[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6391850,"mediaKeyId","2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080","parentId",2110944,"title","Bartlett Center urges market options in K–12: proponents say choice improves outcomes, critics warn of oversight needs","audioSeconds",3231,"startMs",18544000,"endMs",21775000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080&start=18544&end=21775","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080/thumbnail_18544000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6391850/New-Hampshire/Bartlett-Center-urges-market-options-in-K12-proponents-say-choice-improves-outcomes-critics-warn-of-oversight-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391850-26cbde9a475fb866a6e6843cc5dbe5dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448097&Signature=oq52TXPPINBrDYUE6F6NtHqTX0Z1jiPXb6IaA62V2rNrC9SJMPxwOaaKECQNNn-ZHdUJC3H9Sk36uID0o-DBZmM0rFOyQ7m-smF7UJrJxfOR3xb~PxVLXOlpCuc6x-N26dcSKOI~FOr8~iXh4YGOlwhRhSsY0iwivf4Z~dmGQ9RoHWJyNgSutGOYNtamXB-9h5NILju31gUf16gc5AT3Cwo3D2FaVP0GgwmxPqMS18qlEISHndvGB7~Cqg4d9a5nCB1xGjuKU9vYsQ1eCkD2xJ49-WjbfdpxZkp1E5qutqgvxuf8X5QCvqkoccBfDRj~ShjQ-YFt8OMcvHe9qUo0VQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","NH House of Representatives Committee","date","2025-01-14T00:00:00Z","article","Andrew Klein, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, presented the committee the center’s view that K–12 education should operate more like a marketplace where parents can choose providers and thereby drive improvements across districts.

Klein described studies cited by the center and other researchers showing that when parents can move public dollars to other public or private options, district schools respond; he cited research (and a recent Progressive Policy Institute study) that found school districts with substantial charter or choice penetration sometimes see improved outcomes for students who remain in the public system. Klein argued the state’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) structure — which vets purchases closely — and proposals for wider open enrollment or ESAs would give parents choices and create accountability.

Committee members asked about transparency and oversight. Klein said New Hampshire’s current EFA program requires item‑level vetting of purchases and that the state’s implementation includes stronger oversight than many other states’ programs. Critics on the panel asked whether local school boards’ authority and community governance would be weakened and how public spending rules would adapt. Klein and other presenters said many designs allow district public‑school enrollment options and preserve local governance for taxpayers while giving families choices.

Ending: the Bartlett Center urged Ways and Means to consider market‑based options as part of a suite of reforms to improve educational outcomes and help workforce recruitment by making communities more attractive to families; he offered to provide comparative policy studies and program models for committee review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Ways and Means (01/14/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Andrew Klein of the Josiah Bartlett Center argued Ways and Means should advance policies that create greater parental choice in K–12 education — including education savings and open enrollment — saying research usually shows public school outcomes improve when choice increases. Committee members raised accountability and fiscal questions.","taxTitle","Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",17769,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6391855,"Fiscal Policy Institute: business tax receipts and one‑time interest gains drove recent surpluses; revenues softened in 2024",1253,16467000,17720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080&start=16467&end=17720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080/thumbnail_16467000.jpg","/articles/6391855/New-Hampshire/Fiscal-Policy-Institute-business-tax-receipts-and-onetime-interest-gains-drove-recent-surpluses-revenues-softened-in-2024","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391855-37d8ccaee97de1c4f02b337ff913eb2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448097&Signature=hikda3LakahKyBaAoWIbfpjHLO9r5WL3dOLUD3SldXcedX2ZB4JbMx6j3mTUWCXU0cJYFoxZgejnl0VDT1We4kaamg56r16JBlvNCBo70TGI4~PpRJvl8CDPUyQu~22XoQtGOL3QW8BUXfXz6CjDbc4FwsHV4EOMmwsLq12773DC82zk2skiArnwYEZnMC1iWWwaLtjXtQrKBBp~Rhv4QdtYeovtP54gCCTsC76zFwlUM-2p3qenQr7qRAYXuUXihBOX5ugBDm2kUsGuhoOs6bM1IuEHegVK8KYuEvLwQZkbML8TTHTKvuJVMjURYLwfUfT7bPyHiKhHbH5JKH18tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Phil Sletten of the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute presented the committee with a review of general and education trust fund revenues and recent surpluses.

