“I would like to make a motion, Mr. Chairman, that you and Mr. Strang and Mr. Lambert and Ms. Wood show up at six o’clock in the morning from now until you can find somebody to replace this talented team, which I highly believe you will not be able to find anybody that would be willing to work with you. And therefore I resign as well. And I’m disgusted by you. I’m disgusted by Dr. Strang. I’m shocked by Mr. Lambert. And I’m sad for Ms. Wood to be part of this political charade. Good luck.”

Studies in contrast

Wow, the guv’s office really didn’t like CNBC’s recent “business-friendliness” rankings, putting NH way down at No. 35 on the list. And they sure didn’t like that it was being reported in these here parts, neither.

So they issued a very firm statement: “These arbitrary rankings from outof-state publications are meaningless and lacking in credibility. The truth is, with the leadership of Governor Chris Sununu, New Hampshire has the fastest growing economy in the nation and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country,” said the guv’s communications director, Ben Vihstadt.

On the face of it, that sounds like a pretty strong argument. Until you turn on the wayback machine just a notch or two, to 12/23/21, and lo and behold you will find an end-ofthe-year press release from said guv’s office (Contact: Communications Director) with the first graf saying, “Multiple rankings and new data recently released show that New Hampshire is the place to be in terms of personal freedom, economic opportunity, and safety.”

And, of course, it goes on to cite a buncha studies, including several that could quite easily fall under the umbrella of “arbitrary rankings from out-of-state publications.”

Among them: the Tax Foundation’s ranking of NH as the “sixth best state in their 2021 Business Tax Climate Index” the Cato Institute’s ranking of NH as the “#1 state for Overall Freedom” and U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of the Granite State as “the No. 1 spot for public safety.

Those who live by the arbitrary ranking die by the arbitrary ranking.

Housing and the House

A little more about the disconnect between certain (a majority of) House GOP members of the Legis. and the real world.

As you can read elsewhere in this issue of NHBR, the BIA held a series of roundtables, as it does before a new Legis. is elected, and, not surprisingly, the overwhelming concern voiced by businesses across the state is the need to build more housing. No other issue — healthcare, taxes, even inflation — came close in a series of roundtables.

And, not surprisingly, many of the ideas that were voiced sound eerily like some of the stuff that was included in the ill-fated SB 400, “the community toolbox bill,” which suffered mutilation at the hands of the House GOP members of the conference committee that eventually approved a bill including the tattered, watered-down remains of SB 400. In other words, not exactly a robust attempt on the part of lawmakers to actually do something to address the issue.

“Band of Nitwits Highjacks Gunstock, Ski Area’s Future Uncertain.”

– Headline above an article on The Storm Skiing Journal website.

A mountain of evidence

Anyone who’s been following the story arc of the Belknap County delegation and its fixation on Gunstock Mountain Resort, the county-owned ski area, could see the train wreck coming a few hundred miles away.

So when the entire management team said “no mas” to the ongoing water torture they were put through by the delegation and its appointed Gunstock Area Commission, a reaction of surprise only came from folks not paying attention.

While the Gunstock commissioners did the dirty work of waterboarding, the guv — who does know a thing or two about the ski business — was quick to point his finger directly at the leadership of the delegation, which is made up of the all-GOP Belknap NH House membership.

In an open letter to the delegation and commission, he wrote:

“Representatives Mike Sylvia, Norm Silber, and Gregg Hough, along with the remaining members of the Gunstock Area Commission, have lost the trust of the citizens of Belknap County. These individuals have made bad decisions, and until they are removed from their positions and replaced with good people who recognize the wonderful asset that Gunstock is, the County will continue to suffer.”

Just to reiterate: This is a GOP guv tearing into three GOP House members.

And outgoing Sen. Bob Giuda, another GOPer, joined the guv for a duet: “The delegation, under Mike Sylvia’s chairmanship, have taken it upon themselves to wreak havoc for no reason. This is a vindictive bunch who believe in extreme measures, and this is not the New Hampshire way.”

P.S.: When you elect people like American secessionists who hate the very idea of government, like Sylvia and his fellow travelers, why would you expect them to know how to run a government?

MAKING THE ROUNDS

Considering all the stuff outgoing HHS Commish Lori Shibinette went thru during her tenure — which began mere weeks before Covid turned everything upside down and turned over the anti-vaxxer rock — to say she’s leaving after “only” 2½ years into her term is pretty much denying reality.

Pinning your hopes on making the price of gasoline the focus of your campaign against Dems might not be as effective as it was a coupla months ago. Just sayin’.

Then again, to not acknowledge the inflation rate when it goes up, as it excruciatingly has been every month — and as Dems are doing — isn’t exactly a winning strategy either.

Will the average NH voter actually care as much about the date of the NH primary as the politico/media complex does if/when the DNC decides to dump NH primary’s first-in-thenation status?