Local Boaters Worried About Proposed Hike in Boat Fees

Essex and Middle River boaters are among those bracing for the possibility that it will soon be more expensive to own a boat in Maryland.

The state Department of Natural Resources is proposing broad increases in boating registration fees, which it says is desperately needed to pay for dredging, maintaining buoys and other water-related projects.

Under a bill unveiled to the House of Delegates, by 2016 registrations for owners of boats less than 16 feet would pay $50 every two years and owners of vessels between 16 and 32 feet would pay $125.

Also, the registration fees for boats between 32 and 45 feet would rise to $250, while fees for boats between 45 and 65 feet would pay $500 and those larger than that would cost $700.

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Currently, fees cost $24 regardless of the size of the boat. The proposal would impact about 200,000 boat owners in Maryland, included 20,000 in Baltimore County, said Bob Gaudette, who oversees boating programs for the DNR.

“Right now, we just don’t have the funds to deal with all of the water needs in Maryland,” Gaudette said.

Gaudette said the state has allocated $15 million annually for boating projects but there is at least $41 million in projects on DNR’s work list. The increased fees, he added, would generate around $13 million, compared to about $2 million it takes in annually.

Currently, Gaudette said DNR gets most of its funding from the 5 percent excise tax on boats when they are sold. But, he said, that funding source has shrunk considerably in recent years as the poor economy has led to fewer people buying boats.

Making the fees even more necessary, Gaudette said, is that The Army Corps of Engineers announced it soon may not fund many dredging projects. This, he believes, could negatively impact many waterfront businesses in the state.

Gaudette added there are around 30 dredging channels in the Essex-Middle River area that could be impacted.

“If boats can’t get through, then they won’t utilize those businesses,” Gaudette said. “Dredging is identified as a critical project for the waterfront economy.”

Brian Schneider, vice president of the Marine Trades Association of Baltimore County, said he has mixed emotions about the proposed fee increase. He admits more funding is necessary, as the current registration fees haven’t been increased in decades.

But, Schneider, who owns Tradewinds Marina in Bowleys Quarters, added he is opposed to the amount being proposed at the 2016 levels. He would be OK with the smaller increase proposed for 2013-15.

According to the bill, registrations for owners of boats less than 16 feet would pay $25 every two years and owners of vessels between 16 and 32 feet would pay $75.

Also, the registration fees for boats between 32 and 45 feet would rise to $125, while fees for boats between 45 and 65 feet would pay $250 and those larger than that would cost $350.

“Boaters have been lucky that our fees have not been touched, but the fees they are proposing by 2016 are just too much,” Schneider said “This money would go toward a good cause, including paying for DNR police and other boating safety related projects. At the same time, I would like some assurances that these funds would not be raided to fund other parts of the state budget.”

The House Environmental Matters Committee has scheduled a hearing on this proposal at 1 p.m. March 16 in Annapolis.

Del. Mike Weir Jr., a Middle River Democrat, is among the members of that committee.

Are additional boating registration fees necessary and how might this impact boaters in Maryland? Tell us in the comments section below.