Sletten summarized a long‑run pattern: business‑tax receipts (business profits and business enterprise taxes) grew substantially after 2015 and especially during 2021–2022. That concentrated growth — partly a national phenomenon following strong corporate profits and in part an effect of federal tax changes that altered corporate behavior — drove a large fiscal 2023 surplus. NHFPI said the fiscal 2023 surplus stemmed primarily from combined business taxes, meals & rentals, real‑estate transfer revenues and lottery receipts.

For fiscal 2024, Sletten said the available (unaudited) numbers show a much smaller surplus (about $126 million through December) and that two categories — state interest on cash holdings and the state interest & dividends tax — accounted for a large share of the surplus (roughly half combined). He called both of those sources temporary and sensitive to interest‑rate cycles. Using the December snapshot, combined business tax receipts were roughly $80–$85 million below prior‑year levels and below plan as of December.

Why it matters: Sletten emphasized volatility in corporate tax receipts — a small number of filers account for a large share of business‑tax revenue (about 120 filers produced 40% of the BPT in recent years) — and noted the state’s recent revenue gains were uneven and may not persist.

What presenters flagged for Ways and Means: verify large corporate filers’ behavior, re‑examine one‑time and temporary revenue assumptions (interest receipts, one‑time transfer taxes), and consider the implications of tax‑base and rate changes (for example, changes to tax credits and sourcing rules) that can produce unanticipated refunds or revenue swings. Sletten recommended caution in relying on temporary revenues when planning ongoing spending increases.

Ending: the Fiscal Policy Institute offered slide materials and told the committee it would provide follow‑up analysis on December revenues and the state revenue plan.","NHFPI told Ways and Means the 2023 surplus was concentrated in business tax receipts, transfer taxes and elevated interest/dividend receipts; fiscal 2024 shows softer combined business tax collections and slower growth, leaving a smaller surplus largely tied to temporary interest and dividends receipts.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6391860,"Business groups tell Ways and Means childcare shortages and demographics limit labor supply",12064,2666000,14730000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080&start=2666&end=14730","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080/thumbnail_2666000.jpg","/articles/6391860/New-Hampshire/Business-groups-tell-Ways-and-Means-childcare-shortages-and-demographics-limit-labor-supply","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391860-fd5709927f37928f41696a718d3be912/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448097&Signature=oONa1FZQk24Y0RA20rZT0UwOKFkCvaIZTZzsuC-ovyfPMO6ihQnWbT7usElhyOgpbu4oMl837dlKBMIwERD74xEjuE-dyAA2sKZw2OxNUxBCkgUT7Aw9wLm-mQKGdWKF4y9xoDXV1V7NmkqIk~2Gjhc-ftSw43F9U--P2R0gPbhtAuElr9ZcI4KsFnTYSauALgD2jW8ADZ1zFuR72fQTO5GC59uVK-atc8UfPZosp1nKOaOaaJFxnE1eMREFnzUDrKbwiRXKj~fnfxpFZ9tlzpUQNqh~h1nqZkGUBp17PzUbis7EOLKebkgf8nslhIBdzCmpsZD4UbrTOGu2uSxGUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Ways and Means briefing, speakers tied the state’s labor‑force constraints directly to childcare availability and demographic trends.

Natesh Graves of the New Hampshire Business & Industry Association told members the BIA’s employer survey shows workforce availability and housing are the top constraints; he said 68% of employers listed childcare among their key priorities. Graves said employers were seeing prospective hires leave waiting lists for childcare and that some families stay out of the labor force because no local options exist.

Jess Williams of the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute told the committee MIT and other living‑cost estimates put a two‑adult, one‑child working household’s living‑wage near $98,000 in 2024. She said childcare and housing together consume roughly one‑third of household budgets. NHFPI staff also cited U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development definitions: more than 30% of income spent on shelter is a cost burden; more than half of renters in New Hampshire met that threshold in 2023.

Other details: presenters said the number of licensed child‑care providers has declined in some communities since 2019, producing wait lists and longer distances to available slots. A change in state rules allowing certain home‑based providers to serve one additional child (shifted from municipal to DHHS authority) has helped some capacity, but speakers said it is insufficient to meet demand.

Why it matters: Employers told the BIA they sometimes increase wages to recruit employees, but Graves warned that in a tight labor market wage increases alone might not expand the available pool of labor if structural constraints — housing and childcare — prevent people from taking jobs. Phil Sletten of NHFPI emphasized that older demographic cohorts mean the state will rely heavily on migration and retention of prime‑age workers to meet employer needs.

