A new mindset for a new energy era
Five years ago, oil was trading at around $30 a barrel. It’s no wonder, then, that the leap to more than $147 a barrel in July set off a wave of anxiety and concern — particularly in New Hampshire, where…
Opinion
Card check measure is bad news for N.H.
This may be one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime — especially for small-business owners and their employees. As a local business owner of seven New Hampshire restaurants and proud New Hampshire voter, I want all to understand…
Education is key before voting
The great English poet William Butler Yeats once said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, it is the lighting of a fire.” Indeed, having the desire to search for answers is essential in today’s society, especially in terms…
We can’t afford more bailouts
Many people I talk to are stunned by the impact of the recent financial crisis. However, what grabbed the attention of most has been the escalating growth in the bailouts from the federal government over the past few months. We’ve…
Who's best for small business?: Barack Obama
Small businesses are the very foundation of our economy. They are the trainer, as the first employers of more than two-thirds of our workforce. They invest in the community rather than move offshore. They are the very source of innovation…
Who's best for small business?: John McCain
Readers of New Hampshire Business Review know better than most the importance of small business to New Hampshire. Over 95 percent of Granite State workers are employed by one of the state’s approximately 40,000 small firms. In these challenging economic…
Portside: Out of touch with N.H. conservatives?
While waiting in line to buy some beer, the guy in front of me noticed my Obama button. He volunteered: “I’m changing my registration. I’ve always been a Republican. I haven’t changed my values one bit. I didn’t leave my…
N.H. can lead in boosting solar energy
While New Hampshire may be better known for its first-in-the-nation presidential primary, the presence of the solar energy industry here is hard to deny. There are more than 30 solar manufacturers, installers and dealers based in the Granite State, and…
There’s no windfall to save us this time
New Hampshire’s current budget “crisis” is widely attributed to excessive spending. Unfortunately, the simplicity of the argument obscures the uncomfortable fact of a failed and outdated revenue structure. Nowhere are the consequences of this failure more evident than the likely…
Lower drinking age? It’s a complex issue
The Amethyst Initiative, a collaborative effort of more than 120 U.S. college presidents to open debate on the minimum legal drinking age of 21, raises concerns that are shared by many Americans: • How can adults supervise and help shape…
The difference between chambers
Editor’s Note: The following is an e-mail sent by Robin Comstock, president of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, to chamber members over a TV ad sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in the John Sununu-Jeanne Shaheen U.S. Senate…
Why N.H. needs its own WARN Act
Sept. 1 marked the second incremental increase in our state’s minimum wage, boosting the hourly rate from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour - the state’s first minimum wage adjustments in 10 years. In a July 2007 discussion paper, the Federal…
Earmarks critical to scientific progress
The University of New Hampshire recently opened a new atmospheric observatory to systematically monitor the chemical makeup of the air — and the pollutants — over our heads. This includes the first systematic recording of atmospheric mercury and some 200…
Remember who opposes the Free Choice Act
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, so when I saw the television ads run on WMUR by the Employee Freedom Action Committee, I started to wonder. Who are these crusaders for justice, so concerned about our rights as…
Burton is mum on landfill questions
To the editor: I recently sent an e-mail to Executive Councilor Ray Burton asking him to clarify his views and positions relative to the Casella landfill in Bethlehem. I did not expect him to have the same opinions as I,…
Proper ‘unionizing’ is under threat
As the economy slows, employees and employers are feeling the pinch of stagnant wages and increasing costs. For employees, the cost of living continues to rise, while for employers the costs of business makes them less competitive/profitable in today’s marketplace. If…
The Pfundstein Report: The renewed relevancy of agricultural fairs
It’s fair time again in New Hampshire. Actually, late July kicked off the season with the North Haverhill, Stratham and Cheshire fairs. We backyard farmers take this time of the year seriously. It’s our chance to rub shovels with the…
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