Another tax increase

There will be a hearing on LD 1730, which establishes the Lakes Heritage Trust Fund, on April 28. This bill introduces an additional tax only for those who happen to live or own dwellings close to the shores of a great pond. It will introduce a tax on every kayak, sailboat, canoe, sailboard and rowboat owned by Maine citizens. It will increase the tax by 375 percent on the first watercraft that currently has to be registered by a person. This bill, if passed, will increase the transfer tax only to those who sell and to those who buy property that happens to be close to the shores of a great pond.

This bill clearly is just another bureauratic tax increase meant to forcibly increase financial burden on onwers of watercraft and certain singled-out property owners. This bill is retroactive in nature and further dimininishes the rights of only certain personal and private property owners.

The principle of taxing rowboats and sailboards is ridiculous. Increasing transfer taxes for only certain property owners is a very questionable if not unethical form of discrimination. This bill should not be passed as currently proposed.

The portions of this bill dealing with safety issues such as “wake jumping,” etc., have some merit. However, most of these activities are already covered under watercraft safety rules and laws dealing with “unsafe and reckless operation.” The sections dealing with prohibiting use of personal watercraft on great ponds of 200 acres or less and boater education are probably timely issues.

If there are some Maine citizens who would like to set up a private or semi-private trust fund, funded by voluntary donations; great! That way we will find out quickly how much real interest there is by Maine citizens in such a “trust fund.” Stan Carson Bangor