Sean Dempsey

To Whom It May Concern, My name is Sean Dempsey, and I am writing in absolute opposition to HB1580, scheduled for hearing on January 12. Let me be clear, without qualification or polite euphemism: this bill would make it financially impossible for me to continue operating an Airbnb in New Hampshire! HB1580 proposes a surcharge on the assessed market value of non-primary residences over $500,000. In practice, this is not a “housing” bill…it is a **punitive tax aimed at a narrow group of property owners**, many of whom are already paying extraordinarily high property taxes, local fees, and operating costs. It is economic vandalism masquerading as public policy. Short-term rentals are already one of the most heavily scrutinized and regulated forms of property use. We pay property taxes. We pay meals and rooms taxes. We pay licensing fees. We maintain properties to standards far exceeding long-term rentals. We contribute directly to tourism, local businesses, tradespeople, cleaners, landscapers, plumbers, electricians, and small service providers who depend on this ecosystem to survive. HB1580 ignores all of this!!! This bill does not “solve” a housing crisis. It creates a new one by deliberately making lawful, productive use of property cost-prohibitive. If this surcharge passes, the math is simple: hosting will no longer be viable. Properties will be sold, converted, or pulled from productive use, harming local economies and reducing, not increasing, housing stability! Worse still, this legislation sets a dangerous precedent: that the state can arbitrarily decide that certain forms of ownership or use are morally suspect and therefore deserve targeted financial punishment. That is not sound governance. That is resentment-based policymaking. New Hampshire has long prided itself on being hostile to this exact kind of policy…high-handed, economically illiterate, and openly antagonistic toward small property owners and entrepreneurs. HB1580 represents a sharp departure from those values. I am not “concerned” about this bill. I am not “uneasy” about this bill. I am categorically and unequivocally opposed to it!!!!! If HB1580 passes, I will not absorb the cost. I will not “adjust.” I will stop hosting. And I will not be alone. The downstream damage will be immediate and entirely self-inflicted by the legislature. I urge you to reject HB1580 in its entirety. Respectfully, but firmly, Sean Dempsey