Gov.-elect Hassan promotes initiative to get more people on the job
By SIMON RIOS
Union Leader Correspondent
Published Dec 11, 2012 at 3:00 am
(Updated Dec 10, 2012)
NASHUA - Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan outlined her Innovate N.H. jobs plan Monday, an initiative she says will allow the state economy to meet 21st century challenges through tax credits, technical assistance and a strengthened work force.
"I know that for New Hampshire to succeed we must prepare our work force for the jobs of the 21st century," said Hassan at the event sponsored by The Telegraph at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The plan restores funding to the state university system, which was halved by the outgoing legislature. It also addresses tuition costs while increasing the number of spots for in-state students.
"My plan also recognizes that not every student learns in the same way, and calls for new investments in our community colleges and enhanced job training, so that every person, no matter what stage of their education or of their career, can have an opportunity to learn and contribute to our communities," said Hassan.
Hassan called for a curriculum that allows more people to pursue careers in the STEM fields - science, technology, engineering and math - pledging to support the state's higher education institutions to double the number of STEM graduates by 2025, and increase the commercialization of innovations stemming from the universities.
She emphasized the importance of public-private collaborations to ensure that the state's colleges are providing training to meet changing business needs. They would also boost collaboration between businesses and universities through "strategic research partnerships."
The technical assistance piece of Hassan's plan will provide for trade assistance, part of Hassan's intention to make New Hampshire a leader in exports. She pledged to help Granite State businesses sell their products overseas.
It would also double research and development tax credits to promote innovation in the state. "These efforts will be matched by efforts to make sure that small startups who find success here always will call New Hampshire home," Hassan said, adding that she will work to create incubators near the universities.
Hassan's address was similar in tone to her campaign speeches, which never lacked her pledge against a state income or sales tax. And it's a tone that resonated with many New Hampshire voters - Hassan beat Republican candidate Ovide Lamontagne by 12 percentage points.
The governor-to-be recently launched a statewide Innovate N.H. Tour, including visits to companies and communities.
"I've set up innovation outreach teams that will be soliciting ideas and gathering priorities on key issues from citizens across the state."
She said the tour, which began at UNH in late November, will allow people to provide feedback on her innovation plan as it takes shape.
Hassan praised Nashua's Republican Mayor Donnalee Lozeau, a long-time advocate of extending commuter rail into Nashua, whom Hassan tapped to serve on her Transportation Innovation Team. In addition to Lozeau, the transportation team includes an array of leaders from the private and nonprofit sectors. Other outreach teams tackle issues related to budget, business, health care, North Country Priorities, education and the work force, science and energy, technology, and public safety.
Hassan said the state's progress will require unity, calling for "each and every citizen" to participate in the effort.
She will be sworn in as New Hampshire's 81st governor on Jan. 3.
srios@newstote.com
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JOHN ALEXION said:
Look around the only workforce is the growing contingent of Urgent Care places on every other block of Pharmacies being on the other seperated by the growing number of 7-11's. Uncle Sap has down a pretty good job of scaring businesses out of the country. I'm pretty sure Starbuck's recent announcement of opening another 3000 retail locations(didn't they just close 3000 not so long ago) will help the exisiting 3000 empty locations they currently have. I thought NH having the lowest taxes in the country would have precluded the idea of further tax credits.
(Report Abuse)
December 11, 2012 4:30 am
George LeMont said:
All I'm reading here is more tax payer money going to the unions, and not a plan that helps the private sector. Go figure!
(Report Abuse)
December 11, 2012 8:21 am
Mike Houst said:
Maggie was the wrong choice for governor.Ovide would have required a lot of belt tightening, but the end result we would have been better off in a couple of years. (And just because he had some other ideas that weren't very popular didn't mean we had to allow them to be implemented. We do require laws to pass the House and Senate first you know.)Too bad we have to suffer through 2 years of economic nightmare before we change change that.
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December 11, 2012 9:40 am
George LeMont said:
Maggie maybe you can hire the drug using union workers like Chrysler just reinstated that build the cars that carry our children? After all if such highly skilled workers can build our cars they can certainly teach our children. I'm sure you never met a union you didn't like, no matter how corrupt it is, and bypasses the people by dealing with democrat politicians. When the unions demand money they certainly know who is in their pocket and its not the American tax payers.
(Report Abuse)
December 11, 2012 10:21 am
Greg Barrett said:
The citizens of NH were indeed wise to elect Hassan. The wide margin of her victory reflects the true values of the good hearted, decent Republicans, Democrats, Independants and Libertarian minded who elected her. No longer will the radical Republican extremists be allowed to abuse the poor, the elderly, children in need and the most helpless among us in favor of those kooky agendas like tax breaks for Tobacco companies.
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December 11, 2012 4:16 pm
John Mercier said:
George LeMont... The State doesn't hire teachers. That would be your local school district and private educational institutions. Mike Houst... Cuts where? Ovide never really mentioned specific cuts (neither did Maggie); but he made a lot of promises on the expenditure side (just like Maggie).
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December 11, 2012 4:21 pm
Eddy Cox said:
Correct George Lemont. Sure she was also a Obama supporter so also sure he was the one that told her how to get more tax money. Shame on the citizens of New Hampshire who voted for Hassan and Obama. We are indeed a blue state with a very high population that never attends any kind of church and casts God aside like Obama did on the national day of prayer.
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December 11, 2012 4:25 pm
Wesley Sonner said:
Hey folks, I got news for ya. When you tax the life out of the state in order to "strengthen the workforce" but don't get government out of the way sufficiently to provide JOBS for the workforce, guess where all those highly trained workers (and all of our hard spent money) are going? That's right...anywhere but here. This one-sided approach that Hassan is bringing to the table will put the final nail in the coffin. It's clear to me that NH schools are failing to teach our kids math....because we just can't seem to add two and two.
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December 12, 2012 8:03 am
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