The legislature has to determine whether allowing Cancer Treatment Centers of America into the state will benefit both New Hampshire's cancer patients and its economy
The crux of the debate: Should NH change its laws governing medical facilities so a for-profit cancer center can come into the state?
Lawmakers are now considering whether to give exemptions to for-profit cancer centers so they can do business in the state. Under current regulations these cancer centers are likely to be deemed redundant. But a new bill would allow them to avoid what is known as a Certificate of Need–to which all other hospitals must comply. These centers would also be exempt from Medicaid taxes. Continue Reading →
Check out our chat about one facet of NH's green economy
One of our most popular posts this week has been our in-depth look at the economic impact the Green Launching Pad, of an earth-friendly start-up incubator. The program was created with the help of federal stimulus money. StateImpact’s Amanda Loder discusses the economic impacts of GLP–and the program’s future–with NHPR’s All Things Considered host Brady Carlson.
P2P file sharing--whether illegally downloading music and movies or offering alternative lending--is a controversy magnet
First of all, if you haven’t checked-in with NHPR’s Word of Mouth…you need to. StateImpact listens in frequently. And it just so happens that we found a cool interview host Virginia Prescott did with reporter MacGregor Campbell about the resurrection of peer-to-peer lending in lieu of banks. As the segment intro explains:
“Back in the mid-2000’s, peer to peer lending web sites like Prosper and Lending Club bet that ordinary people could take the place of banks. The business model was both daring and consistent with the hyper-connected internet culture. The idea was that people who needed loans could connect with investors willing to bet on getting paid back with a little interest. Prosper’s faith in crowd-sourcing replacing traditional risk-assessment tools used by banks turned out to be a mistake. Within two years, the SEC shut it down for not holding insurance to repay jilted lenders…it turns out that up to twenty percent of the borrowing crowd defaulted on their loans. Today’s tighter loan policies have paved the way for a new wave of P2P banks to again experiment with connecting people through lending.” Continue Reading →
That post got the attention of NHPR’s All Things Considered host Brady Carlson, so we sat down for a chat. If you missed our conversation yesterday afternoon–or would just like to check it out again–we’ve got the audio right after the jump. Continue Reading →
The road back from the recession for some towns in New Hampshire could be slowed due to deep budget cuts affecting highway expansion and bridge maintenance.
The state Department of Transportation is grappling with budget cuts of $30 million in motor vehicle fees and a likely $40 million cut in federal highway funds each year.
“Our $140 million 10-year plan is now a $100 million plan,” says Transportation Commissioner Christopher Clement. “The document is a lot slimmer than it was five years ago.”
What that means is that some parts of the $800 million Interstate 93 expansion may be delayed. Clement says the state will not be able to address as many “red list” bridges which call for renovation or replacement. And for many towns throughout the state, the budget cuts mean their road projects have been put on hold indefinitely.
If you’ve been following our work this week, StateImpact’s been taking a closer look at student debt in New Hampshire. All Things Considered host Brady Carlson checked out the site and decided to interview one of our reporters about what we know so far about student debt in the Granite State. Continue Reading →
One out of ten houses in New Hampshire is a seasonal home; the homeowners pay taxes, just like everyone else, while demanding only a handful of services. But that could change if aging owners decide to retire here, turning their vacation homes into year-round residences. Continue Reading →
NHPR’s All Things Considered Host Brady Carlson recently interviewed me about the latest big StateImpact piece. Check out the audio:
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