Opinion

The SBA’s Recovery Act role

It’s been a little more than four months since President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In that time, the U.S. Small Business Administration has implemented new programs to get credit flowing again and has several more on…

It’s a matter of public health

Although fears of a swine flu pandemic have faded, this is no time to lose sight of how easily infectious diseases can pass back and forth among humans and food animals. The fact remains that our food production system needs…

Avoiding the inevitable

June may be flowers and sunshine outside, but inside the State House it’s ugly. It’s the perennial dance of obstinacy, righteousness, anger and frustration. Ratchet it up many notches and welcome to the 2010-11 budget process. When I was in…

Standing at the ready

With only weeks to go before the close of the state’s fiscal year, the New Hampshire Lottery finds itself behind in its revenue goals. Although we on the Lottery Commission are disappointed with the situation, no one is surprised. But…

Career schools: a job-skills option

Tough economic times are resulting in potential or real job losses for many workers. These individuals are hard-working people who have held relatively good-paying jobs and because of the business downturn find themselves without a job. In some cases, this…

N.H.’s changing business climate

New Hampshire has long been the envy of other Northeastern states for its business-friendly climate. This climate has translated into an economy that has often outperformed the rest of New England in terms of productivity, job growth and lower unemployment.…

Gas tax hike is a bad idea

As our economy struggles with the worst recession in recent memory, the New Hampshire House just passed a measure that would hit low- and middle-income Americans directly in the wallet. The mechanism is an effort to nearly double the state…

Hindsight isn’t always 20-20

“Panic! The Story of Modern Financial Insanity” is the latest book by investor-foible specialist Michael Lewis, who might as well be looking through a rearview mirror at a car crash he just avoided, with the hindsight of a driver slightly…