In John Poulos's over-55 condominium community in Litchfield, the condo association plows and maintains the roads, and supplies the water. But Poulos still pays the same tax rate as a homeowner in a single-family home who uses many more municipal services. He thinks he should get a break.
Poulos has joined forces with a group of other condo owners in age-restricted housing who are agitating for a statewide property tax abatement. Elderly residents, he said, don't send children to the schools and are expected to pay for the maintenance of their own roads and utility lines. But many of his neighbors live on fixed incomes and struggle to accommodate their ever-rising tax bills.
"We simply don't draw on the same amount of town services that a family of four that has an acre and a half does," said Poulos, who moved from Massachusetts to Litchfield a few years ago. "We just felt that we should attempt it if we could make things a bit more equitable."
Earlier this month, Poulos wrote letters to the editor of nine New Hampshire newspapers and called for a meeting of like-minded seniors. About 100 showed up to a recent meeting and expressed interest in a policy change. Two of Poulos's state representatives said they would bring the idea to Concord next year, if they're re-elected.
"We're not looking for a huge amount," said Jean White, one of Poulos's neighbors. "We're looking for maybe just a small one. Something that would benefit us a bit in these golden years."
Age-restricted housing developments have been burgeoning throughout the state, as towns have realized they are a way to draw new residents who will not bring children into the school systems. But these retired residents say they're sick of being treated as cash cows for their communities. Though Poulos and his colleagues emphasized that they want to support public education and pay their fair share, they said that the current taxing system doesn't make sense.
"As a group of people right now, we feel like the people in Boston must have felt when they threw the tea in the bay," said Paul Hamel, who recently relocated from Massachusetts to an over-55 community in Hudson. "We're paying taxes and we're not getting anything for them."
The idea is still taking shape. Rep. Lynn Ober, a Hudson Republican who has signed on to the effort, said that she's not sure how much of a discount would be appropriate. Poulos and other members of the effort said they aren't sure whether condo groups that welcome young residents should be allowed to take part. But they said they're optimistic that the proposal will begin winding its way through the Legislature next session.
"Our role as state representatives is to help each and every one of our constituents," Ober said.
Peter Francese, an Exeter demographer who has written extensively on age-restricted housing, said that the group - as with many towns - is thinking too simply about the ways elderly communities use tax dollars. His research, he said, has shown that increasing the proportion of elderly residents has actually increased the tax burden for many communities. Older people drive up the cost of health insurance for school districts through their use of Medicare, soften the commercial tax base by shopping less than younger people and increase commuting - and the need for road expansion - by exhausting the affordable housing supply in places where young people work.
"These people cost the state of New Hampshire so much money," Francese said.
Hamel said that he thinks residents of age-restricted communities such as his will have growing political clout as new units fill around the state. Unlike Francese, he figures he pays for more than he uses.
"Whether they like it or not, we're here to stay," he said. "They're building a lot more of these in New Hampshire, and we're going to be a considerable-sized voting block. And older people tend to vote more."
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I'd like to address the (move back to MA) comment. The majority of the 55+ folks are not from out of state or have lived in state previously and raised their children here. Sadly the reporter zeroed in on that fact during her interviews.
Property taxes are based on the value of your property. That's it. They don't care how many people live there, which services you use, whether you have kids or pets. If you live in a condo that is worth, $200,000 you will pay the same taxes as a person in a house with 5 kids of school age on a town maintained road if their house is worth $200,000. The only way to change that is to change the method of taxation. You can go with an income tax, a sales tax, a usage tax, or a per person tax, but the same amount of money has to be raised. Everything has to be paid for. It cost the same to pay for everything no matter which method of taxation is used. NH insists on using the property tax. If you don't like the method of taxation, work to change it. Or move into a cheaper home. If you are retired, in a $200,000 home, you would probably be better off with an income tax (lower income). But not everyone else agrees with you. Until the method of taxation changes, stop whining. "Let everyone else pay for everything" is not a method of taxation.
If NH puts in an income tax we will have high property taxes and an income tax! History has shown us (ask the people of Connecticut) that if the politicians add another tax they NEVER get rid of an existing tax. So we will paying high property taxes AND an income tax! And no doubt a sales tax won't be far behind that!
No way, no how, no income (or sales) tax!
I don't live in Itchfiled but I do live in a condo community. My property taxes are outrageous and in my opinion, they are unfair. I pay condo fees like everyone else, but what gets me is that I don't own any land! I own the inside of my condo, but I own no land on the outside of my front door; the property manager tells us when we can decorate our doors and when we cannot, when we can put our trashin the dumpsters and when we can't, and last winter I had to fight to get the snow removed from my driveway so that I could actually get out of my yard to go to work. I don't mind paying property taxes so that kids can be educated - and my kids are all grown, too - but I do object to paying as much as my mother, who has land and a huge home, and I don't own even a square piece of land. I don't understand why my condo fees don't cover at least some of my property taxes.
Novel Concept
How about the people who spawn pay for THEIR kids' education, rather than rob their neighbors? That would be called freedom, then we wouldn't have to die.
- C. dog e. doG
These people should go back where they came from. In NH we have no sales or income tax. These greedy geezers would rather put the burden on young families with children. Pay your property taxes or go rent an apartment. Get a life!
