Oppose the Va. Beach boat tax

RE: Proposed Va. Beach boat tax increase

Virginia Beach eliminated the boat tax as a tool to attract boaters back to the local marinas and gained an overall net increase in revenue through expenditures for vessels, fuel, dockage, equipment and repairs in the city. Now that positive results have taken place and the marinas and supporting businesses have prospered, it would be unethical to reinstate a boat tax.

City Council and other leaders of the City need to realize that if taxed, boaters will leave the city limits and relocate their vessels as history has proven. Local businesses will lose the associated revenue, and many will be forced to close. A significant number of businesses are dependent on owners of large boats that perform maintenance, improve rigging, upgrade propulsion and electronics systems over the winter, as well as during the normal summer boating season.

Simply put levy a boat tax, and folks will take their boats and the revenue to another lesser taxed city. They will not be here to purchase food, clothing, shelter, as well as purchase fuel and new equipment from local businesses.

The boating industry is already in a slump due to the general economy, coupled with increased fuel prices. New and used boat sales are down, repairs to boats are down and boating supply stores have seen substantially lower sales thus far in 2007's spring season. The proposed tax will even further devastate the marine business.

Overall, a short term gain, will be a substantial long term loss. Even if the taxes were again, quickly repealed, it would take years from which to recoup, if and when the boaters returned to Virginia Beach.

Please be responsible to the citizens and the well being of the City, and eliminate any possibility of taxing watercraft in the coastal city of Virginia Beach now or in the future.