NH House committee rejects property tax incentive for hotel sprinkler installation

Panel votes down bill to make ‘technical’ changes

March 1, 2023

Jeff Feingold,

The House Municipal and County Government Committee has voted to kill a bill that would have enabled enable municipalities to give property tax relief to lodging establishments seeking to add sprinkler systems.

The bill was filed in the wake of the fire last April at the Red Jacket Mountain View Resort in North Conway. The fire wound up destroying the entire south wing of the hotel, and a subsequent investigation found that there were no sprinklers in the wing because it had been built in 1971, before the fire suppression systems were required.

Under the proposed bill, the owner of a qualifying structure that installed the systems would be able to apply for property tax relief for up to a five-year period.

The committee unanimously voted to recommend that the bill was inexpedient to legislate, meaning that it recommends the full House reject the bill. Opponents said the measure required some “technical” work that may be addressed next session.

Categories: Government, News

More news from NHBR:

Pease Tradeport continues as NH economic engine

New report cites Tradeport’s ‘uniquely important role in New Hampshire’s economic architecture’ as executive director looks toward ‘retooling’ for life science users

Mission accomplished

After a 14-month construction mission, the “Apollo” landed at the Kelly Falls apartment complex this week with the completion of the Mark Stebbins Community Center, the culmination of a vision by the late Mark Stebbins, a long-time business leader and philanthropist.

Granite Staters wary about the high cost of living

Because of tariffs, the war with Iran, and other White House policies, New Hampshire families have had to spend an additional $4,800 or more on goods and services, according to U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-NH.

NH’s rankings reflect the good and the bad

There are any number of reports, surveys, and rankings that show how well — or how poorly — New Hampshire is doing on a range of issues. Everything from education funding to safety to having a baby to business opportunities to student loan delinquency — it seems everything can be measured in one form or another, often as a yardstick against other states.

New Hampshire cannot be ‘controlled’

In a recent ad, a candidate for Congress claimed that “two families have controlled New Hampshire politics for the last several decades,” or something to that effect. That rather curious claim referred to the alleged dominance of New Hampshire politics by the Shaheen and Sununu families. The notion that any family has or could dominate New Hampshire politics has to be dismissed.

Manufactured homes in single-family neighborhoods?

Webinar panel discusses far-reaching consequences of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the bipartisan legislation that seeks to address the lack of supply in the Granite State and across the country

It's Worth Knowing: The Canadians are back in NH — but for how long?

There's been a rebound of Canadian tourists across NH this summer. But new tariffs and words may have an effect on their visits this fall. Meanwhile, right along the border, there's still cross-border neighborliness in the small New Hampshire and Canadian communities.

Discussion, Meeting And Business People In Office For Teamwork, Planning Or Review At Table. Collaboration, Professional And Group Of Diverse Employees For Ideas, Conversation Or Project Development

Young Granite Staters at the nexus of policy making

Child care and early education are the initial focus of a Stay Work Play initiative called NH Nexus to identify and address key issues facing young residents of New Hampshire

In NH, U.S. energy secretary says clean energy is expensive; urges approval of natural gas pipeline

With gasoline near $4 a gallon and healing oil prices expected to jump this winter, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Thursday said clean energy initiatives are partly to blame for high prices of energy. Wright, the founder and former chief-executive of a Denver-based oil-services and fracking company, spoke within eyesight of a small solar array at the Raymond district office of the New Hampshire Electric Co-op.