Bahamas Boycott
 

On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 09:03:57 -0600, Skipper wrote:

Reggie Smithers wrote:

The beauty about the tax, is you and anyone else who does not want to
pay the tax, just just avoid going to the Bahamas, If enough people
"boycott" the Bahamas, then they will resend the tax.

I see very little "beauty" in *any* additional taxes. Matter of fact, I
can remember a day not too distant where boaters found great freedom in
boating. Made no dif whether the local lake or distant shore, boating
had much more "beauty" before politicians stuck their mugs into the
picture.

Before this current PC big government culture developed, *exorbitant*
tributes and "fees" extracted on foreign shores were considered a form
of extortion or piracy. Now, precisely because we remain silent and not
retaliate, we pay $20+++ per head to enter Mexico and $300 to enter
Burmuda.

I'm for tougher borders and Piggly Wiggly fees for those who gouge us.

My feeling is it will stop some of the "cruisers" who anchor in the
Bahamas for the winter, but don't really spend much money locally.
My feeling is those who are contributing to the local economy really
won't care about the $300 tax. They will consider the $300 tax a pittance
to the money they will spend in gas, fishing and entertainment they spend
in the Bahamas.

Those rationales were not used by the supporters of the fee when it was
initiated. They sold it as rich Americans paying for their "suffering."
It was sold as income redistribution and support for their
"infrustructure."

I think the $300 tax is doing exactly what the Bahamians wanted when
they set up the tax. Discourage the boaters and cruisers who were not
spending money in the Bahamas, from utilizing the services and natural
beauty of the islands.

And I think allowing this targeted abuse against boaters without
retaliation just encourages more of the same in the future.

Skipper, didn't this happen two and a half years ago? I'm not trying to be obnoxious
here, but what prompted the anger now instead of long ago?

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

Bahamas Boycott
 

On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 09:03:57 -0600, Skipper wrote:


I see very little "beauty" in *any* additional taxes. Matter of fact, I
can remember a day not too distant where boaters found great freedom in
boating. Made no dif whether the local lake or distant shore, boating had
much more "beauty" before politicians stuck their mugs into the picture.

Then, perhaps, you should move to the Bahamas. It's a well known tax
haven with no income taxes. As a matter of fact, it has:

* No personal or company income tax
* No capital gains tax
* No with holding tax
* No business tax
* No estate tax
* No gift tax
* No inheritance tax
* No death duties
* No employment tax
* No sales taxes
* No exchange controls
* No tax treaties and ...
* No probate fees in the Bahamas.
From:
http://www.dunway.com/taxhaven/html/bahamas.html

But it does have a pesky $150-300 entry fee for cruisers.


And I think allowing this targeted abuse against boaters without
retaliation just encourages more of the same in the future.

Have you considered what it would cost for a 30' Bahamian boat with four
people aboard to come to Florida and fish? The last time I looked, a
non-resident Florida fishing license was over $30. Let's see, 4 people at
$30 . . . Hmm, maybe the Bahamian fees were in retaliation.

Bahamas Boycott
 

thunder wrote:

Have you considered what it would cost for a 30' Bahamian boat with four
people aboard to come to Florida and fish? The last time I looked, a
non-resident Florida fishing license was over $30. Let's see, 4 people at
$30 . . . Hmm, maybe the Bahamian fees were in retaliation.

Hmmmm, is that for one or two dippings of the line into Floriduh waters
for 30 bucks?

--
Skipper

Bahamas Boycott
 

DownTime wrote:

Now, if you believe the Bahamian cruising fee of $300 is justified or
that Floriduh is not Floriduh, make you case. I'll then make mine and
we'll see where the chips fall.

congrats on being the first killfile member of 2006. an honor richly
deserved...

Lots o' dem grunts and croakers in Floriduh, huh?

--
Skipper

Bahamas Boycott
 

Reggie Smithers wrote:

I see very little "beauty" in *any* additional taxes. Matter of fact, I
can remember a day not too distant where boaters found great freedom in
boating. Made no dif whether the local lake or distant shore, boating
had much more "beauty" before politicians stuck their mugs into the
picture.

Before this current PC big government culture developed, *exorbitant*
tributes and "fees" extracted on foreign shores were considered a form
of extortion or piracy. Now, precisely because we remain silent and not
retaliate, we pay $20+++ per head to enter Mexico and $300 to enter
Burmuda.

A usage fee charged to those who use a service provided by the government
is the fairest way to pay for governmental services. Since boaters do
utilize the local infrastructure and services (ie police, coast guard,
roads, water etc) and many bring all of their own food and do not spend
money at the local restaurants, hotels, casinos etc. to me it makes sense
for them to charge boaters a "usage fee".

Ray, people will come, Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't
even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why
they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children,
longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around,
you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money
without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they
lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a
perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along
one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered
their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped
themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have
to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one
constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has
rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a
blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.
This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of
all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come
Ray. People will most definitely come.

- Terence Mann to Ray Kinsella

--
Skipper

Bahamas Boycott
 

Skipper wrote:
Reggie Smithers wrote:


I see very little "beauty" in *any* additional taxes. Matter of fact, I
can remember a day not too distant where boaters found great freedom in
boating. Made no dif whether the local lake or distant shore, boating
had much more "beauty" before politicians stuck their mugs into the
picture.


