Jobs and the Economy

Senator Watters is known across the state as a “jobs senator” who works for economic development that supports New Hampshire communities and businesses. Senator Watters’ legislation has addressed immediate issues to promote the economy, but he is known for his work on long-term transformations of economic development, workforce training, and the clean energy economy. Opposed to any new broad-based taxes, Senator Watters knows we have strong state revenues to keep taxes low while spending on priorities that benefit New Hampshire.

New Hampshire should move quickly to give power to people to take charge of their energy costs.  This can be done by lifting limits on net metering so people, businesses, and municipalities can take advantage right now of lower-cost solar energy.  The state can move much more quickly on building an electric vehicle charging network on state roads, and offer incentives for this installation for individuals, multifamily housing, businesses, and municipalities.  

The state should immediately increase the funding for energy efficiency for residential structures since this will reduce energy costs right away.  Senator Watters has introduced and passed bills in each of these areas. We can also make the Public Utilities Commission require utilities to have longer term contracts to avoid price spikes and to phase in any increases. Longer term, we should move aggressively on cheap and renewable offshore wind resources, as Senator Watters has advocated as the state’s leader on offshore wind development.  Investments in green hydrogen infrastructure will also position New Hampshire’s economy and workers to benefit from an important new energy source.

For workforce development, New Hampshire must fund higher education. It should increase funding for the Career and Technical Education system and increase apprentice programs and partnerships with union training programs. Senator Watters strongly supports organized labor as an essential partner in economic development, job training, providing public education, and state services. We can create permanent funding for affordable housing and reduce regulations on developers.  We can cut property taxes and reduce inflation by increasing municipal aid and school funding.

Senator Watters has been a leader in providing tax incentives for business research and development and for businesses to donate equipment and instructional time through mentorship and intern programs to Career and Technical Education Centers.  Working with businesses, economic development directors, and District 4 Chambers of Commerce, Senator Watters’ bills doubled the research and development tax credit program and extended and expanded the Economic Revitalization Zone Tax Credit Program.  He supported bills to create pathways to work, updating NH corporation acts, and the New Hampshire Auto Dealer’s Bill of Rights. 

A thriving economy depends on a modern, multi-modal transportation system to get people to work and recreation while promoting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.  Senator Watters fought for funding to rebuild roads and bridges and to provide road funds for District 4 projects.  Supported by the Business and Industry Association, the NH Municipal Association, and local governments, he cosponsored the bill to raise the road toll by 4.2 cents a gallon.  Serving on the Transportation Committee, Sen. Watters ensured the Ten-Year Highway Plan included Rte. 108 upgrades, the Little Bay Bridges project, all-electronic tolling on the turnpike and highway systems, and major additional funding for municipal roads and bridges.  He is the legislative leader on Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure. Senator Watters supports legislation on freight and passenger rail in New Hampshire.

Senator Watters fought back attempts to undermine collective bargaining and supported efforts to provide fair pension and medical benefits for New Hampshire workers. 

Businesses can’t grow their workforce without affordable housing. As a member of the Commission on Affordable Housing, Senator Watters sponsored bills to cut red tape and promote development of workforce housing and secured the first state funding for workforce housing in the capital budget since the 1980s.

To make sure that people working full time don’t fall below the poverty line and have enough income to offset the rise in the cost of living, Senator Watters cosponsored legislation to raise the minimum wage. He took the “Minimum Wage Challenge” to experience life on minimum wage as part of the fight to create a New Hampshire minimum wage law.