[C320-list] State proposes hiking boat fees (Maryland)

[Paul Rickman]

Once upon a time, around 1989, 1990, the Federal Government
put an excise tax on boats and also required an annual sticker
for annual fee as well. At that time the Federal Government
was responsible for driving many boat builders out of business.
Finally it took some time but the Federal Government dropped
those fees, realizing they had made a drastic miss judgment of
the boating industry, but by then it was too late. I think Maryland
will get a wake-up call on these new fees. They already get a 6%
sales tax every time a boat changes hands in this state. I think 
many people will take their boats out of state. Several years ago
Anne Arundel County found out that many people took their boats
to another county when they charged a tax on boat slips that no one
else was charging. So, it is time to talk to your representatives in
Annapolis. 
 
Paul
Affinity 657
Bay Bridge Marina
Chesapeake Bay, Maryland 
 

________________________________
 From: Jason Alexander <alexander.jason at gmail.com>
To: C320-List at catalina320.com 
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 7:19 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] State proposes hiking boat fees (Maryland)
  
I'm glad I live in Virginia.

On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 4:50 PM, Paul Rickman <ilove2sail at verizon.net> wrote:
> My bet is yes, it does apply to USCG documented boats, IT DOES NOW.
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>  From: Amshd2 <amshd2 at aol.com>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 4:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] State proposes hiking boat fees (Maryland)
>
>
> Warren
>
> Does this apply to USCG documented boats as well.
>
> Tony
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Nolte <dcnolte at mac.com>
> To: C320-List <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Sent: Fri, Feb 17, 2012 3:57 pm
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] State proposes hiking boat fees (Maryland)
>
>
> Hi Warren,
> Great info - thanks!
> The one thing I'm not clear on is what does the "IN 31 LENGTH" mean? Is the "31"
> ust a weird character in the string and should just be ignored, so that it
> eads "Vessel 16 feet to less than 32 feet in length"?
> Thanks,
> David Nolte
> each House #4
>
> n Feb 17, 2012, at 3:20 PM, Warren Updike wrote:
>> The bill, HB 1307, in its first reading appears as follows:
> (II) VESSEL 16 FEET TO LESS THAN 32 FEET IN 31 LENGTH    $75
> (III) VESSEL 32 FEET TO LESS THAN 45 FEET IN 33 LENGTH $125
> I believe the article in the Baltimore Sun got it wrong saying that the 32'
> fee would be $250.  I'll contact the paper to verify that.
>
> The C320 data sheet from 1993 says LOA is 32' 9" so that puts us in the $125
> category.
>
> I don't see in the bill that the time period has changed, so that would be
> every two years, and increase from $12/yr to $62.50/yr; more than a 400%
> increase.
>
> All in all, I can't complain. $12/yr is a ridiculous fee for the pleasure of
> boating on the country's finest estuary.  The problem is that this is just
> one new tax being proposed by our money grabbing state of Maryland.
>
> The "People's Party" is showing its true color and that color is green.
>
> Warren & Pattie Updike
> 1994 C320 #62 "Warr De Mar"
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Nolte [mailto:dcnolte at mac.com]
> Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 10:11 AM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] State proposes hiking boat fees (Maryland)
>
> Good point Irv, does anyone know whether we would fall into the $125 or $250
> category, all of the article state:
>
> 16 feet to 32 feet: $125.
> 32 feet to 45 feet: $250.
>
> Which are we? It doesn't say "less than" or "greater than"
>
> Anybody know?
>
> Maybe I will apply for exemptions for boats more than 20 years old - hard to
> believe, but mine will be there soon!
>
> David Nolte
> Beach House #0004
>
>
> On Feb 17, 2012, at 9:17 AM, Irving Grunes wrote:
>
>> Isn't our C320 only 31 ft 11 and1/2 inches long to get under the 32 ft
>> limit? .:0)) Irv Grunes
>> #851
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 8:59 AM, Allan S Field
> <allan.field at verizon.net>wrote:
>>
>>> Or The People's Republic of Maryland...
>>>
>>> Allan S. Field
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>> On Feb 16, 2012, at 3:58 PM, "Jim Sweet" <jamesweet at frontiernet.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Maryland should change its name to New York.
>>>>
>>>> Jim Sweet
>>>> TGIF (Thank God It Floats) 902
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Rickman" <
>>> ilove2sail at verizon.net>
