by political parties themselves, but by the role of undecided independents that swing a race either to the left or to the right.   I think this will happen in this next election and there will even be a few surprises.   The GOP will likely construct a breakwater against this reported blue wave that is coming and attempt to hold on to their held territory, which includes the governor's office. There will be alot of campaign ads and ...

  About 1773 the king of England, George III had a problem. English colonies were not paying taxes into the state treasury as they should.     New Hampshire was one such colony.   "Once vigorous measures appear to be the only means left of bringing Americans to a due submission to the mother country the colonies will submit." the powerful monarch said. He then sent divisions of British redcoats in heavily armed frigates across the atlantic quickly igniting a bloodshed fueled insurrection and a revolution which would ultimately forge a small forested New England state and later a country.       England lost this war but they might be returning.     The North Country of New Hampshire which is over a 1/3 of the state's landmass is on the verge of losing it's last working forests industry which has existed since before the American Revolution. Concord is now similar to London as centre of taxation, revenue, sovereignty and the issuance of ed...

Governor Chris Sununu recently made a political campaign swing up north to Conway.   Of course he was asked about the wood biomass industry and his veto of legislation that now decimates this North Country industry and lots of good jobs.   "To ask the governor to impose a quarter billion in tax, plus an additional subsidy, I'm not going to do that." Sununu said. Similar to his previous statements about subsidies the governor doesn't define these numbers like how the quarter billion is calculated.       "It's unfortunate about the jobs." the governor also said. It is unfortunate about the jobs and the loss of local tax base. It's unfortunate that New Hampshire can't have policymakers in Concord that can support well established state history with a realistic or even explained financial model or at least come up with a compromise. None of this was done.   Gov. Sununu is campaigning for a second term. I don't see anything stopping ...

 The Flying Yankee train is nostalgic nuisance that needs to be cut up and scrapped.     Retired Green Mountain railroad executive Frederick Bailey made a recent unsupported argument that this train should be moved up to the Bartlett rail yard where after languishing in Lincoln for years something meaningful will actually happen to this historic state owned train. It won't.     The Flying Yankee train set has been a state liability since it was donated by  Bob Morrill, it was also a political deal cut by former Executive Councilor Ray Burton. The now mostly abandoned train sits needing over $275,000.00 in direct rehabilitation plus another $200,000 a year in operating costs and an expensive liability policy as it's lightweight construction and articulated wheel sets are prone to derailments. None of this changes if the train were to be moved up to Bartlett. The Flying Yankee In A Different Time.    Last fall I appealed to Governor Chris...

 Governor Chris Sununu vetoed Senate Bill 365 the wood biomass mill. Now a portion of the local North Country economy is almost on the skids.   "Senate Bill 365 creates another immense subsidy for New Hampshire's six biomass plants. It will harm our most vulnerable ratepayers and job creators to benefit a select few." Sununu said.   The statistically popular governor didn't say how these immense subsidies are created, if they even exist at all. The governor also didn't define what harm there would be to ratepayers and who these select few are. Gov. Sununu Has Delivered A Decisive Blow To Northern New Hampshire.   If there were any illusions that Gov. Sununu supports the North Country and it's economy his veto of Senate Bill 365 answers some questions of their very own.

Governor Chris Sununu recently made a political campaign like swing up north to Conway.     Of course he was asked about the wood biomass industry and his veto of legislation that now decimates this North Country industry and lots of good jobs.    "To ask the governor to impose a quarter billion in tax, plus an additional subsidy, I'm not going to do that." Sununu said. Similar to his previous statements about subsidies the governor doesn't define these numbers like how the quarter billion is calculated.    "It's unfortunate about the jobs." the governor also said. It is unfortunate about the jobs and the loss of local tax base. It's unfortunate that New Hampshire can't have policymakers in Concord that can support well established state history with a realistic or even explained financial model or at least come up with a compromise. None of this was done.   There Isn't Much Opposition To Gov. Sununu  Gov. Sununu is campaignin...

To The Editor:   New Hampshire is unique in that it has no Lt. Governor, instead it has a five member Executive Council. Much of what the governor does is with the advise and consent of the Executive Council. It is said that when the King of England was establishing the New Hampshire colony sometime near 1741 the Executive Council was created to weaken the powers of the appointed governor so as to control the collection of shilling and the taking of high-quality timber for the British navy. The governor is now elected but some things haven't changed.   Governor Chris Sununu recently vetoed Senate Bill 365, the wood biomass bill that will cause resulting job loss and economic conditions all across the North Country. The governor cited: "immense subsidies" for his veto but offered no insight as to what this means. It would be interesting to learn if these immense subsidies, if they even exist, are connected to investment banks and hedge funds that are based in En...

