New Hampshire looks to repeal 9% tax on campers

October 6, 4:22 PMRV Travel ExaminerKeith Bennett

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From Lloyd Jones, editor of the Conway Daily Sun, comes this update on a tax that many felt was not only unfair but detrimental to the tourism of New Hampshire.

BARTLETT — Rep. Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, is a co-sponsor of legislature that will repeal the campground tax that was added to the state's Rooms and Meals tax in June. This summer campground owners were told to collect a 9 percent tax on campers, but Chandler believes it's an unfair tax and should not have been implemented without a public hearing.
"At the very least, if we don't get the thing repealed, which is my hope, is we'll get a public hearing and campground owners will get an opportunity to voice their concerns and share the problems they've had," Chandler, who voted against the bill in June, said by phone Friday. "We never had a public hearing at all, it was just implemented. The campground people never got a say."
The primary sponsor of the bill is Rep. Herb Richardson, R-Lancaster. The bill was filed two weeks ago and language is currently being worked up for it, according to Chandler. The full New Hampshire House of Representatives will receive the proposed bill in November.
"It will be introduced and then the process will start," Chandler said. "I don't think anyone — campground owners or campers — are embracing this new tax. It was implemented without any rules."
The state of New Hampshire estimates that camping brings $44 million in revenue. With the state's imposition of the Rooms and Meals tax of 9 percent, the state is counting on $4 million in revenue from campground bookings.
Whether the enactment of that tax will deter campers in a tight economy remains to be seen, Greg Pitman, director of the New Hampshire Campground Owners Association based in Epsom, said, noting that his association was angered by how hastily the tax was enacted.
“We fought it,” said Pitman, while conceding that the effort was to little avail. “We are seeing the impact already and we have been hearing about it from campers who come from states close by — some are saying they will perhaps look at campgrounds in their own states, if New Hampshire has a Rooms and Meals Tax of 9 percent. We have heard from Vermont and Massachusetts campers, and some say they will re-evaluate and stay maybe closer to home. We have pitched ‘staycations’ ourselves, and now maybe with the tax they may do that themselves. Our own campers are saying it the loudest as they thought they lived in a ‘no tax’ state here in the Granite State.”
The true impact of the tax may be on campers cutting back on other spending, such as meals out.
“Say if your campground rate is $40 a night and you stayed seven days, that's $280 and 9 percent of that is another $27. That's a meal that they probably won't go out to a restaurant that they ordinarily would have,” said Pitman.
"The thing was implemented (July 1)," Chandler added, "and no one really knew what to do. Do you charge the person who called in May and made a reservation for the end of the summer? ... There were no public hearings because everything came at the last minute."
Chandler also said last month House Republicans filed legislation to:
• Restore revenue sharing to cities and towns.
• Repeal the $30 surcharge on motor vehicle registrations.
• Repeal the LLC tax.
• Repeal the freeze on the share of Rooms & Meals taxes that goes to municipalities.
"Contrary to what the Democrats will tell you, we have a supplemental budget bill that we will be introducing as well," Chandler said.

Happy Camping

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