Whats A Scenic View Worth?
A Tax Hit, N.H. Residents Are Angered By Tax Levied On Some Homeowners With Scenic Views by Ben Arnoldy David Bischoff lights a gas lantern in his tiny cabin and gazes out the window. Two forested peaks rise beyond a snow-strewn field of hay. It’s a view that’s costing him dearly. To keep homeowners informed, property tax assessors in New Hampshire have begun to spell out how much a noteworthy view factors into their appraisals. In Mr. Bischoff’s case, his cabin, outhouse and land were valued at $43,000 but the mountain vista added $200,000 on top of that. That translated into an annual tax bill topping $4,000 on a rustic getaway he rarely visits. “I could go to the Mount Washington Hotel for a month and pay less than the tax on this,” says Bischoff. He points to more spectacular views across town that were assessed for far less. “My biggest complaint is the inconsistencies.” Oddities abound: Farmers paying thousands on uninhabited barns, lakefront homeowners charged for each window fa
