Council asks AG to investigate Leishman lease

Union Leader reporter Clynton Namuo writes that the Executive Council has the Attorney General's Office to investigate a lease renewal for State Representative Peter Leishman, possibly under pressure from State House colleagues:

At the behest of the Executive Council, the state Attorney General’s Office is looking into allegations that a freight railroad contract renewal was fast-tracked in violation of an existing agreement in order to benefit a state lawmaker.

That contract, for state Rep. Peter Leishman’s Milford-Bennington Railroad, was scheduled to be extended through July 2019 at this morning’s executive council meeting, but was instead shortened to only six additional months in order to let the AG’s office investigate. (more)

The prospect for state lawmakers tipping the scales on behalf of their colleagues is very disturbing. We will follow the Attorney General's investigation closely.

UNH president: Salaries, benefits targeted

Clynton Namuo reports in the Union Leader that UNH President Mark Huddleston is targeting salries and benefits:

Another round of belt-tightening is coming to the University of New Hampshire and salaries are likely to be first up, according to a letter President Mark Huddleston issued yesterday to the university community.

The letter offers few specifics, but makes clear that UNH is feeling the pinch and because of that, expenses must be cut and money made. Huddleston's letter says UNH's revenue sources are declining or stagnating, while costs are not.

"A central challenge will be salary and benefits, the largest drivers of our budget," Huddleston said in the letter, adding, "I expect any increase in salaries will be modest at best."