More proposed boat fees

[anchorclanker]

Right now this is being paid for primarily by a large number of people who do not document their boats (the general tax payers). I can't see why you would expect them to pay for it.

You could make the same argument for the national interstate highway system. Would you like user fees there? Why should those who dont drive on them have to pay for it? Because a user fee would cripple the entire system and effect the economy negatively.

How about airport user fees? That has been discussed in the aviation community for decades as liberals look for ways to fund all their increased spending. But it has been shot down time and again when it is shown the actual benefits to the economy at large by keeping it federally funded and not having user fees.

There are many other examples, but I think you get the idea.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

A,


Don't let some posts here upset you man. I thought the sit on your hands was abit overboard, but when it comes to religion & taxes, it's always an argument. We agree to disagree.


Speaking of timely, I went to update my registration yesterday in Florida. I have a documented vessel, but also need a state registration (yearly).

What totaled $65.00 the year before was now $124.00....WTF?
Broken down to $83.75 called Reg. Tax & $40.88 as a county fee.
And then called it a Grand Total.

I didn't see anything grand about it. And yet next year this would increase for DOC. vessels. Up Up Up! Wait until you start seeing SCU numbers on your toilet tissue individual sheets.


You guys vote, or should I say need to vote against these crooks in the upcoming elections. Let the Gov't. waste/spend our taxes and dream of new cash cows. I wonder how few politicians actually own boats.


It's a runaway train, you know what they say about the light at the end...........


CR

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Guys,

By the way, this just came in from Boat US on the subject of the DOC fee:

April 19, 2013
Dear BoatU.S. Member,
Do you own a federally documented vessel? The U.S. Coast Guard is proposing to charge an annual fee of $26.00 for the renewal of certificates of documentation for recreational boats. While the Coast Guard charges to issue new certificates of documentation for boats, currently there is no charge for annual renewal.

This fee will only apply if your boat is federally documented and would be in addition to any state registration fees. For current information on federal vessel documentation, visit the United States Coast Guard Documentation Center.

We encourage you to share your thoughts with the Coast Guard on this proposal before May 3rd, 2013, by going to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=USCG-2010-0990

Please forward this email to fellow boaters with documented vessels. If you have any additional questions, please contact BoatU.S. Government Affairs at GovtAffairs@BoatUS.com.

Thank you for being a BoatU.S. member!
Margaret Podlich
President, BoatU.S.
GovtAffairs@BoatUS.com
703-461-2878 x8363
BoatUS.com/Gov

 

[Brezzin]

For those complaining about the fee:

The breakdown of how they calculated the fee is relatively clear in the documents that have been posted: Total cost of administering renewals (broken down into several categories) divided by the total number of renewals per year. Right now this is being paid for primarily by a large number of people who do not document their boats (the general tax payers). I can't see why you would expect them to pay for it.

I think the arguments for multi-year renewals is valid. I think the argument for an up-front investment in the infrastructure to make this a simple online process is even more valid. But I also think you lose all credibility making those arguments when you start whining about the $26 fee you are going to get so others do not have to pay for your hobby. (Especially silly are those of you who don't have documented boats, since you are complaining about having your taxes lowered.) I hope you keep that in mind when posting comments to the CG site. A large voice for valid concerns will be much more effective than a bunch of people bemoaning this *giant* tax.

Last time I looked I was one of those tax payers too and I do have a documented boat.

 

[RichH]

You could make the same argument for the national interstate highway system. Would you like user fees there? Why should those who dont drive on them have to pay for it? Because a user fee would cripple the entire system and effect the economy negatively.

How about airport user fees? That has been discussed in the aviation community for decades as liberals look for ways to fund all their increased spending. But it has been shot down time and again when it is shown the actual benefits to the economy at large by keeping it federally funded and not having user fees.

There are many other examples, but I think you get the idea.

There is already congressional discussions of an applied federal 'mileage tax' in addition to all the other 'driving fees and fuel taxes'.

In 1913, the average tax bill for americans (excluding land sales, and import, etc. taxes) was about 2-3% of total gross income. Today, the total tax bite for the average Joe and when considering all the 'pass along' taxes and hidden fees included in what you purchase is now approaching 55% of total gross income, 60-65% of total gross income in some large 'metro' areas. Most of this 'humongous' yearly total tax bill has been growing at an insignificant $26.00 at a time. When will this all stop? ... when we pay 80% or 90% of total income? When individuals are coerced to pay more to someone else than he/she keeps for him/herself, is he/she than nothing more than an economic slave?

Most assuredly the increase of USCG 'charges' for boat documentation, like most other 'government charges', will not 'directly benefit' boat owners.

 

[jibes138]

Documentation is like a title for a car. You only pay for and get a title for your car once, when you first buy the car. There is no need for annual renewal. A boat should be the same you have the title to it, in this case the document, until you sell it or junk it. There is nothing gained anywhere by annual renewals, just a waste of time, and money.
This government needs to bring in some efficiency experts to look at process efficiency and simplification. The waste, in the interest of creating government jobs, is probably 80% of the total government.

 

[anchorclanker]

Most assuredly the increase of USCG 'charges' for boat documentation, like most other 'government charges', will not 'directly benefit' boat owners.

No kidding. All the infrastructure, buoys, wing dams, etc., are already in place and have been for decades. And its all 100% for commercial purposes. The Mississippi river for example, has been levied and diked and dredged and squeezed, and maintained, for the sole purpose of providing and maintaining commercial barge traffic, as are all the ICW's and every coastal and inland harbor from sea to shining sea created for commercial vessels. Further, these large reservoirs like we have here in Arkansas and elsewhere, are a part of maintaining river levels to keep barge traffic operating. After last summers drought, all these bodies of water were drained to record levels to help keep that traffic operational. Recreational boaters do get to use those waters, and we can communicate with commercial traffic and ARMY CORP facilities, but lets not pretend what purpose all that infrastructure was put in place for and who has right of way and right of access to it.

That the govt wants to charge recreational users for using something built to serve commercial and military purposes is simply astounding. Like I said above, it is tantamount to creating user fees to access the national interstate highway system.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Let's not forget the commercial use benefits not just the business but all of us. They don't transport stuff for entertainment.

 

[anchorclanker]

It also benefits foreign countries who sell us goods, as well as the American farmer who exports theirs.

 

[jackhartjr]

Guinni, you said'
Jack;
The subject Documentation Fee is not a tax, it is a user fee applicable only to those seeking to Federally Document their vessel. You, as a taxpayer are currently subsidizing those of us who Document our vessel yearly for no fee.

Thank you for this service!
It's a tax!
But then you would argue with a fencepost!
Jack