NH Campsite Tax

[Stash]

As many states in the United States and specifically New England are going through a similar process, we encourage you to check with your state contact about any anticipated rate changes.

In other words: "We're not the only ones going up so don't send your business elsewhere." Good marketing.

 

[NewHampshire]

I wonder what will happen if we just camp but don't pay? They can't afford to keep the prisoners that they already have. Hey, three hots and a cot ain't all that bad.

Perhaps campground operators will be bright enough to charge an "Entrance fee". It costs "X" dollars to come through the gate. You can also purchase a multi day "Pass" or a "Season Ticket". They don't charge for a camp site. If we don't fight back against the ever expanding government, who will. Look at the payrolls in your town. Every new tax means there will be more government droids to collect the tax and more enforces to march around and enforce the tax.
I remember from my old high school history lessons that there were a bunch of guys in Boston that took action against some tax on tea.

So what you are suggesting is we punish, or in some way receive a service without paying, the people who did not want the tax to begin with. The owners (and even simple users) of campgrounds made their opinion known this was not what they wanted, but the law still went through. So just because they failed in their efforts to keep this from getting passed you want to treat the campgrounds like the bad guys and "steal" their services?

Brian

 

[bikehikeskifish]

On page A9 of the Manchester Union Leader, 3/28/2010, there is a small paragraph on the NH Senate holding a hearing Tuesday on a House bill that repeals a 9% tax on campsites from last July.

You have only a short period of time to mention your views to your senator... We know from above Jeb Bradley doesn't support this...

Tim

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Tent Tax Repealed

Tim

 

[The Hikers]

A new bill to tax hiking shoes is being considered

 

[una_dogger]

Was told when I paid the annual lump sum fee at our Twin Mountain based year round site that the law would not have applied to annual sites.

Glad it was appealed. That would have been a big chunk of change for annual campers, and no doubt would have pushed some campgrounds out of business.

 

[Maddy]

Vermont State Parks is charging an extra $1 per night per dog in some of their campgrounds. I was looking at Ricker Pond and that came up. I didn't check to see if it was all of them or just certain ones.

My dogs "knickers are in a twist now". They don't like being discriminated against. They never destroy property of leave a mess. At least they haven't banned Fido like NH state parks have.

 

[Billy]

I hate bogus taxes as much as anyone, but I must be missing something here. Let's say you go for a long camping weekend, four nights at $25 per night. So without the tax, that's $100. With the tax it would be $109.
I'm not a rich person, and I don't play one on the internet, but seriously, is that 9 bucks really a deal-breaker for anyone? If you don't go, or instead you go camp in another state because of the principle (principal?) of it, I get that. But to change plans because of the 9% more money? Really?

p.s. I wouldn't change my vacation from NH to Vt or Maine just because of the 9% NH tent tax, but the $25k shakedown attempt of Mr Mason might make me change my plans.

edit to add: just to clarify, the sentence above is not in any way intended as a knock against Vt or Maine (as if they're not as good). I've vacationed in both states and loved it. But the tight cluster of so many big mountains in NH usually draws me there.

 

[MichaelJ]

Annual or seasonal campsites run into the thousands of dollars. The 9% tax becomes quite significant at those costs. The tax did apply to many seasonal sites as it applied to any consecutive occupancy of less than 185 days. "Occupying" is having exclusivity to the site, not you actually being there.

Also, though the tax took effect July 1, if you had previously reserved a site for after that date, then while any deposit was not taxable, your actual fees would be. For contract pricing, the campground would have to pay the tax and eat the loss.

 

[jrichard]

I guess commenting is moot now. The tough part of legislative change is the NH senate, so the repeal will probably will become law.