Bringing boat to Florida from BVI's

[Justin_NSA]

Chill. I didn't say I wouldn't pay it, And I'm not "wound up about it". Our crew probably spent over $7k in the 10 days we were there. We paid chartering, mooring fees, food, fuel trash and ice service, taxis etc on top of the merchandise, bars and shops we visited. Also a park permit for Virgin Gorda. That goes into their economy. In my opinion, they don't need to tax us to leave on top of that. You are comparing apples and oranges. I live in the US, I don't live in the British Commonwealth. I will pay taxes for the things you mentioned because I am a part of this community. We had a little tea party with them about taxation without representation. You are rigbt about the Visa, and you are essentially agreeing with me. Whether you are coming or going you shouldn't have to pay for the "privilege". BTW, British citizens can get a Visa waiver when visiting the US. It's just $4 to apply. If anyone is wound up, it's you. I'm not going to make this thread political. I just wanted to suggest that it might cost money just to remove the boat from the BVI's. I made the mistake of expressing my position on a tax I thought was insulting as we were attempting to board the ferry ( which we paid to use) after we spent so much money there. That should be understandable regardless whether you are left or right.
So I'm done here.

 

[gettinthere]

Amen Justin

 

[Kings Gambit]

It's not like you don't have to pay to visit our National Parks, even though you supposedly pay your fair share of taxes. Or bridge tolls, even though your taxes go to infrastructure like bridges.

Yeah, well here's one for you where the revenue from the bridge toll of the Vincent Thomas bridge in Los Angeles generated barely enough money to pay for the cost of collecting the toll--millions of dollars per year. Now that's a ridiculous toll (which has done away with since 2000); I suppose there might be some ridiculous taxes of similar nature out there as well. That is, a tax which is collected to pay the people a salary to collect the tax, and little else!!

The Vincent Thomas toll, 50 cents for autos and as much as $2.10 for large trucks, is collected for westbound traffic only. It brings in about $2.6 million per year, say officials at the California Department of Transportation. But after the expense of collecting and administering the toll is subtracted, only 2 cents on the dollar actually winds up in state coffers, Caltrans says. That is not enough to justify the tax, in the opinion of Assemblyman Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), who urged that it be dropped.

http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/26/local/me-37670

 

[Ron20324]

[QUOTE....That is, a tax which is collected to pay the people a salary to collect the tax, and little else!!...QUOTE]

Years ago the comic strip B.C. had one where there was a sign in the middle of the desert that said, "toll, one clam". They guy on the wheel asked what the toll was for. The official said, "to pay for the sign". Chicka-boom.

At least if they only break even, someone has a job from it.