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New Hampshire’s Minimum Wage Falls Further Behind

January 6, 2020 Common Cents
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The federal minimum wage is the lowest hourly wage that can be paid to most workers anywhere in the nation. Since its inception at the national level in 1938, when only certain workers were covered, the wage has increased and encompassed more types of employees over time. State law sets New Hampshire’s minimum wage to the federal minimum level, currently at $7.25 per hour. An individual working 40 hours per week at this wage will make about $15,000 per year, assuming they work all 52 weeks. This income level is below the federal poverty guidelines for all households other than a single person, and well below the levels for households that include a partner and children.

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USDA Approves Changes to SNAP Work Requirements for Certain Adults

December 10, 2019 Common Cents
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The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is administered locally as the New Hampshire Food Stamps Program, provides means-tested food assistance benefits to thousands of Granite State families and individuals with low incomes. A federal policy change announced last week would limit the ability of states to waive certain work requirements for specific childless adults in areas with higher levels of unemployment or a lack of sufficient job opportunities.

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New Hampshire Trails in Higher Education Funding

November 20, 2019 Common Cents
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It has been over a decade since the end of the last recession. During this time, investments and funding for public higher education across the nation have seen reductions overall. States reduced expenditures in the aftermath of the recession, including decreased spending to support public higher education. Recent analyses from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Pew Charitable Trusts have compared states’ investments in public higher education over time. When compared to pre-recession levels the amount of money allocated to public higher education nationwide has decreased. Students who attend public colleges and universities in their home states face the additional cost burdens of increasing tuition and fees that may stem from these funding cuts. In New Hampshire, Granite Staters face the second highest average in-state tuition at public four-year institutions in the nation.

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Initiatives Aim to Increase Rural Access to Broadband Internet Services

2 Jul 2020

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Broadband internet availability and use is uneven between rural and urban areas of New Hampshire. A lack of key broadband infrastructure connecting many homes in rural regions has resulted in increased connection challenges that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The crisis has required individuals and families to transition many activities from face-to-face interactions to virtual communication, and has increased the necessity of reliable broadband internet services among Granite Staters. Key legislation recently passed by the New Hampshire Legislature, new state level initiatives, and federal investments may aid in expanding broadband internet services to underserved areas of the state, and help ensure more Granite Staters will be online at sufficient broadband speeds in the future.

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