FL Anchor Ban Passes House & Senate

[alaskaflyfish]

Florida tried to exact a sales tax on aircraft that transited the state a few years ago. Aircraft owners avoided the state and spent their money on more aviation friendly states. From what I recall, Florida lawmakers backtracked quickly when they realized their financial error. As an aircraft owner and sailboat owner I vote with my wallet. When the marine business owners cry loud enough, they will be heard. I give it a year before the stink reaches the nostrils of the elite.

[alaskaflyfish]

As a side note, be sure to use Tactics. Do you remember Palin's "Bridge to nowhere" or "0bama Care"? Rename this legislation something absurd like "night time water ski protection law" and pin it to the governor as his baby. His legacy will be negatively affected and sociopaths hate that.

[WindwardPrinces]

What amazes me is how little press coverage this got.

I live not too far from the Destin anchorage, and haven't by chance read anything about it at all. I even tried googling it, and the most coverage seems to be from the Waterway guide. The Destin bit didn't get added, however.

Seems to me they're doing a great job of slipping this legislation through without much public notice. Maybe it got more local coverage, but I didn't see much about it here.

[captain mitch]

Ok,
I count only 5 people here (including me) who actually wrote to Gov. Scott , but so many with a "smart" remark, like "my vote doesn't count so I don't bother".
Duh, now that makes sure that you will never see the govmt. do what you feel is right. That is why our back-seat drivers need some one like Donald Trump to come along and re-arrange the lopsided, useless politics.
I wrote many letters to the legislature and now one to Scott -- he won't know what YOU want if you don't tell him

[zboss]

Originally Posted by Sailshabby

Scott's an idiot (put nicely). I doubt any argument about how much money we spend supporting Floridian businesses in the state is going to sway him.

A corrupt idiot in the pockets of the Koch brothers, so doubly so.

While I encourage you to write the Court Jester I also believe that court action is the only solution. I'm betting this gets to at least higher court.

[Utahsailor]

Continue to anchor anywhere you want, ignore the law.

[Adrenaline]

Thank You Special Interest. This is why the Elections are going the way they are.

[Traumagas]

Letter sent Here

Thanks for Posting

how Can I read the Law thats been approved


Traumagas

[captain mitch]

Here is the simple letter that we just posted to the Gov. Perhaps some of you can adapt and use it

3-8-2016 re: HB 1051
Robert Mitchell
Barrington Court
Sarasota,Fl 34234
Dear Governor Scott,
I urge you to veto the recently passed "anchoring bill" (HB 1051).
These public waterways are meant to be utilized by all , preventing anchoring in those just to satisfy a few homeowners is akin to closing the airport because "Joe" bought a house nearby and now objects to the planes.
As a Florida resident and sailor (I moved here for the sailing!) I find the bill to be quite ominous in its long term implications.
If it is allowed to stand it won't be long before every waterfront community will be applying it leaving no place for our travelers to anchor.
These people support our marine trades of all types. Turning them away will surely cause some downturn in the marine business climate.
Please apply your veto powers to this bill and perhaps suggest that laws already on the books can solve eyesore problems for those homeowners.
Very truly yours,
Robert Mitchell

[EzzyD]

Originally Posted by Woodcraftron

We're all in the same boat.....

<SNIP>
</SNIP>

PS – we bought our trawler in Florida in 2013, paying over $20,000 in local taxes and fees and will be traveling in Florida again in 2016. Please don’t discourage boaters like us from coming to and visiting your beautiful state.

Sounds like you were cheated. The MAX you should have been charged should cap out at 18K.

Florida actually appears to be quite reasonable on sales and use taxes...

[neptunesjester]

I wrote to my Senator and Representative before the Senate and House votes.

I don't hold out much hope for the Governor to veto it. He's busy hiding from upset waterfront home and business owners over the cesspool his policies turned Lake Okeechobee into. A few upset cruisers are the least of his worries right now.

It's sad to see these restrictions creep back into Florida after the long fight to repeal them. However, after reading the law, there appear to be a number of loopholes that allow for overnight anchoring based on weather, repairs, commercial and recreational fishing and 'events'. I wonder if local boating groups could create standing rendezvous events at these locations and skirt the law?

Need to switch focus to the Mooring Field Pilot Program. That should require local municipalities to provide mooring fields if anchoring restrictions are present. That will hit the local communities in the pocket book.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[The Magi]

Sent today to Governor Scott;
We are relocating to Florida in May this Year because it is the Boating Capital of the Country and because it offers the best staging location for yachts heading for the 30 sovereign countries within Sailing Range. Good weather, Atlantic/Gulf proximity, extensive shoreline and low lying geography make Florida an International Sailing/Yachting Hub and comprises a commercially significant part of your State economy. Florida is the ONLY State that possesses all these attributes.

THIS COULD BE A CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE
This particular law is profoundly self-serving and short sighted, as it will;
1. Ignite further destruction of an economy still reeling from the Wall Street generated real estate bust.
2. Once precedent is established, it will spread like an airborne pathogen.
3. While homeowners are protecting their visual horizon, Florida will have to protect the Marine industry and affiliated services or lose them.
4. Most importantly, it infringes the right of Americans to use American Waterways within US Sovereign waters.
5. While Americans have the right to peaceful enjoyment of their homes, they have no constitutional right to a boatless view.

Should you sign this into law, I predict your State will have to find, convert and condemn enough shorefront property to fund construction of several dozen State owned Marinas within 2 years. Existing privately owned facilities cannot house a 20,000 dock expansion or the 50 or more mooring fields that will be required to support the Florida Marine Industry. Frankly, you can't afford to lose either the revenue generated from your singular geographic advantages or the expenditures Florida will incur as a result of allowing this to become law.

[dwedeking2]

LOL

Unless your letter states:

"Dear governor,

I own a property valued at 4 Million dollars with an associated tax base, and I own a yacht worth twice that, bringing in associated tax dollars in employee fees and commissioning revenue to the local businesses...."

They don't care. Your a minority (in number and revenue).

Welcome to the US political system as it has always been.

I laugh at the out anchored cruiser waving the "we have money flag". Your social security/pension money is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Disclosure: I'm a working stiff that won't have any influence either.