9% NH Lift Ticket tax - now, back to our show

[1dog]

The number is getting higher everyday, and we happen to have a rightist politician in the Whitehouse. Coincidence?

Another coincidence, the federal deficit ALWAYS increase when rightist politicians are in the Whitehouse!

$9T 2009-2016. That was doubled.

and yes, he's wrong to support over income spending. He can't change it because his veto would be overridden by House.

Even the 90's was a temporary fix because we have enough fiscal conservatives in Congress for 1st time in 40 years - and it didn't last. ( and it was an accounting trick anyway - 'projected' being key word.)


Seems 9% sales tax on lift tickets are crumbs, but thats how it starts. . . drip, drip. . . .

 

[JimG.]

Money waste is most certainly a bipartisan issue.

Term limits my friends. We need them more now than ever. 2 terms max for president and it should be the same for the house and senate. I would apply the rule to any bureaucratic positions as well.

The only way to fix government today is to eliminate career politicians/bureaucrats.

 

[cdskier]

Money waste is most certainly a bipartisan issue.

Term limits my friends. We need them more now than ever. 2 terms max for president and it should be the same for the house and senate. I would apply the rule to any bureaucratic positions as well.

The only way to fix government today is to eliminate career politicians/bureaucrats.

Well said...completely agree.

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

And while at it... eliminate the possibility of spouses of previous Presidents running for high offices too. 330M people in this country, we can do much better than the possibility of the same couple residing in office for 16 years. Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama DO NOT need to run for President or Vice-President.

 

[abc]

And while at it... eliminate the possibility of spouses of previous Presidents running for high offices too. 330M people in this country, we can do much better than the possibility of the same couple residing in office for 16 years. Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama DO NOT need to run for President or Vice-President.

How about appointing your household members in various positions?

 

[VTKilarney]

How about appointing your household members in various positions?

Are you referring to Hillary Clinton and healthcare in 1992?

I don’t see this tax passing. However, if it did pass, I don’t think it would have much impact on the number of skier days in New Hampshire. People will just absorb it as they have absorbed the rooms and meals taxes. Heck, just look at how many taxes there are when you rent a car at the airport.

 

[abc]

Are you referring to Hillary Clinton and healthcare in 1992?

That, but you appear to fail to notice the current Trump family?

 

[1dog]

Are you referring to Hillary Clinton and healthcare in 1992?

I don’t see this tax passing. However, if it did pass, I don’t think it would have much impact on the number of skier days in New Hampshire. People will just absorb it as they have absorbed the rooms and meals taxes. Heck, just look at how many taxes there are when you rent a car at the airport.

Uber and Lyft have cut airport rentals by 40%.

In old days I outsmarted those airport taxes by taking a taxi 1 or 2 miles to Enterprise in SLC, have my 8 ski buds grab my bags, save 20-25% on the 11 passenger van by going to the city. Now they are trying to make it hard for people to have choices by limiting the pick up area for those services at airports.

Lobby $$ from taxi companies. . . . . are the airport customers being serviced or are the companies who spend $$ being served?


While I understand the sentiment on term limits - seems the way - we will have even LESS people voting - not a good thing. They will say ' hey, he or she has x more years. . . . '

A constitutional republic requires the people served by the government be active in its election process.

A better course - limit the entire Congress to 3 things: Average salary of their districts - pay into Social Security - limit their lobbying activity to 5 or 7 years after they leave Congress.

At a $175K a year then 80% of that for life, plus health care coverage till they ( and their spouses I think) pass away.

Where does that happen in volume in the private sector?

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

How about appointing your household members in various positions?

When you are a "current" administration, you set it up the way you want (within the boundaries of the law) Once you are "former" administration, that should eliminate you from becoming "current" again, unless you've only served 4 of your 8 year limit (whether or not there is a break between the 2 4year stints. 4 years served by a former admin should limit either spouse to only 4 more years. 8 by either eliminates any possibility of the other.

 

[abc]

Let me understand, you’re saying it’s ok to appoint your family to position while in the Whitehouse? If so, Hillary Clinton was appointed by the then “current” administration. You think it’s fine because it’s “set it up the way you want”?

 

[JimG.]

And while at it... eliminate the possibility of spouses of previous Presidents running for high offices too. 330M people in this country, we can do much better than the possibility of the same couple residing in office for 16 years. Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama DO NOT need to run for President or Vice-President.

Got busy finishing up winterizing but I thought of the family limitation as I was outside working.

Totally agree, 2 terms per family as a rule.

We don't need any former president's kids, brothers, sisters, cousins or in-laws in office either.

 

[mister moose]

To me, tax policy should be both consistent and competitive. Lift tickets shouldn't be taxed any differently than other services in the state. And the State should be mindful of the total tax burden for a ski area (or any business) relative to bordering states - including property taxes, workman's comp, etc. Those vary quite a bit state to state.

