While it would be easy to think payday lending is some new phenomenon, nothing could be further from the truth. Payday lending is the modern form of usury. Usury and its regulation have been the subject of civil and religious…

Editor’s note: In his 25 years as the state’s agriculture commissioner, Steve Taylor — who retired from the post last month - wrote a column for each issue of the department’s Weekly Market Bulletin. In it, he would discuss with…

The future of the New Hampshire economy and the health and viability of our businesses depend upon having an advanced telecommunications infrastructure similar to that which has been installed in much of the country, and in every advanced nation in…

As is the custom in New Hampshire this time of year, I recently asked a woman in a coffee shop who she was supporting for president. Her answer: “The last candidate I heard speak.” The point is we have a…

What makes a neighborhood, a community, a city and a state vibrant, alive and a great place to live? What gives a place that special flavor, what makes it unique and a good place to work and raise a family?…

Virtually every day we hear about a major corporation announcing plans to reduce its carbon footprint. Businesses are going “green” for a very good reason. It is good for the environment and the bottom line. Regardless of the motive, a…

Legislation to regulate payday lending will be voted on early in January, when the House and Senate are back in session in Concord. For those unfamiliar with payday lenders, they are in the business of making small loans to people…

Editor’s note: The following are the remarks Andrew Leitz — managing director of Rye Capital, retired president of Hadco Corp. and current chair of the University System of New Hampshire board of trustees — gave after accepting the Business and…

Jim Roche, president of the Business and Industry Association, opined recently that the association “believes in the sanctity of contracts between private parties.” This was part the group’s reason for stating that the proposed tax-free merger of FairPoint and Verizon…

You’re standing in the checkout line at the supermarket. Ahead of you, a 4-year-old is whining to his mother in the hope of getting a candy bar. Clearly frazzled, the mom begins to berate him in a voice loud enough…

Conservative commentators are having a dust-up over whether former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is a conservative. The Wall Street Journal’s John Fund and Pat Toomey, president of the Club for Growth, say no. The Washington Times’ Tony Blankley says yes.…

Every summer, the Business and Industry Association engages in policy development roundtable discussions with business and opinion leaders in 14 locations throughout the state. And every summer, particularly in the Monadnock Region, Upper Valley and North Country, many roundtable participants…