Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - NH Marine Patrol funding, or lack there of

Airwaves · 07-25-2006, 12:10 PM

According to the article, MP is funded exclusively through boat registrations and they get a portion of the federal gasoline tax dollars.

I've said this before and it certainly wouldn't be an added burden on anyone, why not just eliminate the state gasoline tax rebates for gasoline sold at marinas statewide and then earmark the state gasoline tax revenue generated by marinas to the Marine Patrol?

This would have to be IN ADDITION to the lame funding sources now.

Sure some folks could get around the tax by gassing up at the gas station at home, but most wouldn't.

It's fair, it doesn't increase any tax we aren't already paying we just wouldn't be able to file for a rebate.

How much would it raise? I don't know how much the state tax is now, but someone much better at math than me could probably give us a rough figure to see if it would be adequate or more $ would be needed. If more money is needed then we could look at raising boat registration fees etc. It would seem to me you do the easy stuff first.

I do have another proposal that would increase the quality of recruits for the Marine Patrol (read that: make the job full time and attractive to professional law enforcement people) but that will wait for another time.

07-25-2006, 12:10 PM	#11
Airwaves Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: I'm right here! Posts: 1,153 Thanks: 9 Thanked 102 Times in 37 Posts	According to the article, MP is funded exclusively through boat registrations and they get a portion of the federal gasoline tax dollars. I've said this before and it certainly wouldn't be an added burden on anyone, why not just eliminate the state gasoline tax rebates for gasoline sold at marinas statewide and then earmark the state gasoline tax revenue generated by marinas to the Marine Patrol? This would have to be IN ADDITION to the lame funding sources now. Sure some folks could get around the tax by gassing up at the gas station at home, but most wouldn't. It's fair, it doesn't increase any tax we aren't already paying we just wouldn't be able to file for a rebate. How much would it raise? I don't know how much the state tax is now, but someone much better at math than me could probably give us a rough figure to see if it would be adequate or more $ would be needed. If more money is needed then we could look at raising boat registration fees etc. It would seem to me you do the easy stuff first. I do have another proposal that would increase the quality of recruits for the Marine Patrol (read that: make the job full time and attractive to professional law enforcement people) but that will wait for another time.