DNR Wants More Money From Boaters - Boaters Not Wild About It

Boaters Worried About Proposed Hike in Boat Fees 

The state Department of Natural Resources is proposing broad increases in boating registration fees, which it says is desperately needed to pay for dredging, maintaining buoys and other water-related projects.

Under a bill unveiled to the House of Delegates, by 2016 registrations for owners of boats less than 16 feet would pay $50 every two years and owners of vessels between 16 and 32 feet would pay $125.

Also, the registration fees for boats between 32 and 45 feet would rise to $250, while fees for boats between 45 and 65 feet would pay $500 and those larger than that would cost $700.

Currently, fees cost $24 regardless of the size of the boat. The proposal would impact about 200,000 boat owners in Maryland, included 20,000 in Baltimore County, said Bob Gaudette, who oversees boating programs for the DNR.

Let's see, $24 to $125; only a 500% increase. Why the increase?

The Department of Natural Resources explains it needs the higher fees because the Army Corps of Engineers will no longer pay to dredge a number of waterways. That is a critical task because boaters don’t want to be silted in and wait till high tide to get their boats out. The other reason for the hike is funds that used to come to DNR from boat sales have dropped by half due to the tough economy.

So, despite phenomenally increased spending levels, the Federal Government is withdrawing support for maintaining the waterways, and the state is being forced to pick up.  How about state revenues?

Dredging and other waterway maintenance must be done. But it’s critical to point out that Governor O’Malley has raided the Waterway Improvement Fund, where boat license fees go in the past. Over $1 million dollars has been taken for other purposes. It’s hard to convince boaters to accept the giant fee hike when that happened and could happen again. Not to mention, boaters pay the gas tax at the dock but that money goes to fixing roads, not waterway improvements.

State revenues not going to the purpose they were collected for?  Whooda thunk?