When Low Taxes Aren’t Enough: How State-Backed Incentives Help Lure Businesses to N.H.
Available office space at 3000 Goffs Falls Road, where BAE Systems plans to locate 400-800 new positions. Photo courtesy the state of New Hampshire
Corporate subsidies are something of a taboo topic in New Hampshire. The state historically doesn’t offer them and, to hear most elected officials explain it, they wouldn’t even consider subsidies when courting new businesses. That was the case when Amazon was scouting potential sites for its new headquarters and 50,000 accompanying jobs.
“We don’t play in the game of giving massive tax gimmicks and tax breaks, and all that,”
said Gov. Chris Sununu during his pitch to Amazon last year. “Other states do that because they have to. Because they have massive taxes. We’ve had the best tax breaks in this country for the last 200 years.”