So – Who Voted For A NH Sales Tax?

On March 11th, HB 673 made it’s way to the floor of the New Hampshire House.  The legislation has one sponsor, Rep Gilman Shattuck, (D-Hillsborough 1).

It would impose a sales tax, a use tax, most certainly require DRA to expand at taxpayer cost to manage it all, and add costs to business owners who would be required to keep records of everything for which they are required to collect or pay taxes.

HB 673 …

…imposes a 2.25 percent retail sales tax. The bill also imposes a 2.25 percent use tax on the use or storage of property in New Hampshire when no sales tax has been paid. Use tax is imposed, for example, when a New Hampshire business buys property out of state tax-free and uses it in New Hampshire. It also applies when a business makes personal use of property that it has purchased for resale or has manufactured for sale.

Sales made in New Hampshire for delivery out of state are taxable under this bill. Sales made out of state for delivery out of state are exempt from taxation. Sales for resale, casual sales, and sales of specific items such as gasoline, heating oil, medical supplies, and items of clothing under $175 are all exempt from taxation.

The Bill came out of committee Inexpedient to legislate, which is not surprising, but these 13 NH House hold-outs voted no to save the sales tax.  I guess they really wanted a sales and use tax in New Hampshire.  Even this one.  Just to get a foot in the door.

Is that something small business owners, taxpayers, voters (even those out of state “tourists” they let vote here) need to remember come November 2016?  I think it is.

Here is who voted for it…