Another "tax" for boat owners in Texas
- Thread starter r. gallagher
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We're creating JOB's here. That's what these elected officials said they were going to do. Now they have funded these jobs.
Oh well.
Oh well.
They might create more government jobs but fewer boaters will mean less jobs at marinas, boat repair shops, boat builders, ect. Over regulation leads to less commerce it always does. My fear is this will lead to less compliance overall.Ray Bowles said:
Just paid my MSD tax today.
I noticed that when I pay most bills online in the end they say thank you for your payment, here is your confirmation number.
There is no thank you for this payment. Just about 6 pages of stuff and then a statement saying that you've now paid your tax and it might be three days before it shows up at your bank and now you need to mail it to us at your expense.
Thank you for being a boat owner in Texas, glad you are all rich yacht owners. (ok, so maybe I added that last little part).
DanM.
I noticed that when I pay most bills online in the end they say thank you for your payment, here is your confirmation number.
There is no thank you for this payment. Just about 6 pages of stuff and then a statement saying that you've now paid your tax and it might be three days before it shows up at your bank and now you need to mail it to us at your expense.
Thank you for being a boat owner in Texas, glad you are all rich yacht owners. (ok, so maybe I added that last little part).
DanM.
When they finally realized, after lying to to everyone for so long that things were fine, that they were in horrible financial shape, and needed to start gouging their citizens.
You may not have heard...
Additional taxes on "small interest groups," like us sail boat owners, is altogether too prevalent.
Thanks goodness for BoatUS. Only organization (other than some local state groups) that at least attempts to help us out.
Dan, I feel for you and your brethren. So "nice" of the bureaucrats to send you such a nice "thank you" note. Remember, you voted 'em in and have only one other choice to make next November.
I'm no fan of this sort of regulation. "Self-certification" reveals that this will do little to educate the public or make a real dent in the problem... if there actually is a problem. And on the enforcement side, officials will no longer be looking for a problem, they'll just look for a sticker, which is so much easier. (I feel the same way about laws mandating bike helmets or PFDs... easy enforcement, no real change)
Still...it's $7.50 a year, folks. You've all paid more for a drink, or a fast-food lunch, or a handful of stainless-steel trinkets from the chandlery. Some of you earn $7.50... in 5 minutes or less. A big part of current government shortfalls is insufficient taxation of corporations and the wealthy.
eek: now ducking, putting on flame-retardant suit )
Still...it's $7.50 a year, folks. You've all paid more for a drink, or a fast-food lunch, or a handful of stainless-steel trinkets from the chandlery. Some of you earn $7.50... in 5 minutes or less. A big part of current government shortfalls is insufficient taxation of corporations and the wealthy.
eek: now ducking, putting on flame-retardant suit )
Ken,
I see where you're coming from, I just would have prefered to get this card in the mail so at least I wouldn't feel like it was such a scam....
"Dear Texas Boat owner. We need revenue and you have a yacht which probably means you are wealthy so we are going to need to get $15 out of you and we're going to give you a sticker so we can enforce a massive ticket to increase revenue even further if you don't get our sticker".
"Pay up right away, and put this ugly sticker on your yacht to prove it".
"By the way, we're not really certifying anything on your yacht, we just need the revenue but we have to call it something. Feel free to continue to break the law just how you always have, we'll never know. But send the $15.00 right away."
"Oh, and there will be no please or thank you in any part of this process so get over it".
Signed... Texas.
For me it's all about the way they are doing it that bugs me... not the $15.00 so much.
DanM.
I see where you're coming from, I just would have prefered to get this card in the mail so at least I wouldn't feel like it was such a scam....
"Dear Texas Boat owner. We need revenue and you have a yacht which probably means you are wealthy so we are going to need to get $15 out of you and we're going to give you a sticker so we can enforce a massive ticket to increase revenue even further if you don't get our sticker".
"Pay up right away, and put this ugly sticker on your yacht to prove it".
"By the way, we're not really certifying anything on your yacht, we just need the revenue but we have to call it something. Feel free to continue to break the law just how you always have, we'll never know. But send the $15.00 right away."
"Oh, and there will be no please or thank you in any part of this process so get over it".
Signed... Texas.
For me it's all about the way they are doing it that bugs me... not the $15.00 so much.
DanM.
Only $7.50 a year
Ken,
I understand what you are driving at when you said it was only $7.50 a year and we spend more than that on a drink. The cost was not my point. Also, when have you ever experienced a tax remaining at the same level? Do you think this will increase over time? Do you think it will ever go away? Hardly. Once the TAX is in place it wil only get bigger. And as mentioned earlier, what are we actually paying for? A decal. Nothing else. What is next? A fee to self certify we do not pour harmful chemical down our sink drains? Here's your decal!
besides, I do have a brass plaque afixed in my boat that reminds me not to dump with coastal waters and inland lakes. And it comes with no fees attached.
Ken,
I understand what you are driving at when you said it was only $7.50 a year and we spend more than that on a drink. The cost was not my point. Also, when have you ever experienced a tax remaining at the same level? Do you think this will increase over time? Do you think it will ever go away? Hardly. Once the TAX is in place it wil only get bigger. And as mentioned earlier, what are we actually paying for? A decal. Nothing else. What is next? A fee to self certify we do not pour harmful chemical down our sink drains? Here's your decal!
besides, I do have a brass plaque afixed in my boat that reminds me not to dump with coastal waters and inland lakes. And it comes with no fees attached.
I agree with Dan and rg. kenn, it's not the amount it's the concept.
Democracy begins with YOU - fight back. Write letters, involve BoatUS, vote.
Democracy begins with YOU - fight back. Write letters, involve BoatUS, vote.
Understood... all I'm saying is - pick your battles. Nothing more important to get upset about?
If you receive goods and services from the state or from a private source you must pay for them. If you can get the population of your state to fore go all of the state funded services that are provided to the people of the state then when the debts that the state has accrued building schools, water treatment and sewage treatment systems, snow plowing, waste management sites (aka garbage dumps), police and fire service. Then you can watch your taxes go down. Channel dredging, aids to navigation, draw bridge operators, weather forecasting satellite services and even FEMA would go away without taxes.
Public services like you mentioned when provided "effectively" are appreciated, especially when tax dollars aren't wasted.Ross said:
I've work for the federal government and DOD contractors and the amount tax dollars some government employees are paid is simply ridiculous.
This tax is aimed at boaters who pay their fair share thru registration fees, title costs and sales tax.
Since when did FEMA become needed?
Also in my area Kemah, Texas they are wanting a fee for having a holding tank onboard. You have to pay $15.00 for two year MSD permit.
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