In just a few short weeks, the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute will convene over 500 Granite Staters in Concord for our 10th Annual Budget and Policy Conference, Working Hard and Falling Behind on October 24th. At this full-day, in-person event, we will tackle the affordability crises and the targeted policy investments proven to ease household budgets and the cost of living in the Granite State. October 24th also marks another significant milestone for us – we will celebrate the anniversary of research director Phil Sletten’s incredible contributions to NHFPI as he begins his tenth year with the organization. Today, we sit down with Phil for a bird’s eye view on what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and some of the most memorable moments from his over a dozen years working in the public policy landscape.
A Look Back: How has NHFPI and its impact in New Hampshire changed when you think of where it is today?
NHFPI used to be one set of researchers among many or at least several in New Hampshire. We’ve grown substantially. Unfortunately, some of those other sources of research and analysis have either atrophied, shifted, or gone away entirely. NHFPI has sought to expand as a resource, and I think it has successfully done so. We analyze more topics, we dive deeper into certain topics than we did in the past, and we have tripled our research team; that has allowed us to fill more of the public policy discussion space in the state in a way that, when I first joined NHFPI, we weren’t able to. Nor did we have to then, because there were more resources available from others. I think it’s great that we have been able to serve as a resource for more and more people and relative to more and more topics over time, because it helps ensure that there’s high-quality information getting into the public policy discussions in the state. We’ve also gone from informing key aspects of the conversation around public policy in New Hampshire to driving more of the conventional wisdom. That’s a significant shift.
Big Shifts: Over the past decade, what do you think has changed the most in New Hampshire’s economy and policy landscape?
I think New Hampshire has realized that housing is a big issue, and that shift took some time. Housing was not on the radar as a particularly acute challenge to the New Hampshire economy when I joined NHFPI in 2016. Over the intervening years, it has slowly gained salience, and more quickly gained salience after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. That shift has changed the public policy discussion in the state, with housing also as one of the biggest shifts in the economy. In 2015 and 2016, there was not nearly the housing constraint that we see now. It was starting to develop, and started to develop further in the five years after that, but it has really accelerated over the last five years. And it’s a hard problem to solve, because it’s a problem that was 15 years in the making. But this policy issue has really become salient and changed the conversation relative to how we think about the economy and how public policymakers think about helping the economy. I think that child care accessibility and affordability is now getting to that point, though it’s several years behind housing in reaching the same level of attention.
Another piece is that, in the time that I’ve been at NHFPI, there have been five state budget cycles where state budgets have been deliberated. Four benefited from significant revenue surpluses. But that has changed for this last budget cycle, and policymaker conversations around how to budget for the state’s needs became a very different set of conversations this past budget cycle. I think these conversations have better reflected the challenges the state faces, while recognizing the value of public resources and trade-offs when funding is less available.
Staying Power: On the flip side, what are some of the challenges or issues that have remained stubbornly consistent in New Hampshire over these 10 years?
Longer-term budgeting remains a challenge in New Hampshire, and this is a process challenge. Even though we have a two-year budget cycle and the majority of states have a one-year budget cycle, it’s still difficult for us in the state to look beyond that two-year budget cycle in a way that tackles issues that require operational changes at the state level and local governments in New Hampshire looking beyond two years. Oftentimes in the last five budget cycles when there have been revenue surpluses, there’s been a treatment of them as one time, and that’s often very appropriate. There are one-time federal infusions of cash, or one-time increases in Business Profits Tax revenue in response to a federal policy shift. That’s appropriate to treat those as one-time revenues. However, it has meant that the things that governments do that are long-term, sustained investments in the people in the state, have been harder for us to do in New Hampshire. It’s in part because of that two-year budget cycle and the lack of planning that we’re able to do with a longer time horizon, given that framework. It’s not unique to New Hampshire by any means, but it is a structural challenge to making long-term investments in the state.
Memorable Moments: Is there a particular moment – maybe a big report launch, a policy win, or even a conference – that you’ll never forget from your time here?
There are three. First was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only was there the shift to working remotely and all the logistical challenges that a lot of folks went through, but suddenly, everyone was very information hungry. In the first two weeks after the recommendations that we stop going to the office physically, so many people had so many questions. So many people were looking for our material. We pushed a lot of information out the door, writing a blog a day, almost, about different aspects and facets of how the pandemic was impacting life in New Hampshire and the well-being of New Hampshire residents. People were very hungry for information, and our role was exceptionally important.
Another memorable moment was when I went on WMUR’s New Hampshire Business with Fred Kocher, and we discussed workforce, housing, and the state budget all in five minutes. That was a fun challenge to be able to meet. I always enjoy going on Fred’s show and seeing how much information we can get out to the public in five minutes in a way that’s digestible.
Lastly, I’ll note our 2024 conference, which was relatively recent in my time at NHFPI, but it was a great opportunity to reflect on what amazing progress we’ve made, and how our audience has grown, including the literal audience that was in the room at our 2024 conference. Our ability to get more high-quality information out to more people had increased greatly at that point. Our 2024 conference had a lot of content, and people seemed to really appreciate it and want more of it, which is a sign in my mind that we’re doing important work in the state.
Looking Ahead: As you mark both the beginning of your tenth year at NHFPI and our 10th annual conference, what do you hope the next decade holds for the organization, for you, and for the Granite State?
I hope that more and more people keep reading our research. I’m very glad that our audience has expanded as much as it has over the last nine years. I think it’s really important that we, as a state and people engaged in policy in the state, keep in our minds that we are an older state. That is not necessarily good or bad. It is just that we as a state have more older adults as a percentage of its residents. That’s something that other societies have gone through in the past and that we are going through now. I think it’s something that requires preparation to have happen successfully to benefit everyone who’s in the state and looking to move into the state.
And I also hope we’re able to tackle some of the bigger challenges facing the state with comprehensive and creative solutions, too. There are, many lingering and festering issues that are tough to wrap one’s arms around, nevermind fully solve. But it’s the important work of public policy to do that. And when that policy is better informed, there’s a better chance that better public policy will lead to better results for everyone.
What are you most looking forward to about NHFPI’s 10th Annual Conference?
I’m most excited to hear from the panelists. I love being able to learn from people who are experts in their fields. I’m very lucky in this job that I get to learn a fair bit about a wide variety of topics. It’s also part of my job to have a pretty broad scope of familiarity with issues related to public policy and the economy. Hearing from people who are living some of those issues, some of those challenges, some of those policy conversations and interactions every day is always enriching. I’m looking forward to learning more and for those who are coming to our conference to learn more as well.
Join us on October 24 for NHFPI’s 10th Annual Budget and Policy Conference, where you’ll hear the latest data-driven insights from the state’s leading public policy experts. Research Director Phil Sletten will be among the presenters, alongside our full team of analysts, sharing evidence-based solutions to New Hampshire’s most pressing challenges. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and celebrate with us – register today at nhfpi.org/conference.