Andrei Shesternev

Good day, I am a New Hampshire property owner. I own a vacation home in Campton that my family uses for our own vacations, and we also operate as a short-term rental. We are renting out to help cover the significant costs of maintaining and paying off the property, allowing us to responsibly manage taxes, insurance, and upkeep while also sharing our home with visitors. In our White Mountains area, tourism generates significant economic activity. Vacation homeowners and short-term rentals support local businesses, workers, and service providers. This bill would financially harm vacation homeowners, many of whom will not be able to absorb this additional cost, discourage continued investment, reduce lodging availability and tourism, harm local economies without addressing housing or tax fairness concerns. I respectfully oppose HB 1580. This bill would impose a new surcharge on non-primary residences valued over $500,000 adding to the taxes we already pay, including full property taxes, the 8.5% State rental and meals tax on short-term rental income, and Federal income tax. The surcharge is based solely on property classification and not on increased use of municipal services. It unfairly targets families who responsibly maintain vacation homes. This bill is fundamentally unfair and disproportionately penalizes vacation homeowners who are already meeting their full tax obligations. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Committee to vote ought not to pass on HB 1580. Respectfully submitted,