Sununu: 127 businesses in 100 days
At a press event yesterday, Governor Christopher Sununu announced he’d met with 1 2 7 businesses during his first 100 days in office. He said he had substantive discussions about what he called the state’s strong fundamentals, including quality of life, community involvement and low tax base. A major goal was to better understand the businesses’ needs, while communicating his plans to truly tap New Hampshire’s potential as an economic driver.
Said Sununu quote:
We have to be on the forefront of people’s minds. The best way to do that is to get out there and do it the New Hampshire way. You talk to people one-on-one…Making that direct connection can make all the difference in the world in terms of either retaining or bringing business to New Hampshire.
The governor said he’s met with business leaders from seven countries and twenty three states and that the discussions focused on removing regulations and strengthening education, among other things.
Sanborn: Keep it not-regulated, regulated
The New Hampshire Senate was hard at work yesterday. Among the actions it took was to approve a bill that would allow virtual currency, like Bitcoin, to remain “(exempt) from state regulation while providing regulation instead through the Consumer Protection Act.” What the difference is, I don’t know. But, District Nine Senator Andy Sanborn, Republican from Bedford, issued a statement following the vote saying quote:
Bitcoin and other virtual currency continues to be a safe, private form of real currency which is an appealing alternative for many peer-to-peer transactions. We need to allow innovating businesses like Bitcoin to grow and I am pleased that the senate voted in support of this measure to refrain from over regulating this emerging industry today.
Ward: Will amended Croydon Bill a victory in practice?
District Eight Senator Ruth Ward, Republican from Stoddard, hailed the passage of what I’m going to guess was the so called Croydon Bill on School Choice. Ward called the legislation she said would quote “expand school choice for students in towns without their own public schools” the quote “right solution” for the coming school year.” Quote:
In communities like the town of Croydon…that does not have its own public schools, it is essential that students have the choice of where they attend school to best suit their individual educational needs.
She said the bill allowed private schools in the process of earning full accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges to be among the options available to parents.
Reagan: Engineering for Kindergarten kids
The Senate also passed House Bill 4 1 2, which establishes a pre-engineering and technology curriculum for public school students in grades K thru 12. Senate Education Committee Chair John Reagan, Republican from Deerfield in District Seventeen, said he was pleased the senate voted to expand pre-engineering and technology programs for students. Quote:
We heard convincing testimony revealing that for students to become interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math subjects [STEM], they must be introduced to these topics starting as early as kindergarten which is why this legislation expands the pre-engineering curriculum from grades 6-12 to include all students in grades K-12.
Reagan said that because the state is facing a skilled worker shortage it is, quote:
more important than ever that we provide the resources and education needed to give New Hampshire students the skills that will help them to fill good jobs like these in our state.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Gardner: Ignored by moderators
It looks like the N H House and Senate came together on House Bill 3 2 9, the bill designed to bail out towns whose moderators broke the law and changed the date of their town election last month, despite being told by Secretary of State Bill Gardner that the law didn’t allow them to do so. Once signed into law by the governor, the governing bodies elected by voters in the wayward elections will be able to certify the election results by a majority vote, but not until after a properly noticed public hearing. Bond counsels for towns whose elections violated the law have refused to issue bonds approved by voters fearing the uncertified elections would be successfully challenged in court.
Hosts Washington Update
The Greater Salem and Greater Derry Londonderry chambers of commerce will host a Washington Update this morning from 7:45-9:30 at the Atkinson Resort & Country Club in Atkinson. Both of the state’s congresswomen will be on hand for the event. Of the event, Will Stewart, President of the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce said, quote:
It’s not often one can hear from, and talk to, both of the state’s Congresswomen in the same place at the same time. For anyone interested in federal business regulations or just politics in general, this event is not to be missed.
Tickets are free for members of the chambers and ten bucks for non-members. A continental breakfast is included. To register for the event or purchase tickets visit g d l chamber dot org.
Budget workshops tomorrow
The School District Governance Association will host a workshop on budget law tomorrow from eight thirty to twelve thirty at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications in Manchester. Former Senate President, Milford School Board Chairman and N H Health Trust Executive Director Peter Bragdon will keynote the event. The intense half-day of interactive workshops will uncover the information resources which are available, but not routinely provided, to the elected officials who are supposed to govern the budget process but don’t because the information they need is withheld. The workshops will also explore how a structured planning process can move the initiative for budget decisions to the elected bodies, where it legally belongs, from the appointed authorities that have withheld or manipulated the process for their own purposes. A continental breakfast will be offered. Tickets are fifteen bucks and advance registration is required at a z green @ comcast dot net.
BOW WOW Bedford & Goffstown
Are you looking to have your dog licensed, update its rabies shots or have it micro chipped? Here’s your chance! Stop by the Bedford Animal Rescue League tomorrow from 10:00 to 3:00 for BOW WOW Bedford! Rabies vaccination shots are just ten dollars. Microchips are only twenty bucks. Those prices, by the way, are only good for residents of Bedford and Goffstown, whose town clerks will be on site to license the dogs. Those fees will vary, of course.
That’s NEWS from our own backyard! Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
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