$100 Plus Mileage

S3 E2: Should NH exempt domestic abuse victims from wiretapping law?

Part of what makes the study of public policy so fascinating is how even the most admirable proposals can warrant deeper scrutiny. A great example of this is found in HB 143, a bill before the NH House of Representatives that would allow domestic violence victims to secretly record their abusers without running afoul of the state’s wiretapping law.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University

S3 E1: Legislators call “Mulligan!” on bills from last year

New Hampshire legislators are sponsoring roughly 850 bills this year, but dozens of those are repeats from previous years. Sometimes legislators refine a bill based on feedback, but sometimes the bill text is identical. Here are three hot debates that will get a do-over in 2023.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

Bonus Episode: Every Vote Matters

You may not feel like you have a lot of power as a voter, but in New Hampshire every vote really does count. If you’re on the fence about visiting the polls this November, here’s proof of the power of one vote.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

 

Bonus episode- How to Research your Candidates

If you wish to be a more informed voter, you’ll want to research your candidates thoroughly before you vote. While they may be running as Democrats or Republicans, there are self-proclaimed anarchists, secessionists, pacifists, socialists, scientists, massage therapists, chicken farmers, hometown heroes, and recent arrestees all on the ballot this year. 

It isn’t always easy to be an informed voter, however; especially with state and local offices, there is often very little information available about candidates. That said, we’re here to help you find the information you need in order to vote confidently. Citizens Count is a nonprofit dedicated to providing unbiased information about New Hampshire issues and candidates. We survey and profile the roughly 1,000 candidates for state and federal office in the Granite State every election year. Here’s our guide for researching your candidates. 

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

Bonus Episode: Should NH allow towns to borrow money to build broadband infrastructure anywhere, not just in “unserved” areas?

In recent decades, access to high-speed internet has become an increasingly important issue for many rural towns in New Hampshire. In the wake of COVID lockdowns and the resulting shift toward remote work, the topic is more relevant today than ever. Still, despite the demand, creating the infrastructure needed to connect far flung towns comes with significant costs. In this article, we’ll examine the potential solution of “municipal broadband” as well as a recent proposal—SB 247—to implement it.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S2; E23 Season Finale: Top issues for Granite Staters heading into 2022 elections

Every election year the nonpartisan, nonprofit Citizens Count surveys and profiles the roughly 900 candidates for state and federal office in New Hampshire, from state representative through U.S. senator. When Citizens Count staff choose which issues to ask about on our candidate surveys – and how to phrase the questions – we know we are sending a message about the most important issues facing New Hampshire. Our survey drafting process therefore includes input from various policy advocates, stakeholders, and the general public. According to the 110 individuals who responded to Citizens Count’s request for input, here are the top five issues Granite Staters want candidates to address in 2022.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

 

S2 E22 Should NH law require police body cameras?

The New Hampshire Legislature is done voting on new bills in 2022, but some committees will meet in June to discuss whether certain bills should come back next year. One of these bills, HB 253, would require all police officers to wear body cameras.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S2 E 21 Should NH allow teens to work more hours during the school week?

New Hampshire law places restrictions on the hours that minors can work a job while school is in session. The law, intended to make sure young people have time to focus on their education, could be significantly pared back if the governor signs SB 345. The debate has folks on both sides fired up, between business owners desperate for more help and those who say it puts business before education.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S2 E20 A recent history of redistricting in NH

Every ten years officials must redraw voting districts to reflect population changes, according to the U.S. Census. Right now New Hampshire’s redistricting process is held up at multiple levels, with the governor and Legislature at odds and lawsuits before the state Supreme Court. New Hampshire candidates are scheduled to file their first campaign paperwork in June, so the clock is ticking to finalize new voting districts. Will the governor and legislators agree on redistricted maps that meet constitutional muster, or will the courts step in? If the courts act, will they keep current maps in place for now or will they draw completely new maps? Whatever the decision, it will have a big impact on who represents you. Looking back at the last three rounds of redistricting in New Hampshire provides some examples of how this year’s redistricting might play out.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

 

S2 E19 Should NH institute a “housing champion certification program” to incentivize municipalities to develop workforce housing?

It’s hard to think of a New Hampshire issue that impacts more people than the housing shortage. Whether you are a renter or you own your own home, the limited availability of housing in New Hampshire likely affects your finances directly or indirectly. As housing costs increase, the need for workforce housing in particular has come into focus. This year, the Legislature considered a large piece of legislation, SB 400, meant to address the problem. The bill, which was championed by Gov. Sununu, contained a slew of programs and incentives aimed at increasing the supply of workforce housing. The House tabled the bill on May 5, which means the bill is unlikely to pass this year. Still, many of the policies contained in SB 400 are repeats from previous years and might find their way into final bill negotiations. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on one of the more contentious parts of SB 400: the “Housing Champion Certification Program.”

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.