Sununu On Thin Ice For Nominating His Family’s Ski Resort For Special Tax Breaks

This week, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu was caught designating Waterville Valley, where his family owns a ski resort, as an “opportunity zone.” This designation gives wealthy investors preferential tax treatment. But for Sununu, is it another way to benefit himself and his family’s business?
Waterville Valley has been in a mountain of trouble for a while. Shortly after Sununu’s family bought the resort in 2010, they put Chris Sununu in charge. Or as Chris Sununu says, “Next thing you know, I’m the CEO.” Under Sununu’s failed leadership, the resort lost jobs and he even cut workers’ hours to deny them health insurance.
Why give Waterville Valley this special designation? There seem to be many other areas in New Hampshire that could have benefitted. 45 other Census tracts had lower median incomes than Waterville Valley, 49 out of 78 communities not selected have higher poverty rates than Waterville Valley, and 35 of the 78 communities not chosen have higher unemployment rates than Waterville Valley.
From cutting checks to his family and friends from his inauguration fund to designating his family’s business an “opportunity zone,” Sununu can’t cover up his shady dealings.
“Chris Sununu’s mountain of conflicts of interests keep piling up,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “By nominating his family’s business for a special tax status, Sununu continues to look after himself and his family’s financial interests ahead of Granite Staters. Sununu’s actions show him to be a self-serving politician who is out to enrich himself at the expense of New Hampshire.”