[url "http://www.sltrib.com/news/2169181-155/boat-registration-fees-may-rise-10"]http://www.sltrib.com/news/2169181-155/boat-registration-fees-may-rise-10[/url]
Interesting reading. Not sure if I agree with this or not???
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it will probably go to some lobbying group that will use it for quagga awareness and what not.
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[font "Times New Roman"][quote Bovineowner]Not sure if I agree with this or not???[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I'm 100% sure; I don't agree with it at all. It's the wrong approach. That program should be funded through an additional tag that requires every boat launched in a Utah water body to pay for the program (resident AND non-resident boats - Wyoming system comes to mind). SB89 adds this to the Utah Code: [/#800000][/font][/font]
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Quote:[font "Times New Roman"]73-18-26. Aquatic invasive species fee -- Amount -- Deposition.[/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"](1) In addition to the registration fee imposed under Section 73-18-7, there is imposed an aquatic invasive species mitigation fee of $10 on a motorboat or sailboat required to be registered under Section 73-18-7.[/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"](2) The fee imposed under Subsection (1) shall be deposited in the Boating Account created in Section 73-18-22 for the purpose of aquatic invasive species interdiction.[/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]There is nothing in there that would require out-of-state boats to also help fund that program. They get a free ride because they don't have to register their boat in Utah if it is here less than 60 consecutive days. Out-of state boaters are certainly at risk of contributing to the problem, but would not have to share in the burden of combating the problem. Does that seem fair to you? It certainly does not seem fair to me.[/#800000][/font]
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You put your finger right in the loophole, Bob. Well said, sir.
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And there is no registration fee for watercraft that don't use a motor.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Since Senator Jenkins (he sponsored the bill) is my Senator, I sent him my thoughts on this as well. I'll report back with his thoughts on it as soon as I hear something back. [/#800000][/font]
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[quote Fishrmn]And there is no registration fee for watercraft that don't use a motor.[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Very, very good point as well. I'll pass that along to the Senator as well.[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]This bill has been sent to the House for consideration. NOW would be a good time to write your Representative and tell him that SB89 is a bad bill for the reasons stated so far, and that if a separate funding plan is really needed for this problem, it should be approached from the stand point of issuing a tag to each and every vessel that is launched in a Utah body of water regardless of where it is registered and regardless if it is required to be registered. If it goes into the water, it should have the mussel tag attached.[/#800000][/font]
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Ok done! My rep is Becky Edwards.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Thanks A T. For the rest of you, here is a list of the folks on the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Standing Committee which is currently reviewing the bill. If one of them is your Representative, you need to write to them today if possible.[/#800000][/font]
[ol][li]Rep. Lee B. Perry, Chair (also the bill sponsor in the House)[/li][li]Rep. Douglas V. Sagers, Vice Chair[/li][li]Rep. Joel K. Briscoe[/li][li]Rep. Melvin R. Brown[/li][li]Rep. Scott H. Chew[/li][li]Rep. Jack R. Draxler[/li][li]Rep. Susan Duckworth[/li][li]Rep. Stephen G. Handy[/li][li]Rep. Timothy D. Hawkes[/li][li]Rep. Mike K. McKell[/li][li]Rep. Michael E. Noel[/li][li]Rep. Kraig Powell[/li][li]Rep. Scott D. Sandall[/li][li]Rep. Mike Schultz[/li][/ol][#800000]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Also, I just got word from my Representative that he spoke with Sen Jenkins this morning and Sen Jenkins is currently looking into my recommended changes. That would be a good thing, but the more Senators and Representatives that know about the flaws in this bill as it is currently written, the better chance we’ll have that it will actually be changed to spread the responsibility of funding this program to ALL persons launching watercraft in Utah waters without regard to where the watercraft is registered or even if it isn’t registered (doesn’t have a motor attached). Let your Senator AND your Representative know about this ASAP – please. And a brief note to Rep Perry (House sponsor) wouldn't hurt either.[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]The bill got a favorable recommendation out of the House Natural Resources, Agriculture this AM. I also got an email from my Rep and he said Sen Jenkins had no desire to change the bill (no surprise there).[/#800000][/font]
[#800000][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]So right now, the responsibility of funding this program by ALL persons launching watercraft in Utah waters without regard to where the watercraft is registered or even if it isn’t registered (doesn’t have a motor attached) doesn't look like it will happen.[/#800000][/font][/#800000]
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