Ending: presenters encouraged the committee to consider policy levers that address childcare supply (provider grants, scholarship and subsidy program design) and to coordinate housing and workforce strategies so that state investments help employers and families alike.","The NH Business & Industry Association and Fiscal Policy Institute said childcare availability, an aging population and slower migration are reducing labor‑force participation; employers report closures and long waiting lists for childcare whose costs further stress household budgets.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6391863,"Speakers at Ways and Means say New Hampshire housing supply shortfall is driving price surge and workforce problems",5924,2614000,8538000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080&start=2614&end=8538","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080/thumbnail_2614000.jpg","/articles/6391863/New-Hampshire/Speakers-at-Ways-and-Means-say-New-Hampshire-housing-supply-shortfall-is-driving-price-surge-and-workforce-problems","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391863-af0579484f53fe36cbb3b952c81f28b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448097&Signature=Vz0cbEJKd-Hz0xxBydxClwd94UYttItyy46PgARcTNCOoGXDOpP0hyCkYMw9TZzvZJw-Bm1n3VY25LJHBqIhdNsVko84UObMZZgBO766W1w2Z5XtWZPXT4k~ybyHu~ENfi~Fcfgf5oZvPsZdROhnjz16j69yVbeT0MVea0xQhpjIEEPxKCLuQ52Lxgu-XV04s5Wlr5cNsenPm~4aY02hner4du-TbdzFCDPIxO3UD21tJgOa86rXhmhGrAEsDpU~u6-pE8Nhn5e8VaREQaXgDnRrPwxndkBUTvCouZ-4hDB4bJ2JmSksvxJ8e9FRs9mC9ds1FaNRbJqn~KbqgClV-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple presenters at the Ways and Means briefing described New Hampshire’s housing market as the state’s top economic constraint: inventory is tight, prices have risen sharply, and the shortage is constraining employers’ ability to hire.

Natesh Graves, vice president of public policy at the New Hampshire Business & Industry Association, said employers consistently list housing availability as their top concern. He told the committee that 86% of BIA survey respondents identified housing as a top priority for the state’s competitiveness and that constrained housing and rising costs are reducing labor‑force participation.

Bob Quinn, CEO of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, provided sales and inventory data: the statewide median single‑family sale price ended 2024 at about $514,000 and topped $540,000 in mid‑2024. He said New Hampshire’s monthly inventory in December 2024 was about 1.9 months (a balanced market is about six months) and that the state’s affordability index had fallen to about 58, meaning median household income covers only 58% of what would be needed to purchase the median home.

Phil Sletten of the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute and Andrew Klein of the Josiah Bartlett Center both emphasized that supply, not demand alone, is the core problem. Sletten cited a long‑run decline in housing completions and strong price growth in rural counties (many rural counties saw price increases above 90% between 2018 and 2024). Klein showed building‑permit trends going back decades and argued that local land‑use and zoning restrictions are major contributors to the low rate of new construction.

Details and impacts: presenters described several specific measures and data points committee members can use:
- Median single‑family price: about $514,000 statewide for 2024; earlier summer 2024 median near $540,000 (NH Realtors).
- Inventory: roughly 1.9 months of supply in December 2024 (balanced market ~6 months) (NH Realtors).
- Affordability index: about 58 (median household income covers 58% of median home purchase) (NH Realtors).
- Building permits: multifamily and single‑family permit counts remain well below historic levels; commentators pointed out some towns are permitting far fewer units than in prior decades.
- Projected shortage: presenters cited a working estimate that New Hampshire faces roughly a 20,000‑unit shortage today and could face a shortfall on the order of 90,000 units by 2040 under current trends (presenters' consolidated estimate).

Policy tradeoffs and proposals discussed: speakers urged a range of state actions to expand supply and reduce the regulatory burden on builders, including targeted state support for infrastructure (water/sewer), updating local septic/lot rules to reflect modern technologies, grant programs to catalyze infill and small‑scale multifamily projects, and use of state housing funds (InvestNH/Housing Champions) to help fill financing gaps. Presenters also recommended state assistance for municipalities that update zoning and planning to encourage infill and diverse housing types (ADUs, cottage courts, smaller multifamily). The Realtors noted that changes to parking and local process costs are sometimes a significant barrier and suggested state grant support for municipal rezoning and permitting modernization.

