Eagle Times Staff
CONCORD, N.H. — Lindsey Stepp of Holderness was recently renominated by Gov. Chris Sununu and confirmed by the New Hampshire Executive Council on Wednesday, Aug. 7, to continue serving as Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (NHDRA). Stepp, NHDRA’s first female Commissioner, began her tenure as Commissioner in December 2017 after previously serving as Assistant Commissioner for nearly two years. Stepp’s new four-year term runs through Sept. 1, 2028.
In her role as Commissioner, Stepp leads the state’s tax agency, which is responsible for collecting in excess of $2.7 billion in annual revenue; ensuring equity in the $4.5 billion of property taxes collected by New Hampshire’s 234 municipalities; and directing a staff of more than 150 professionals charged with fairly and efficiently collecting taxes from the state’s citizens, businesses, utilities and hospitals.
“Our collective accomplishments over the past seven years are remarkable when we look at the technological upgrades and enhancements we have implemented, and further how those improvements are enabling us to better and more efficiently serve the taxpayers of New Hampshire,” Stepp said. “I am grateful and honored to have the opportunity to serve as Commissioner and to continue finding strategic and proactive ways to enhance the experience for our customers statewide, now and in the future.”
The marquee achievement under Stepp’s leadership to date has been the implementation of the Revenue Information Management System (RIMS) and the Granite Tax Connect (GTC) online user portal, which together modernized NHDRA’s entire information system and transformed the way New Hampshire taxpayers and tax preparers file and pay taxes through automation, integration and electronic filing. Since implementing RIMS, NHDRA has processed more than $13.2 billion in payments and taxpayers have filed more than 400,000 returns and made over 475,000 payments through the GTC portal.
Along with RIMS, Stepp has guided NHDRA through a number of initiatives aimed at leveraging technological upgrades and enhancing communication and customer service. Earlier this summer, NHDRA unveiled a completely overhauled website designed to be more intuitive and responsive to taxpayer needs. In addition, NHDRA has continually sought customer feedback to illuminate ways to improve customer service.
NHDRA’s strategic, forward-thinking approach has not gone unnoticed as the agency has been recognized by the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) with multiple awards. In 2022, FTA honored NHDRA for its innovative Meals & Rooms Tax Monitor Forward Audit Program, which eases the burden on New Hampshire restaurants. FTA also recognized NHDRA for its strategic approach to public outreach in 2020.
Stepp received her Master of Business Administration with a certificate in Investment and Finance in 2010 from Plymouth State University following a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. She assumed the role of International Tax and Transfer Pricing Consultant while at Ernst & Young for five years before working as a Financial Analyst for NHDRA for four years. She briefly worked at Plymouth State University as the Director of Business Services for Information Technology before returning to NHDRA as the Assistant Commissioner.