You move into a condo so you can have a nice house, so you don't have to do yard work. I doublt if many 55+ residents are on a "fixed income" like the author states. Some towns in NH do give an eldery exemption if their income is low and they don't own much property. I doubt someone in well to do neighborhood is going to get a discount just because "it isn't fair". I am a single person and a homeowner. Been in my house 29 years. Always paid my property taxes, which most of goes to the schools. Yeah its not fair.. But what IS? You know the old saying, The only things certain in life are Death and Taxes.
Better luck next time.
I agree with "a few comments" It's quite true that the majority of the new 55+ condo residents voted for the new school and fire department. The school issue has been on the ballot and failed before these folks moved in. Many of these residents are from the area so they are not all new to the town and state.So please don't make comments based on the wrong information.
Many towns have elderly exemptions for property tax relief. The difference being you can't just move into a 55-plus housing and get it. You have to be over 65 (I think) and have a time in residence of a specific number of years ( 6-8). This is a much fairer system by giving a break to elderly who need it, as opposed to giving an exemption because of the type of property you choose to buy.
to visit taxes and services. It would be more equitable for those who use certain specialized services to pay for them (such as schools). Any tax abatement for a particular service should be across the board (in other words - not based on age - for a childless young couple would still have the same beef about taxes and schools as a retired folks).
I live on a private road and still pay taxes. I don't use the ambulance or the fire department, and still pay taxes. I don't call the police for useless stuff, and still pay taxes. I don't have town water and sewer and I still pay taxes. My kids don't use the towns school district, and I still pay taxes. Where's my discount? Seriously, deal with it. people in the 55+ neighborhoods are no longer the only people on a "limited income" so stop using that phrase.
I live in Litchfield in a condo development for over 55 residents. I have spoken with many residents in similar communities around town and one thing is very clear. The "elderly" residents of those communities voted for the new school at a higher percentage than did the other voters in town. Any statement that specifically states or implies that elderly residents don't vote for schools is wrong. Long before the "boom" in 55+ took place in Litchfield the town voted down a new school...more than once!.
NH is number two nationally in median real estate tax and while NH doesn't have an income tax (except on some forms of investment income) residents are charged very high (comparatively) "fees" for almost anything to do with living here.
You may have to pay the same taxes for an unpaved road but you don't have to pay twice to repair it. "Private' communities pay twice, once to the town in form of taxes and once to their association because the association has to fix their potholes, re-pave, etc. The town bears no responsibility to do so. Towns exempt 55+ development permits from counting against their Planning Boards' growth plans because they see condos as "cash cows". I don't blame them but it isn't right to subject fixed-income residents to the same tax burden as those whose income will most certainly rise over their professional lives.
NH property taxes are not a use tax. They are based on the market value of the property you own. If you don't like the current system then vote in a use tax. This use tax is already in place throughout most of the country and is called a sales tax.
I'm 62 and I pay all the same taxes as everyone else. It is a fact of life and as has been noted the over 55 complex probably uses the towns ambulance service and triggers smoke detector alarms a lot more often than any other residence in town. On the other hand your demographer that is often quoted is really clueless because he repeats his mantra all over New England that "build to the greatest density possible with the cheapest housing available and get only young people to live here so the shopping malls can get the cheapest labor possible working there".
If 90% of my tax dollars was going toward services that I didn't use, I'd try to get a break too! I wish them luck.
Let's all agree to eliminate the local property tax with its local, school, county, & state school categories and replace it with a NH 5% income tax. 2 1/2% for Concord state gov, and 2 1/2% stays local.
How you like this plan?
I think what they are asking for would fail on the grounds of age discrimination. I live in a condo association, so I have the same scenario as these seniors. Nor do my wife and I have children, and we don't plan to either, but giving just the seniors a break in my mind is more unfair then the current situation. Should we tax people who drive more to cover the extra wear they place on the roads. How about those people with more children pay more for school? Sure it sounds nice (and is unfair too). Nobody made you move to NH. If you didn't do your homework before buying here, then I'm sorry, but it's not my fault.
Until this state votes in a broad based tax, then property tax is the only other means to raise a sizeable portion of cash. I don't like it either, but you've got to convince our elected leaders to look into a sales (not my choice) or income (more equitable for all if you ask me) tax.
The author of the Deal With It! comment is a longtime Litchfield resident. I'm very familiar with the 55+ condos that have been developed in town. It is a disappointment that these members of our community have started to become a polarizing force. Our school system has suffered because this block of voters has elected to view our communites challenges through the lens of self interest.
We never had children and have paid our taxes without complaint. It is our civic duty. It was your choice to buy into a condo association. Older people due tend to vote more and they also complain more. Time to get a hobby.
New Hampshire residents are a bunch of whiners. New Hampshire has the lowest tax burden in the nation but it is still not low enough for some people. I can only imagine what those condos cost. If the taxes are too high and you can't afford it then just move.
There are many, many people paying equal taxes for unequal services. There are people in every community that pay taxes who don't have children. There are huge numbers who live on "private" non-town-maintained roads who pay the same taxes as folks on paved and plowed roads.
Everyone would love to pay taxes for JUST the services they use.....but that's not how it works.
While I can appreciate that retired individuals may have less income, and while it is true, they are unlikely to have children in the school system, which tax money is paying for, they are still driving the roads, (potentially) using the services of police and fire, etc. If this segment of society gets a tax break, what about those who aren't retired and don't have children using the schools? Are they then going to get a tax break too?
I live in a town where I don't have children in the school, I don't have a paved road, no street lights, no dump pick up, no town water, no town sewer, volunteer fire dept., is it fair that the majority of my tax dollars pay to support the schools in my town? No, but that's life.