June 18, 2021
I’m a small business owner — I run the Cranmore Inn in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire with my husband. To say that the last year and a half has been nerve-racking would be an understatement.
It’s been a hard time to be in the hospitality industry, which is so critical to New Hampshire’s economy. More than 50,000 people work in the hospitality industry here; the sector, according to a 2014 study, contributes over $2.52 billion to the state’s economy, and New Hampshire’s rooms and meals tax is our state government’s third largest revenue generator. For our sector, and others, to fully recover and thrive, we have got to have a sensible paid leave plan that’s accessible to small businesses as well as large ones.