boston mooring permit?

[rmeador]

So I'm about to bring my new boat home to Boston in the morning, and suddenly some lonely brain cell in my head remembered seeing something about Boston requiring a mooring permit. Upon looking into it, it would appear that I do indeed need such a permit, and I can only get one if I have paid my excise tax. I have had the boat in my name for a grand total of 2 days. I haven't gotten an excise tax bill, which seems to be required before paying excise tax. Also, the CG documentation hasn't gone through (there's like a 6 week waiting period). Not only that, but the mooring permit application is asking questions like lat/long of the mooring, etc... but appparently it applies to slips as well. Very strange.

Should I attempt to fill out the form as best I can? Should I wait until I have the tax bill? No matter what, I won't have the required sticker tomorrow, since I imagine they have to mail it to me. Should I cancel my plans to bring it home?

[sailingdog]

You probably have a grace period to apply for the permit on a new-to-you boat. I would call the department responsible for issuing the permits and talk to them.

You can't get the mooring permit until you pay your excise tax. You can't pay your excise tax until you get a bill from the department of Revenue.

[Flybyknight]

Do as you damn well please and tell who ever confronts you to "Take A Hike"
With all due respect I for the life of me can not fathom why you Mass folks knuckle under the Liberal a$$h*les that tax the life out of you.

Dick

[Joesaila]

Of course the 'officials' thrive on making an example and it justifys the position. I'd 'try' to do it all legally...the harbormaster here gave me a hard time when I hadn't paid the tax...I didn't get the bill, they'd sent it to a wrong address and he tried to imply it was my fault. I had to zig-zag between to town offices and 'fix' it myself. Keep us informed of how it goes.

[rmeador]

I also sent this question to the local liveaboards mailing list and I got a resounding "it only matters on july 1", so I'm not going to worry about it. Flybyknight: the reason we knuckle under is because if we do not, they make life a living hell (in this case, they tow the boat and charge exorbitant impound fees). And they have more guns than I do. Another consequence of their legal regime...

[Tanley]

Don't worry about it. I applied for mine in July and just got it in the mail this past Friday. You'll be hauling the boat before you get the sticker.

[billyruffn]

Why not follow John Kerry's lead and moor it in Rhode Island -- no sales tax, no excise tax.

[sailingdog]

BR—

Longer commute to work, he's going to be livingaboard the boat.

[Flybyknight]

Move to Delaware.
No sales tax
No mooring tax
No excise tax.
In fact my new 1700 sq ft house on 3/4 acre tax is $560/yr a tenth of my house in Groton, MA
We need a tax revolt
Dick

[dhays]

Originally Posted by Flybyknight

Move to Delaware.
No sales tax
No mooring tax
No excise tax.
In fact my new 1700 sq ft house on 3/4 acre tax is $560/yr a tenth of my house in Groton, MA
We need a tax revolt
Dick

I don't know, 6% income tax doesn't sound all that great to me and your property taxes are based on a lot of factors, such as the market value of the property, so you have to be careful not to compare apples to oranges.

Tax revolt sure worked out great for CA didn't it?