Section 12-G:14 Limitations on State and Local Taxation; Provision of Services. - New Hampshire Statutes

   I. The exercise of the powers granted by this chapter shall be in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state, for their well-being and prosperity, and for the improvement of their social and economic conditions, and, except as provided in paragraph II, the authority shall not be required to pay any tax or assessment on any property or project owned by the authority under the provisions of this chapter or upon the revenues from such property or project, nor shall the authority be required to pay any recording fee or transfer tax of any kind on account of instruments recorded by it or on its behalf. Nothing in this section shall be construed to exempt any transferee, lessee, or tenant of the authority from paying any recording fee, transfer tax, or other tax required by state law.
   II. All airport property within the boundaries of Pease Air Force Base but outside of the airport district located thereon that is owned or occupied by a person, other than the authority or any other entity exempted from taxation under RSA 72:23, shall be taxable by the municipality in which the property is located as though such property were not owned by the exempt entity and were held in fee simple. Upon leasing or renting by the authority of any of its airport property outside the airport district to a non-exempt entity for any use, the municipality in which such property is located shall subject such property to any and all applicable property taxes of the municipality as though such property were not owned by the state or authority and were held in fee simple. Tax payments shall be made as follows:
      (a) In the case of such airport property rented from the authority, the renter shall pay, in lieu of real estate taxes, to the municipality in which the property is located an amount equal to the amount that would have been paid as ad valorem taxes in respect to such property, had it been owned by a nongovernmental person.
      (b) In the case of such airport property leased from the authority, the lessee of such property shall pay all taxes duly assessed against such property no later than the due date. If the lessee fails to pay such duly assessed taxes by the due date:
         (1) Interest shall accrue on the unpaid taxes at a rate of 18 percent per annum from the due date until such taxes are paid;
         (2) The municipality in which the leased airport property is located shall have a lien, subordinate only to any existing lien of the authority or the state, upon any personal property including, but not limited to, equipment owned by the lessee, which lien shall continue in force from the due date until the taxes and accrued interest are paid; and
         (3) The municipality may bring suit against the lessee in any court of competent jurisdiction for the recovery of any unpaid taxes and interest, together with reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
      (c) Such tax payments shall be made at the times and in the manner prescribed for ad valorem property taxes for nongovernmental persons and shall be based on the valuation of the property determined by the respective municipality for such purpose, subject to any equalization or proportionality factor to be applied within such municipality. If the lessee or authority determines that any valuation made by a municipality is excessive, it may seek a reduction of the valuation by following the procedures prescribed in RSA 76 for the abatement of taxes.
   III. For all airport property within the boundaries of Pease Air Force Base and within the airport district that is owned, leased, or occupied by a person, other than the authority, who is subject to the payment of a municipal services fee in lieu of real estate taxes for the provision of services by or on behalf of the authority which are traditionally provided by the town of Newington and/or the city of Portsmouth, and to the extent such municipal services fee is based in whole or in part on the valuation of the property by the respective municipality for such purpose, subject to any equalization or proportionality factor to be applied within such municipality, if the lessee or authority determines that any valuation made by a municipality is excessive, it may seek a reduction of the valuation by following the procedures prescribed in RSA 76 for the abatement of taxes.
   IV. Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
      (a) Security for all land and buildings within the airport district and security for all flights at Pease Air Force Base shall be provided by the authority. All other police services within the airport district shall be provided by the municipalities. Any municipality providing police services to the authority within the airport district shall be reimbursed in timely manner pursuant to a contract with the authority for all costs incurred by the municipality in providing such services, including but not limited to, salaries, benefits, insurance, equipment, and associated administrative expenses.
      (b) The provision of all other services to land, buildings, and people in the airport district which are traditionally provided by the town of Newington and/or the city of Portsmouth shall be exclusively the responsibility of the authority. These services shall include, but not be limited to, the provision of fire protection, roadway maintenance, runway and parking apron maintenance, maintenance of all underground storage facilities, public assistance, public education, and public utilities. In accordance with the provisions of RSA 12-G:8, VIII, the authority may contract with any person for the provision of these services.
      (c) Outside of the airport district the provision of the municipal services by the towns of Greenland and Newington and the cities of Portsmouth and Rochester shall be governed by the general law of the state and the other provisions of this chapter.
   V. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all property formerly held by the port authority and transferred to the authority, or acquired by the authority pursuant to RSA 12-G:39, is declared to be public property and shall be exempt from all taxes and special assessments of the state or any political subdivision thereof; provided that in lieu of such taxes the authority shall make payments to the city of Portsmouth in the amount of $30,000 annually for the tax year commencing April 1, 2001, and each subsequent tax year for highway maintenance, fire protection, and other services.
   VI. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all property formerly held by the department of transportation and transferred to the authority, or acquired by the authority pursuant to this chapter, is declared to be public property and shall be exempt from all taxes and special assessments of the state or any political subdivision thereof.

Source. 2001, 290:6, eff. July 1, 2001. 2009, 113:8, 9, eff. June 26, 2009.