Polk County TN May Tax Private Ocoee Boaters
LETTERS NEEDED ASAP
In a January meeting a discussion arose that lead to a tentative proposal for Polk County to begin charging an “amusement tax” on private boaters paddling the Ocoee. Tennessee Senator Jeff Miller and Representative Chris Newton were present at this meeting and apparently entertained this possibility. They would have to propose a state regulation, similar to the private act that taxes commercial boaters, which would then have to be accepted and then ratified by the County. The County is clearly driving this process, and the state will have to initiate the actions.
This fee has nothing to do with getting water from the TVA, using the Forest Service access areas, or using the State Park, all of which has an associated fee paid in various ways. It is simply a way for Polk County to collect money that they claim will be used to offset the cost of “safety, fire and rescue, ambulance, and solid waste.” The ambulance is the only true cost that may be associated with boaters, but it is unclear at this time how many ambulance trips are required from the river on average.
American Whitewater, several of our affiliate clubs, dozens of other local and regional organizations, and hundreds of boating volunteers have worked tirelessly for decades to enhance the boating opportunities on the Ocoee, and the economy of Polk County. For the past 7 years we have been involved in an intense battle with the TVA to secure regular free releases on the Upper Ocoee, which would contribute hugely to the County’s economic well-being. Apparently this massive investment of time and money by the private boating community is not appreciated as they are now trying to charge us for our presence.
Please write letters and call all three of the following:
-County Executive, Hoyt Firestone, Polk County Court House, Benton, TN 37307, (423)-338-4527
– Senator Jeff Miller, P.O. Box 771, Cleveland, TN 37364
(1.800.628.4841, Cleveland office. 423.479.3083, home 423.479.9557,
sen.jeff.miller@legislature.state.tn.us)
-Representative Chris Newton, District 22 (1.800.449.8366 ext 12371,
Home 423-338-7630, rep.chris.newton@legislature.state.tn.us).
Tell them the following:
1. You do not want to pay a fee and feel it is unjust, you will paddle the Ocoee less due to a fee.
2. The cost of implementing and enforcing a fee would outweigh any economic benefit received from a fee. 25,000 user days X $1.00 = $25,000. The cost of hiring at least two people to enforce a fee to drive around in county cars would exceed $150,000 annually. So not counting the cost of implementing a fee system and the administrative burden the fee would have to be $6.00 per person per day which would certainly be enough to end most private use of the Ocoee.
3. It would be difficult and potentially illegal to enforce the collecting of a fee on public Forest Service and TVA lands, not to mention a navigable waterway.
4. Taxing commercial outfitters that make a profit from the use of the resources is inherently different than taxing tourists that come to play on federal lands in Polk County. There is no legal or ethical basis for such a fee.
5. Paddlers will get nothing in exchange for this fee. There are no fires in the river, the rescue squad is a volunteer squad, boaters use public restrooms on TVA or Forest Service lands, or use private restrooms in establishments where they are paying to eat or sleep, and paddlers seldom need ambulance assistance.
6. A fee would discourage a primary source of tourist dollars for Polk County.
7. A fee would undercut the work that private boaters are doing to restore releases to the Upper Ocoee.
Please write those letters and make those calls. This fee is simply a bad idea that will benefit no one, including Polk County.