Before this current PC big government culture developed, *exorbitant*
tributes and "fees" extracted on foreign shores were considered a form
of extortion or piracy. Now, precisely because we remain silent and not
retaliate, we pay $20+++ per head to enter Mexico and $300 to enter
Burmuda.


A usage fee charged to those who use a service provided by the government
is the fairest way to pay for governmental services. Since boaters do
utilize the local infrastructure and services (ie police, coast guard,
roads, water etc) and many bring all of their own food and do not spend
money at the local restaurants, hotels, casinos etc. to me it makes sense
for them to charge boaters a "usage fee".


Ray, people will come, Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't
even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why
they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children,
longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around,
you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money
without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they
lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a
perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along
one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered
their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped
themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have
to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one
constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has
rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a
blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.
This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of
all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come
Ray. People will most definitely come.

- Terence Mann to Ray Kinsella

--
Skipper
I am glad you agree that it is fair to charge those people to watch
baseball in Iowa. Just like it is fair to charge the cruisers who dive
in the local waters, catch local fish and "bugs", and fill their tanks
with water and many times empty their holding tanks into their crystal
clear water.

--
Reggie
************************************************** *********************
If you would like to make rec.boats an enjoyable place to discuss
boating, please do not respond to the political and inflammatory
off- topic posts and flames.
************************************************** *********************

Bahamas Boycott
 

This thread reminded me of something.

For many years I had a slip (sometimes two) in the town of Scituate, MA.
The town maintains a town owned marina and there are also several private
marinas within the confines of Scituate Harbor. Each year we paid our slip
fees that included electricity, paid a non -resident excise tax yearly to
the town based on the value of your boat and a separate fee called a "water
usage fee". It never occurred to me that this was strange as it applied to
all of the marinas, town and private, but I always dutifully paid the fee
assuming it was for the use of fresh water at the dock. Well, it turns out
water was included in the slip fees at all the marinas and the "water usage"
fee was something the town had imposed to collect additional revenues. It
was justified (sort of) by claiming that it helped offset the costs of
maintaining the harbor waterways or some boloney. The proverbial s--- hit
the fan when the long time harbormaster retired and the town appointed a new
one. Seems many of the people had ignored the water usage fee for years
because they felt it was not legal. (The retired harbormaster was much more
of a people person than a town administration flunky and had never enforced
the collection of the water usage fee).

The town proceeded to send threatening letters to those that had not paid
the fee for years, demanding retro payment or the town would take them to
court. Several of my friends recieved such a letter and in many cases the
amount demanded was over 3,000.00. All of them told the town to suck a
lemon and go ahead with legal action.

I moved my boat to another marina the year this was going on. I don't know
what the outcome was, but I'll contact a couple of the people involved and
find out.

Eisboch

Bahamas Boycott
 

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 14:15:00 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

This thread reminded me of something.

For many years I had a slip (sometimes two) in the town of Scituate, MA.
The town maintains a town owned marina and there are also several private
marinas within the confines of Scituate Harbor. Each year we paid our slip
fees that included electricity, paid a non -resident excise tax yearly to
the town based on the value of your boat and a separate fee called a "water
usage fee". It never occurred to me that this was strange as it applied to
all of the marinas, town and private, but I always dutifully paid the fee
assuming it was for the use of fresh water at the dock. Well, it turns out
water was included in the slip fees at all the marinas and the "water usage"
fee was something the town had imposed to collect additional revenues. It
was justified (sort of) by claiming that it helped offset the costs of
maintaining the harbor waterways or some boloney. The proverbial s--- hit
the fan when the long time harbormaster retired and the town appointed a new
one. Seems many of the people had ignored the water usage fee for years
because they felt it was not legal. (The retired harbormaster was much more
of a people person than a town administration flunky and had never enforced
the collection of the water usage fee).

The town proceeded to send threatening letters to those that had not paid
the fee for years, demanding retro payment or the town would take them to
court. Several of my friends recieved such a letter and in many cases the
amount demanded was over 3,000.00. All of them told the town to suck a
lemon and go ahead with legal action.

I moved my boat to another marina the year this was going on. I don't know
what the outcome was, but I'll contact a couple of the people involved and
find out.

Eisboch


While you're doing that, and if you take Road and Track, see if you can find which
issue had the test of the 2005 Mustang GT. Please?

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

Bahamas Boycott
 

On Sat, 07 Jan 2006 22:29:07 -0500, Reggie Smithers
wrote:


BB,
Isn't it possible to disagree with Skipper without the personal insults?

Yeah, actually it is reggie. I'll admit it, I had a bit of a snoot
full and it seemed humorous at the time. But, no matter, Skipper's
racism, and history of blatant racism, is no excuse. And the fact
that you have been a master of multiple personalities, and a wizard of
personal insults directed toward those you don't agree with, doesn't
forgive the personal insult I directed towards Skipper. No matter
your, nor Skipper's, actions on this board, I shouldn't have made the
comment about Ms. Piggly Wiggly.

bb

Bahamas Boycott
 

On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 09:12:40 -0600, Skipper wrote:

There was nothing in
his posit that supports the boating culture or boaters in general. And
saddest of all, he really doesn't care...

Whatever you say Snippy. I probably do more boating every year than
you have done in your lifetime.