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lakershaker · 04-09-2008, 10:28 AM

I posted this a few years ago, and was immediately shot down, but here it goes again...
For those boats considered "houseboats," why aren't they taxed at all by the state? I have a camp on an island that only is used during the boating season, and I pay property taxes on it. I have great views, and a great location out in the middle of the lake, and don't really complain about the taxes I pay to enjoy it. Now take as an example that picture in the original post. There is a 2 or 3 bedroom floating camp with a kitchen, septic and probably air conditioning (I don't have AC at my camp), and which with the wake in the picture is doing much more long-term damage to the environment than my camp is. But this floating camp only pays a modest registration fee.

Now the argument from the big boat owners will be that because they own or rent a dock slip, they are indirectly paying taxes... I don't buy it - as an island property owner, I too need to pay a boat slip rent or buy one, but then still pay more in taxes for a piece of property that has no road, little fire protection and where I don't use the schools. And what about the guy who trailers his houseboat? Or they will say they pay taxes via the fuel tax. Again, not the same thing, and I am sure they still apply for the $0.19/gallon refund at the end of the year...

Maybe, if there needs to be a way to limit size or to pay for environmental remediation, we should have the big boats pay property taxes for the floating camps, just like the islanders and other shorefront owners do for their piece of paradise. They way I look at it, a 35' boat has at least 70' of waterfrontage! This would serve to self-regulate boat size.

Just some food for thought!

04-09-2008, 10:28 AM	#29
lakershaker Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Rattlesnake Isl. - Simsbury, CT Posts: 271 Thanks: 90 Thanked 44 Times in 26 Posts	Potential way to limit boat size I posted this a few years ago, and was immediately shot down, but here it goes again... For those boats considered "houseboats," why aren't they taxed at all by the state? I have a camp on an island that only is used during the boating season, and I pay property taxes on it. I have great views, and a great location out in the middle of the lake, and don't really complain about the taxes I pay to enjoy it. Now take as an example that picture in the original post. There is a 2 or 3 bedroom floating camp with a kitchen, septic and probably air conditioning (I don't have AC at my camp), and which with the wake in the picture is doing much more long-term damage to the environment than my camp is. But this floating camp only pays a modest registration fee. Now the argument from the big boat owners will be that because they own or rent a dock slip, they are indirectly paying taxes... I don't buy it - as an island property owner, I too need to pay a boat slip rent or buy one, but then still pay more in taxes for a piece of property that has no road, little fire protection and where I don't use the schools. And what about the guy who trailers his houseboat? Or they will say they pay taxes via the fuel tax. Again, not the same thing, and I am sure they still apply for the $0.19/gallon refund at the end of the year... Maybe, if there needs to be a way to limit size or to pay for environmental remediation, we should have the big boats pay property taxes for the floating camps, just like the islanders and other shorefront owners do for their piece of paradise. They way I look at it, a 35' boat has at least 70' of waterfrontage! This would serve to self-regulate boat size. Just some food for thought!