Nationally I also like the idea of term limits, but with a twist. Don't prohibit a wildly popular senator from multiple terms, ie do not outlaw competence - but raise the performance standard. So the first two terms you need 50% +1 of the vote to win. On the third term, 55% is required. 4th term, 60%. 5th term, 65%.

Patrick Leahy, Senator from VT, has been in office since 1975, and is the most senor Senator. In 2022 if he runs again for a 7th term, he would need 75% of the vote to hold his seat.

While the President has the bully pulpit and can veto a bill, it is Congress that sets the budget and makes appropriations. The deficit is really Congress's fault. Congress can't even pass a budget; we now live on continuing resolutions, like a 12 year old that can't make his allowance last.

 

[JimG.]

To me, tax policy should be both consistent and competitive. Lift tickets shouldn't be taxed any differently than other services in the state. And the State should be mindful of the total tax burden for a ski area (or any business) relative to bordering states - including property taxes, workman's comp, etc. Those vary quite a bit state to state.

Nationally I also like the idea of term limits, but with a twist. Don't prohibit a wildly popular senator from multiple terms, ie do not outlaw competence - but raise the performance standard. So the first two terms you need 50% +1 of the vote to win. On the third term, 55% is required. 4th term, 60%. 5th term, 65%.

Patrick Leahy, Senator from VT, has been in office since 1975, and is the most senor Senator. In 2022 if he runs again for a 7th term, he would need 75% of the vote to hold his seat.

While the President has the bully pulpit and can veto a bill, it is Congress that sets the budget and makes appropriations. The deficit is really Congress's fault. Congress can't even pass a budget; we now live on continuing resolutions, like a 12 year old that can't make his allowance last.

I like that type of variation.

I agree we don't want to outlaw competence; but since there is no competence I can see anywhere right now I didn't think of it.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

While it’s nice in theory to set the hypothetical high bar for leahy, losing at 74%-26% means Vermont would wind up with a senator with no popular mandate whatsoever. maybe you can set a higher bar for a primary, but in a general this would result in very unrepresentative people in office

 

[Dickc]

While it’s nice in theory to set the hypothetical high bar for leahy, losing at 74%-26% means Vermont would wind up with a senator with no popular mandate whatsoever. maybe you can set a higher bar for a primary, but in a general this would result in very unrepresentative people in office

The fix for Kusty's problem is to have a new candidate slate WITHOUT the incumbent and re-run the election. Should they fail to get the required percent in a primary, it would be fairly easy and quick to hold a second primary to garner the required replacement.

I like many of the ideas that this thread has come up with, and do agree that Congress has done a terrible job with budgets (both parties).

 

[icecoast1]

Money waste is most certainly a bipartisan issue.

Term limits my friends. We need them more now than ever. 2 terms max for president and it should be the same for the house and senate. I would apply the rule to any bureaucratic positions as well.

The only way to fix government today is to eliminate career politicians/bureaucrats.

Completely agree but the same career politicians would have to vote for this and will never happen because they will never vote to give up power or status.

 

[JimG.]

Completely agree but the same career politicians would have to vote for this and will never happen because they will never vote to give up power or status.

It's crazy; year after year of the same old same old.

 

[Killingtime]

Quick update: Epic resorts are exempt. They are not sure about Ikon, Indy. I don't think this will pass anyway. Doesn't Sununu own Waterville Valley?

https://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=808

"Five Southern New Hampshire Democrat lawmakers have sponsored legislation which would levy a 9% tax on ski lift tickets. HB 1652-FN-A would use the tax revenue to fund scholarships for department of corrections inmates, with remaining revenue going to a general scholarship fund.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, former general manager of Waterville Valley, has pledged to veto the bill if it reaches his desk.


Sponspored by Jennie Gomarlo (D-Swanzey), Lee Oxenham (D-Plainfield), Joe Schapiro (D-Keene), Michelle St. John (D-Hollis), and Craig Thompson (D-Harrisville), the bill would apply to one- to three-day lift tickets for buyers above the age of 18 starting with the 2020-21 ski season.

With skier visits skewing toward multi-area season pass products, independent ski areas would see a larger impact from the tax.

The tax would not apply to the Vail Resorts Epic Pass, the largest selling season pass product in the world. Vail Resorts operates four New Hampshire ski areas: Attitash, Crotched, Mt. Sunapee, and Wildcat.

It is not clear how the Department of Revenue Administration would handle multi-area products such as the Ikon Pass and Indy Pass, in which skiers pay an out-of-state entity that then compensates participating New Hampshire areas based upon their redeemed day tickets.

Other parts of the bill include a requirement for ski areas to obtain a license to sell lift tickets, as well as a clause allowing state liquor stores to sell lift tickets."

 

[abc]

Other parts of the bill include a requirement for ski areas to obtain a license to sell lift tickets, as well as a clause allowing state liquor stores to sell lift tickets."

:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

 

[Edd]

I’m not reading that as Epic resorts are exempt. It’s saying the Epic Pass itself is exempt. Only taxing lift tickets 1 to 3 days long.


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