Ending: committee members and presenters agreed the housing shortage is a high‑priority, multi‑year problem that intersects with workforce, childcare and municipal finance; presenters provided slide decks and indicated they would supply data sources and policy templates to Ways and Means staff.
","Multiple presenters — New Hampshire Business & Industry Association, the Association of Realtors, Fiscal Policy Institute and the Josiah Bartlett Center — told the committee a chronic shortage of new housing and low inventory have pushed prices to record highs and worsened workforce recruitment and affordability for renters and buyers.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6391869,"Federal Home Loan Bank economist: inflation near target but services and housing keep pressure on prices",1650,575000,2225000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080&start=575&end=2225","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2110944-ff1b9156ca93e44d06b5839a931e1080/thumbnail_575000.jpg","/articles/6391869/New-Hampshire/Federal-Home-Loan-Bank-economist-inflation-near-target-but-services-and-housing-keep-pressure-on-prices","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391869-013ee49bbd8f579ce4d783885bacccb1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448097&Signature=N5VdtH-otm61vAP~A4ei-v68auEW1AWLqOFghrHj1mlcL14wEVxi3euqvvwrXxfDunmks6so2lOYIf8QyWYsl4VWMOHpU8frrsLtXiuRcUcZ05cPHrL0ovlVrJ0wa3Ciit9gW32xke5AgjKqe8PMnFVfgdc-XHk4JyUVbcMgSDQGqElr~6fwJtYqpkIN-jE09ASqmKFzAkogAlyMPPYQhJA~Ql~hahi6WnwJ0rYQHIbGS6oUep70eaKOeG0hUnfVYaJiCZta8nbt7Onb-U-lRjhnAX6CsV0n5jBVgJTE6PNezczyDfnKvEoeTU~CWB7lK9PzmKgRMA8XVDvt-Xy0dw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jason Wong, senior vice president of strategic planning and research at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, told the Ways and Means briefing that U.S. inflation has moved from the highs of 2022 to “between 2% and 3%,” close to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. He said the decline is largely the result of easing price pressure for goods after pandemic-era supply-chain disruptions, while inflation in services — especially rent and other housing costs — remains elevated.

Wong said the Fed focuses on the PCE (personal consumption expenditures) index; “the most recent reading of that was 2.4%,” he said. He noted core PCE, which strips volatile food and energy, is slightly higher and that “the core index is still coming in a little bit closer to 3 than it is to 2.”

Why it matters: Wong framed the issue as a two-part story. Price pressure on goods has largely passed as supply‑chain stress eased (he cited the New York Fed’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index). By contrast, services account for about two‑thirds of household spending and show persistent inflation driven in large part by housing and by wage costs embedded in service industries.

Wong described durable‑goods prices — used and new cars, appliances — as now easing or falling year‑over‑year, reversing the pandemic spike. “Used car prices have been declining over the past year,” he said, while rent and ‘shelter’ measures remain the largest contributor to persistent inflation. He pointed to market‑based rent trackers such as Zillow that show rents peaking in early 2022 and declining toward a plateau near 4% year‑over‑year in late 2024; CPI shelter measures, however, lag those market indicators.

On labor markets he said levels look strong — New Hampshire and Vermont had very low unemployment in recent data — but trends are important. He highlighted job‑postings indexes that fell from 2022 peaks and noted declines in the quit rate as a concern, because fewer voluntary separations can signal a cooling labor market and fewer opportunities for wage‑led reallocation.

Wong’s assessment of the outlook: he described the consensus view among forecasters as a possible “soft landing” — inflation easing to around the Fed’s target while unemployment remains modest — but he emphasized uncertainty. He listed risks that could push inflation or hurt activity, including energy‑price moves, tariffs or trade shocks, and unexpectedly persistent service‑sector wage growth.

What he did not say: Wong did not advocate for specific state fiscal measures. His presentation focused on national and regional data and on the likely drivers the Federal Reserve will weigh when setting monetary policy.

Ending: Wong told committee members he would provide slide materials and said his overall takeaway was that the U.S. has made substantial progress on inflation but remains “in the last mile,” with housing and services the primary challenge going forward.","Jason Wong of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston told the Ways and Means briefing the U.S. has largely beaten goods inflation and now faces persistent service-sector inflation — notably shelter — that keeps core measures above the Fed’s 2% goal. He said labor-market trends and housing are the key risks to a soft landing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bartlett Center urges market options in K–12: proponents say choice improves outcomes, critics warn of oversight needs

Fiscal Policy Institute: business tax receipts and one‑time interest gains drove recent surpluses; revenues softened in 2024

Business groups tell Ways and Means childcare shortages and demographics limit labor supply

Speakers at Ways and Means say New Hampshire housing supply shortfall is driving price surge and workforce problems

Federal Home Loan Bank economist: inflation near target but services and housing keep pressure on prices