Seniors in New Hampshire would have to pay $5 to ski on weekdays at Cannon Mountain under a deal approved by a legislative committee Wednesday.
Currently, state residents over age 65 can ski at the state-run mountain for free on weekdays. But after some officials said the perk drained revenue from the self-funded park system, lawmakers have been debating raising seniors’ admission.
On Wednesday, a committee of conference agreed to the $5 weekday fee and decided to let the Department of Resources and Economic Development raise the charge by $5 per year. Increases would be capped at one-third the cost of a regular lift ticket, which comes to $25. The department could only charge seniors two-thirds the cost of a regular lift ticket on weekends.
The compromise also allows the state to start charging seniors admission to state parks and beaches on weekends and holidays.
“I have been talking to everyone including the department,” said Sen. Nancy Stiles, a Hampton Republican. “This is the one we settled in on.”
Last year seniors made 2,112 free visits to Cannon Mountain, a value of about $110,000, according to the Division of Parks and Recreation. The division estimated that senior freebies across the park system cost $233,000 in lost revenue during the 2015 season.
The House and Senate approved bills earlier this session to do away with free skiing, causing an uproar among some lawmakers who said the perk keeps the state’s seniors active. The compromise reached Wednesday still needs sign-off from the two chambers before it goes to Gov. Maggie Hassan’s desk.
(Allie Morris can be reached at 369-3307, amorris@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @amorrisNH.)