Government and Legislation News

    January 13, 2009  Georgetown County   Boat Tax                          

In an effort to help entice more out-of-town boaters to visit and spend money in Georgetown County, leaders have increased the amount of time a vessel can be in the county without being taxed.

Georgetown County Council unanimously gave final reading Tuesday night to an ordinance amendment which extends the amount of time a boat can be in county waters tax-free.

Now, boats can be in the county 60 consecutive days or no more than 180 days within a year before being taxed.

Before the amendment, the time limit was two consecutive months or 90 days total in a calendar year.

This does not apply to boats used for commercial purposes.

According to the ordinance, the purpose of the amendment is to "attract more watercraft owners to Georgetown County."

The County Auditor's Office will be required to keep records to make sure the boat owners keeping boats in the county past the time limit so "all those entitled to benefits receive them and all those required to pay taxes do so," the ordinance states.

Dan Stacy spoke during the public hearing on the matter and said he is in agreement with the 180 days but feels the 60 consecutive days will be problematic.

He asked Council to consult with the Legislative Delegation to try to get the state law "cleaned up" so the local ordinance can be amended again.

County Administrator Sel Hemingway agreed with Stacy, saying a boater would have to move his vessel every two months to avoid violating the 60-straight-day rule even though a maximum of 180 days are allowed.

He said he has talked with Sen. Ray Cleary and is hopeful the General Assembly will eliminate the 60-day portion of the law this year.

Council is also requiring boat owners benefiting from the tax to maintain a log detailing the watercraft's whereabouts throughout the tax year.

Beaufort and Horry Counties passed similar ordinances last year

                    ABANDONED WATERCRAFT LAW EFFECTIVE DEC. 16

The S.C. General Assembly recently passed a new abandoned watercraft bill into law effective Dec. 16, 2008. The S.C. Code of Laws 50-21-190 makes it a crime to abandon a watercraft or an outboard motor on public lands or waters of the state and also provides for the removal of abandoned watercraft at the expense of the owner. Fines upon conviction of this misdemeanor are between $1000 and $5000 and/or imprisonment up to 30 days.

An abandoned watercraft is defined as any that has been moored, stranded, wrecked, sinking, or sunk, and has been left unattended for more than 45 days. This does not apply to a watercraft abandoned in an emergency although after an emergency the owner/operator is expected to recover the watercraft.

"This is more than dealing with an eyesore on state waterways," said S.C. Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Colonel Alvin Taylor. "We now have another tool to deal with navigational and environmental hazards. Abandoned watercraft can float free and cause damage to private property and leak fuel."

Any owner or other person with information on an abandoned watercraft should contact the DNR Law Enforcement Investigations Section at (843) 953-9378 or 1-800-922-5431. Read the actual wording of the new law at the DNR Web site: www.dnr.sc.gov/news/yr2008/dec16/dec16_abandon_law.html
DNR protects and manages South Carolina's natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state's natural resources and its people. Find out more about DNR at www.dnr.sc.gov.

                       WATERCRAFT SERVICE FEES INCREASE EFFECTIVE DEC. 11

New watercraft service fee increases will begin Dec. 11, 2008. The fee increases were incorporated into the boating bill recently passed by the S.C. General Assembly. The revenue generated from the fee increase will help cover S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administrative costs of forms, decals and other operation expenses.
Fees that will increase include:
* Duplicate Watercraft Registration Card - increases from $1 to $5
* Duplicate Watercraft Decals - from $1 to $5
* Duplicate Outboard Motor Decals - from $1 to $5
* Late Fee for application to Title/Register or Registration Renewal - 31-60 days $15; 61 or more days $30. Late fee applies to expired registrations, failure to transfer or title and register watercraft or outboard motors with five horsepower or greater within 30 days of the transaction date.
* Notification of Address or Ownership change:
Change of Address - was 15 days and now is 30 days
Change of Ownership - was 15 days and now is 30 days
Find out more about boating in South Carolina at the DNR Web site: www.dnr.sc.gov/boating.html.
DNR protects and manages South Carolina's natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state's natural resources and its people. Find out more about DNR at www.dnr.sc.gov.

December 3, 2008 
                                                                        Boat Tax

South Carolina's coastal counties are moving quickly to approve ordinances allowing boats to stay up to 180 aggregate days in a single tax year in their waters.  Beaufort County has already enacted the option permitted by a change in state law this year.  Horry County completed second reading last night and will have third reading December 16th.

Charleston County has not yet considered the change.

 The President’s 2009 Budget Cuts: a crisis for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Congress must increase maintenance funding if the Waterway is to remain open and safe   for commercial and recreational traffic

The federal budget for 2009 released by President Bush, Feb. 4 is a discouraging step backward for one of the nation’s most critical waterways, according to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA).
 
The $2.2 million in the White House budget for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the Intracoastal Waterway through Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida ignores serious navigation risks that commercial and recreational users of the 1,200 mile water highway face every day and threatens its very future, the association noted.
 
“The budget is a token amount, given that the Army Corps needs approximately $30 million to properly maintain the waterway” said David Roach, AIWA Chairman and Executive Director of the Florida Inland Navigation District. “The nation’s waterways have been ignored for far too long and the American people already suffer the consequences of neglecting critical infrastructure. The lack of maintenance funding will be catastrophic to the economies of every state along the waterway unless Congress steps in and dramatically increases the President’s proposal as it did last year.”
 
Roach noted that the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway brings over $18 billion annually to the state of Florida alone. Studies have shown that the four other states also gain tremendous economic benefit from the waterway.
 
“Using barges is a much less expensive way to transport commercial goods up and down the East Coast,” said Stephen Furlough, President, of Furlough Marine Management and an AIWA Director. “It reduces highway congestion while being the most environmentally sustainable mode of transport available. Instead of cutting funds for maintenance, the White House should be looking at ways to better use this waterway to serve the nation.”  
 
According to Rosemary Lynch, the association’s executive director, an excellent example is what is called Short Sea Shipping.
 
“This U.S. Dept of Transportation initiative would create a more efficient shipping system and the East Coast, using the waterway, would be an excellent place to begin,” Lynch said. “It just makes good economic and environmental sense.”
 
Based in Raleigh NC, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association, known as “The Voice of the Waterway” promotes the continuation and further development of waterborne commerce and recreation on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The Association advocates for regular maintenance dredging and adequate maintenance to support promote safe, cost-effective navigation.

Questions may be directed to Rosemary Lynch, 877-417-5397 or rosemary@atlintracoastal.org

Other contacts:  David Roach, Chairman, (561) 627-3386