>>>> To: <c320-list at catalina320.org>
>>>> Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 3:53 PM
>>>> Subject: [C320-list] State proposes hiking boat fees (Maryland)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> They plan to raise the flush tax and add a frontage tax to your
>>>> property taxes.
>>>>
>>>> State proposes hiking boat fees
>>>> -A A +A
>>>> By 2016, fees would range from $50 to $700 depending on size of boat
>>>> By Pamela Wood Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:21 am (Updated:
>>>> February 16, 11:21 am)
>>>>
>>>> It soon may become much more expensive to put a boat in the water in
>>> Maryland.
>>>> The Department of Natural Resources is proposing drastic increases
>>>> in
>>> boat registration fees to raise money for dredging, buoy maintenance,
>>> ice-breaking and other water projects.
>>>> "We do not have sufficient funds to support the needs that we have
>>>> for
>>> boating in Maryland," said Bob Gaudette, who supervises boating
>>> programs for the DNR.
>>>> Right now, boaters pay $24 every two years to register their boats.
>>>> Under the proposal, the registration fee would be multiplied many
>>>> times
>>> over, depending on the size of the boat.
>>>> The fees would be phased in. By 2016, owners of small boats less
>>>> than 16
>>> feet would pay $50 every two years. Other fees would be $125 for
>>> boats from
>>> 16 to 32 feet, $250 for boats from 32 feet to 45 feet, and $500 for
>>> boats from 45 feet to 65 feet. For the largest boats of all - more
>>> than 65 feet - the fee would be $700.
>>>> The fees would apply to boats that aren't registered in Maryland,
>>>> but
>>> are state-documented vessels because they are primarily used here.
>>>> The proposal removes an exemption for sailboats that don't also have
>>> motors. Under the proposal, all sailboats 16 feet or larger must
>>> register, whether they have a motor or not.
>>>> There also would be a new, voluntary registration for canoes, kayaks
>>>> and
>>> paddleboats that would cost $12 every two years. About 57,000 small,
>>> nonmotorized boats would be eligible statewide.
>>>> Anne Arundel County would be the state jurisdiction most heavily
>>> affected by the new rules. There are 36,348 registered boats here,
>>> more than in any other county.
>>>> If boat ownership stays steady at about 200,000 boats, the new fees
>>> would bring in $13.2 million per year. Right now, boating
>>> registration generates $2.1 million for the state annually.
>>>> But even the proposed increases wouldn't be enough to plug the
>>>> boating
>>> services budget holes at DNR.
>>>> The DNR's boating programs get most of their money from the 5
>>>> percent
>>> excise tax paid when boats are sold.
>>>> As the economy has faltered, boat sales have plummeted. That means
>>>> less
>>> excise tax money going to the state.
>>>> "I am completely at the whim of the marketplaces. If boat sales go
>>>> up, I
>>> have money. If boat sales go down, I don't have money," Gaudette said.
>>>> But the state still has a long list of boating-related projects.
>>>> That
>>> list could soon get longer. The Army Corps of Engineers announced
>>> recently that it can no longer afford as many dredging projects.
>>>> The state has about $15 million available for boating projects each
>>> year, but an annual list of $41 million worth of work.
>>>> Even if the registration fee increases are approved by lawmakers,
>>>> the
>>> DNR still will be short.
>>>> "This gets us a little less than halfway there," Gaudette said.
>>>> "We're
>>> not going for the moon here. We're trying to cover the most critical
>>> of our projects."
>>>> The projects include maintaining thousands of buoys, markers and
>>>> signs;
>>> maintaining 265 public boating channels; keeping channels free of ice
>>> in the winter; having Natural Resources Police conduct boating safety
>>> checks; removing abandoned boats; and maintaining public boating
> facilities.
>>>> DNR officials acknowledged that they may face opposition. Lawmakers
>>>> have
>>> been wary of fee and tax increases and many are already frustrated
>>> about Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposal to apply the 6 percent sales
>>> tax to gasoline purchases.
>>>> Olivia Campbell Andersen, the DNR's lobbyist, said many boating fees
>>> haven't been changed in decades. And the money would go to projects
>>> that will benefit those who pay the fees.
>>>> "People recognize the great need for services that these funds provide,"
>>> she said. "We want to keep boating thriving and safe in Maryland."
>>>> The proposal is being introduced to the General Assembly today. A
>>> hearing has not yet been scheduled.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>