Policy Blog NH

An Aging Population Will Affect New Hampshire's Health

Several blogs are pointing to this graph which shows US population by age group from 1950 to 2050.  The Center has developed a similar graph for New Hampshire.

Recession and the State Pension System

Given current economic conditions, state and local appropriations may have to increase by as much as $80 million per year in the next biennium to prop up the state retirement system.  While analysts can argue about the relative magnitude of the issue, the fact that the New Hampshire Pension Plan will again be a topic of considerable debate in the next legislative session is hard to dispute.  How will the legislature respond?

Economic Recession -> Lower CO2 emissions -> Lower RGGI funds.

New Hampshire will have fewer resources to reduce greenhouse gases.

The state had expected about $18 million per year would replenish the fund, coming from the quarterly auctions on emissions credits, the cost of which will ultimately be borne by electric ratepayers throughout the Northeast.  At current auction prices the state is likely to take in only $4 million per quarter, or about $16 million for this year.  The recession is lowering the demand for electric power, and as a result the demand for carbon emissions credits.

The Common Burden of Public Appropriations and State Aid to Local Governments

New Hampshire state aid to local governments was a much debated topic in the recently completed State budget negotiations.  The Governor proposed cutting state revenue sharing in February, but increasing state aid to schools, as part of the adequate education funding.  School building aid was cut out of the House budget altogether, but then restored by the Senate and the Committee of Conference.  What do these changes mean for the balance of appropriations between the state and local governments? 

 

Positive out of a Negative: Business Vacancies in New Hampshire and Economic Recovery

Researchers and policy-makers must rely on a number of proxy sources to better understand the status of local and regional economies.  Monitoring vacant and abandoned properties is also one way of assessing how recovery might or might not occur in the next one to two years.  A high vacancy rate could be a positive sign for recovery, to the extent that a high vacancy rate means lower rental or lease prices.  Is that the case in New Hampshire? 

A Budget Under Siege? State Revenues Falter in July 2009

July 2009 is the first month of New Hampshire’s fiscal year 2010 (FY2010).  Although it may be too early to tell how state revenues will accumulate in the next eleven months, the early returns are not encouraging.  Unrestricted revenue for the General and Education Funds received during July totaled $93.6 million, which was below prior year by $4.7 million.  That is 5% less than for July 2008.  Two revenue sources – real estate transfer tax receipts, and the meals and rooms tax – should be in their high collection months right now, and these are performing below expectations.