Charlemont is a recreational destination. Its location on the Deerfield River offers tubing, river rafting and world-class kayaking; its state forest supports hiking and cross-country skiing. The jewel in the crown of this town on the edge of the Berkshires is, of course, Berkshire East, a year-round mountain resort.
All of these activities draw tourists from near and far who bring dollars and excitement to town. In turn, Charlemont spends a lot of money to keep visitors and residents safe.
To this end, voters at Saturday’s Special Town Meeting approved — again — a recreation tax to address the town’s costs associated with its tourism businesses. The town can now petition the state Legislature for the law. Again.
It all began in May 2016 when Charlemont residents voted to support a 3 percent tax on recreation activities that would be used to help pay for town services such as ambulance and police. “Our property tax base is not expanding,” said then-Selectwoman Beth Bandy in 2017, “and we need to find new forms of revenue.”
Since then, state Rep. Paul Mark (D-Peru) and state Sen. Adam Hinds (D-Pittsfield) have worked doggedly with the state Department of Revenue to enact this local recreation tax. Vermont already has a local-option sales tax for several of its ski areas, but this would be the first of its kind in Massachusetts.
Recorder headlines over the ensuing months tell the story: “Proposed Charlemont recreation tax gets House OK,” “Recreation tax dies in Senate,” “Proposed recreation tax gets House OK (again),” “Charlemont leaders have fingers crossed for Senate approval,” and on March 21, 2018, “Senate OKs Charlemont recreation tax.”
However, as Yogi Berra put it, it’s not over until it’s over. On March 21, 2018, the bill was “passed to be engrossed” — typically, the last step in the legislative process before a bill is sent to the governor for signing. Alas, it was not to be and Charlemont’s recreation tax died aborning.
Since then, Charlemont’s popularity, especially in the summer, has burgeoned. This past summer alone, Charlemont launched numerous river rescues for independent tubers and rafters and overcrowding at public use areas required State Police presence.
According to Selectboard Chair Sarah Reynolds, that resulted in a “balloon” effect that pushed crowding to other parts of town. Former Selectboard member Jonathan “Jay” Healy estimated it would cost roughly $125,000 a year to fund extra police presence in town. Healy said standard police presence for river recreation activities would likely require four officers at entry points to monitor parking and to prevent people from bringing alcohol, drugs and trash into the river.
Fast forward to last weekend’s successful vote, at the suggestion of Hinds and Mark, who are ready to try again to shepherd such a bill through the Legislature. If implemented, the tax would let Charlemont add a 3 percent tax to the ticket price of commercial recreational activities that originate in or go through the town. As Healy said in 2018, visitors spending $100 on a kayaking or fishing trip would not be deterred by a $3 tax.
Commercial recreation businesses all supported the tax the last time around, and wrote letters of support. The money would go to the town’s general fund to pay for services and infrastructure.
In a town of 1,100 residents, with outdoor recreation facilities that can bring a few thousand more people to town during busy weekends, that extra revenue is vital to keeping people safe.
We hope this time around’s the charm for Hinds and Mark and applaud them for taking up the cause once again.