Idaho Proposes Bad Boat Registration Tax (UPDATED)
It is anticipated that Idaho State Representative Bob Nonini will be proposing a canoe and kayak registration tax of $6.50 per boat per year sometime this week. Boaters would have to carry a registration paper while on the water, paint a registration number on both sides of their bows, and affix a registration sticker to their boats. In addition, visitors to Idaho would have to pay the tax prior to paddling any river in the state. The tax is supposedly intended to support boat ramps (which paddlers don’t use), search and rescue (which will not receive funding), and river access (for which programs do not exist and which will not receive funding anyway).
While some user fee systems have value in that they are user friendly and contribute to river conservation and access – THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM! This registration system is irresponsible, bad for Idaho, bad for boaters, and is meant only to punish active Idaho citizens and drive revenue for agencies that have no non-motorized boating program. Specifically this registration system and tax will:
· Significantly Reduce Rural Tourism: Thousands of paddlers travel to Idaho each year from neighboring states and around the world to paddle our rivers, leaving behind a positive economic effect. Requiring these paddlers to paint large numbers on their boats, pay fees for services they didn’t use, and apply for registration well in advance will significantly deter tourism in rural communities.
· Damage Personal Property: Affixing numbers to the front of a whitewater boat in a manner that they will actually stay affixed will either prove impossible or permanent. If the numbers are permanent, then the boats will have significantly lower value if resold to paddlers from any other state. Boats are sold constantly, and this program will significantly damage paddlers’ personal property.
· Not Benefit the Taxed: While nonmotorized boaters will be paying the tax, they will receive nothing in return except the burdens associated with the program. The money (if there is any) will largely go to the counties which generally do not have river access programs, and will almost certainly not spend the money on river access. Counter to the claims in the bill, paddlers seldom utilize boat ramps or other resources paid for by motor boaters.
· Cost Idaho Money: The author of the bill suggests that the bill will gross $975,000, $225,000 of which will go towards “vendor fees.” In addition, we would like to point out that significant administrative costs will be associated with administering the tax and registration system. 150,000 registrations would cost $150,000 just to produce and send. Processing of the registrations at 10 minutes per registration would take 25,000 hours of staff time or 9 full time personnel at a cost of at least $400,000. Someone would have to oversee the program at a cost of at least $60,000. Enforcement would require significant extra man hours (assume 3 new staff) and thousands of extra miles on state vehicles at a cost of at least $150,000. If all goes well, the program will cost the state of Idaho $10,000, not a single access area will be built, tourism will be deterred, residents will be burdened, and personal property damaged. The only potential revenue could be in the “federal waterways” program which we could find no information on. It is unclear what this reference in the bill is referring to or if it will help paddlers in any way.
· Not Increase Safety: Besides the fact that there will be no actual profit with which to address safety concerns, nothing proposed in this bill will benefit boater safety.
· Burden Healthy Idaho Citizens: Most paddlers have several canoes or kayaks that they travel with and use on a regular basis. Requiring them to maintain registrations on multiple boats as well as boats traded and sold virtually every year is ridiculous. Additionally the mandate to carry a registration is virtually impossible on whitewater, as is affixing a number to boats. Why is the legislature punishing healthy Idaho citizens seeking non motorized recreation?
Please call or email the Idaho Representatives on the Transportation and Defense Committee immediately let them know how you feel about the Idaho Boat Registration proposed legislation. We think it is bad for everyone involved! A quick phone call or email from you could make a difference.
At this time it looks like the House Transportation and Defense Committee will hear the draft legislation. Note that the legilation currently has no bill number or RS#, and is not scheduled on the docket. We know simply that draft legislation exists and that it will likely be brought to committee within the next week.
Email the whole Committee at:
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/about/contactallcommitteemembersform.cfm?ID=HTRA
Look up your Representative at:
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov