On the last Friday of each month, the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute’s research team shares a curated list of books, research papers, podcasts, and more that are helping to shape our understanding of the economic wellbeing of the Granite State and beyond.

Here are our picks for June 2026:

 Early Learning Shortchanged: Public Investment in Early Care and Education by Age and State – Northern Illinois University, Center for Early Learning Funding Equity

“Nationally, CELFE found that in 2023, for every public dollar spent on the education and care of a school-aged child, only 21 cents were spent on a preschooler, while 11 cents were spent on an infant or toddler, the same averages as the previous year.”

 Reassessing the U.S. Economy’s Vulnerability to Oil Shocks – Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

“A 33% oil price shock – an estimate of the shock from the U.S.-Iran conflict – is now associated with a 1.5 percentage point increase in personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation over the subsequent year, down from 2.2 percentage points before the mid-1970s.”

 Medicare Advantage Out-of-Pocket Limits: Variation and Trends – KFF

“Traditional Medicare remains the only major form of health insurance that does not include a cap on out-of-pocket spending, though most beneficiaries in traditional Medicare have additional financial protection through supplemental coverage, including Medicaid, employer- or union-sponsored retiree coverage, or a Medigap policy (which may require additional premiums).“

 Can Tax Policy Address the Childcare Crisis? – Tax Notes

“[The childcare service provider exclusion] would allow individual childcare workers to exclude their wages from both federal income tax and payroll tax. The idea is that this exclusion would function like a salary increase, making these jobs more attractive and helping to keep good people in the field.”

 Six Facts About Union Density in the United States – The Hamilton Project

“Union density is at an all-time low: One in 10 workers were members of a union in 2025.”

 Have you read something that should be on our radar? Share it with us at info@nhfpi.org – we’d love to hear from you!