It happens every two years, another election approaches in New Hampshire. Elections to me are a sense of renewal, a sense of ideas and a sense that a candidate might emerge that makes something really big happen. Sometimes big things in politics can be dangerous but New Hampshire still needs some things to happen. Elections Are A Sense Of Renewal .   I'd put the state tourism economy on the very top of this list. The granite state has a long, established and historic tourism economy which could be a lot more powerful than it is.    There are many examples of what could be done but as one example imagine what would happen if Amtrak were to run a dedicated ski train from New York City up the Connecticut River Valley to St. Johnsbury, Vermont then across northern New Hampshire to Bretton Woods and a short time later North Conway. I'll tell you what would happen, more state tourism builds a better local economy. Of course running Amtrak trains to the Mount Washin...

 The Business Finance Authority is considering a $28 million dollar state backed loan guarantee for the Balsams resort up in Dixville Notch. I hope that it is rejected.   I've been following the BFA state loan guarantee program since 1994. It's a good program that in most cases the loan size is less than $11 million dollars which is secured with live collateral such as real estate, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable and signed contracts.   No Balsam's Bailout.   This Balsam's Bailout has none of this. Instead, it's a much greater, lofty idea based on reaching speculation and possibly gambling. Speculation that if it fails, causes substantial long-term liability and damage to the state treasury. This unprecedented state financed bailout also involves the use of the EB-5 program which is the exchange of visas for hard currency from places like China, Thailand and Malaysia. Our neighbors in Vermont recently had an experience with this same EB-5 program...

 Vermont could have one of the best passenger rail systems in the country.     It isn't to be and the reason is politics and chaos on both sides of the river.      During the last 30 years I've watched Vermont taxpayers throw millions of dollars in financial subsidy at Amtrak in exchange for empty seats and an unclear direction for the future. Nothing has ever changed.     The Amtrak Vermonter train which truncates at St. Albans is politically supported by Senator Patrick Leahy and more recently, New Hampshire's Senator Maggie Hassan.There is an expensive proposal to bring this train back to it's original namesake, Montreal. Nothing is ever said about ridership numbers for this idea. "They are so critical for our state's and businesses." Sen. Hassan said in support of Amtrak. She hasn't said which New Hampshire businesses and how Amtrak running up and down the Connecticut River Valley could be considered "critical." Amtrak In Northeast Ne...

The Trump inspired tariffs on Canada mean less freedom and first amendment rights.   One of the major tariff items imported from Canada that is causing this is newsprint. Some of the smaller newspapers in New Hampshire are reporting as much as a 35% increase in the price of newsprint.   The impact of this is very clear: less newspapers, less words and less free speech.     In New Hampshire neither Governor Chris Sununu or one member of the congressional delegation has said anything about these tariffs and this is despite the granite state having over $500 million dollars a year in cross-border trade with Canada alot of which originates in the North Country.   These tariffs against Canada are very real. Sanctions against free speech are very real. Less newspapers are less free speech which will only embolden more sanctions to happen and they will.  

The Trump inspired tariffs on Canada mean less freedom and first amendment rights.     One of the major tariff items imported from Canada that is causing this is newsprint. Some of the smaller newspapers in New Hampshire are reporting as much as a 35% increase in the price of newsprint. Newsprint Is Free Speech.   The impact of this is very clear: less newspapers, less words and less free speech.   In New Hampshire neither Governor Chris Sununu or one member of the congressional delegation has said anything about these tariffs and this is despite the granite state having over $500 million dollars a year in cross-border trade with Canada alot of which originates in the North Country.   These tariffs against Canada are very real. Sanctions against free speech are very real. Less newspapers are less free speech which will only embolden more sanctions to happen and they will.  

    As a major direction for his campaign for state senate, Franconia resident David Starr is supporting right to work. Right to work isn't even an issue in the northern part of New Hampshire.   Ever since the era of Governor Meldrim Thompson the New Hampshire Republican Party has had this strange obsession with repealing the right to work which is required union membership for all state employees.   This union called the State Employees Association or SEA has done tremendous things for New Hampshire. For example, how many state programs have continued to run despite reduced funding and resources from the financial politicos in Concord?  If it wasn't for the SEA and the sheer dedication and volunteer hours of it's members about 20% of the state parks system would have to be either reduced or shut down. There are many state parks throughout the North Country, some of them are heavily used.   The SEA does charge union fees for membership and they are reaso...

 The Balsam's in Dixville Notch is surrounded by bad history.   Opened in 1865 the hotel thrived at a time when for 90% of the population reality was pretty grim. Each day thousands of low paid workers from across New England would wearily trudge into mills in Lowell, Lawrence, Manchester, Sanford and closer areas like Groveton, Berlin and some sources say even Littleton. Cloistered Opulence At Risk To The NH Taxpayer.   The history books actually enhance this era of grand hotels or gilded era. Scenes of cloistered opulence with crystal glasses and fine china appear while the grim reality in the lower castes of society were simply ignored. $28 Million Proposed Bailout For This Property.   Today the Balsam's looks like a "broken dollhouse." It's worse than this. It's developer like Les Otten is attempting to sell the idea of a $28 million dollar state backed loan guarantee and more recently, a "credit enhancement" to push this risky pr...