New Hampshire: Manchester

Manchester aldermen get to set taxi fares even though the aldermen know nothing about running a taxi business. They don’t have a clue how much a driver needs to make to earn a decent living, what a “fair” rate is, etc. But nonetheless they have empowered themselves to dictate what the fares in Manchester will [...]

In this issue:

Items 1 and 2: There is an intense debate underway in Concord over the issue of slot machines. The House has rejected two slot machine bills, but some of the ‘no’ votes were gambling supporters who were voting against poorly-drafted legislation. The real fight is in the State Senate. Opponents point to the social costs of expanded gambling. Proponents downplay those costs. But if there is no social cost to expanded gambling, why do the Senate bills limit slot machines to a few locations? If slot machines are a good way for the state to make money, why not have a slot machine casino in Concord and Manchester and Nashua and every other town in the state? The answer, of course, is that most people (and legislators) do understand the social costs of casinos and do not want one in their town.

Next month, Governor Lynch will have an opportunity to decide on who would best serve as the State of New Hampshire's lawyer for the next five years. I believe he should listen to clearly expressed will of the people of the state and appoint someone who shares their values - in other words, a Democrat.  
It would be very easy for Lynch to simply re-appoint Kelly Ayotte and the easy approach is very often the preferred option for elected officials. This would be a bad idea for a number of reasons, but, I'll limit my criticism to just one case.

In the wake of the passage of the Stimulus Bill, I thought it fitting to spend a few minutes considering how I and my fellow residents of Manchester - including Mayor Frank Guinta - would fare. My research didn't give me a very clear idea of what the folks in New Hampshire's largest city can expect from the $790 billion dollar plan, but it did illuminate something else for me: Pothole Frank is a crappy mayor.

Thru what serendipity did I glean this? I began at the website of the US Conference of Mayors (www.usmayors.org). News reports about the fiscal stimulus plan had mentioned that the mayors had put together a wish list of local projects that they hoped could be funded by the stimulus package.