To the editor:

I read the recent article ‘Bill would charge big game hunters’ that appeared in the Jan. 14 edition of this paper. This article covered a proposal by Rep. Renny Cushing, D-Hampton to require hunters on a private reserve to buy an additional hunting license, essentially a surcharge or tax, because nonmember hunters do not have access to this facility and NH Fish and Game presumably incurs some cost to monitor this reserve.

Dear Rep. Cushing,

I am sure that you understand the dangers inherent in taxation on special groups apart from taxes that serve the general good. Special interest taxes (or licenses or registration fees…etc) are particularly onerous, especially if they are directed at groups whose activities or interests you personally do not like or agree with.

However, if this is a course you’d like to follow, I have a few more suggestions for you on taxation on private groups with inconsequential gain. Please propose a tax on private golf course members. Their hobby involves prolific use of chemicals and fossil fuels to maintain their hobby environment. Further, there is no doubt that emergency services respond not infrequently to help these private members when one of them suffers from dehydration or chest pains.

You could also generate more income for EMS services by sponsoring a special tax on private health club members. They too, undoubtedly have members who need outside emergency medical care from cardio or weight lifting activities.

Children in private summer camps, the list goes on. You could even include deep sea anglers in your district, who are fortunate enough to hire private deep sea fishing charters, essentially their own exclusive reserve for the time they are on the water. I’m sure some run into trouble at sea and need the services of NH Fish and Game or the Coast Guard. You should seriously think about proposing an added saltwater license fee that would help out in these cases, and it’s in your neighborhood.

Dear Rep. Cushing, stop cherry-picking non-issues and instead focus your time and effort on addressing the real issues in NH such as access to addiction and mental health care, homelessness and property taxes. Or perhaps the people of Hampton or the state of NH should demand a surcharge on legislators who waste their and our time and money.

Gail Simmons

Jaffrey