According to a report by NH’s Senator Jeb Bradley, Democrats claim that the new tax on campsites closes a “loophole”. He said, “If budget writers really thought this tax on camping was closing a loophole it is hard to imagine why they would have introduced it in the wee hours of the night without a public hearing. The fact is that it is a brand new 9% tax on camping. It is positively amazing how supporters of this budget claim to be the politicians that support the little guy.”
Bradley is talking about the much-contested budget contained in HB1 and HB2.
And Paul Raymond, owner of Mascoma Lake Campground, could not agree more. He held a meeting with his seasonal campers about the new 9% tax, some of whom he says, are on a fixed income and will not be able to pay. Some have already canceled vacation plans.
“If campgrounds start losing seasonals because of this new tax they may have to close down” Raymond added.
Raymond said to look at the numbers. His campground alone brought $167,000 in revenues to the state last year. There are over 800 campgrounds in the state. When you do the math, the state has more to lose than gain, if these businesses fail. Raymond pointed out that all the surrounding stores, restaurants, and shops would be affected by this 9% new tax as well.
Raymond said the state invents new ways to spend money before knowing how to pay for it, and then rushes into a vote to get the money any way they can, without really looking at what damage they will do.
As someone who protested the budget in front of the statehouse last week, Raymond said that before he starts a new project at his campground, he looks to see how it will be paid for.
“Unlike the folks that create the new spending bills, if there’s no money at the time, we hold off to see how we will get it,” he said.
“It would be nice if one day the people that vote for more spending would really look at the harm they are doing to the very folks that voted them into office. We really need to change that roll call next time we vote.”
The budget not only taxes camping, it hikes taxes or fees on meals, tobacco, boat and car registration, salt water fishing licenses and most importantly, property taxes. According to Senator Bradley, this 10.48% increase also comes at a time when other states around the nation are cutting spending.