Kayak & bicycle NH annual stickers?

[fatlazyless]

Maybe paying ten dollars/year to the State of New Hampshire for a kayak/bicycle sticker with the 'Old Man of the Mountain' design on the sticker could be a good money raiser for the State.

Supposedly, seven different states including Alaska, Illinois, Ohio, Oklahoma, Iowa, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania (when using state access ramps) all have annual sticker requirements for small paddle boats like kayaks and canoes.

The money could go to pay for launch ramps to access the lake, river, ocean bay, and bicycle trails including the WOW Trail. It does take money to create, build and access places to use a kayak or bicycle, and paying ten dollars/year could be money well spent.

The NH Fish & Game has built some super-duper launch ramps on Newfound Lake, Lake Winnisquam, Squam Lake, and at Downing's Landing at the southern tip of Lake Winnipesaukee in Alton that can be used by small paddle/row boats/ s.u.p. paddleboards that share the water with the motorboats. Good access to the water, and good bicycle paths make a big needed difference to the paddle/pedal user, so paying ten dollars/year for a sticker could make you good to go 'betterer.'

Good access to the water needs a ramp, a dock, a parking lot, and sometimes a public rest room which is what you have at the NH F&G state ramps.

NH requires a 14' Sunfish sailboat to be registered every year which costs either $39 or $44, depending where the paper work is done, at the MP-HQ or at your town hall, so paying just 10-dollars/yr for a kayak/canoe that can be 14' or longer seems pretty reasonable. Plus, including some space on the sticker for the owner's name and phone number could be useful.

........

Google this: "Kokanee two-person, sit-on-top kayak" Lifetime Products, color-bright orange, or lime green, weight 76-lbs, length 10' 6", capacity 425-lbs, price $299 ..... such a deal....at the Plymouth Walmart ...... the price for this two person sit-on-top, two back rests, three positions, bow-center-stern, well designed kayak is so low, and the quality is so good, (do I sound like the Donald or what!) that paying just ten bucks/year for a state sticker for access to the water seems like a steal of a deal!

Actually, this looks like it would make a good cold water, winter ice rescue boat-sled for a fire department to rescue someone or some dog from a frozen, iced, lake or river, plus it is a nice bright orange, fire department type of a color, and the factory list price is 549 .....selling at the Plymouth Wal-Mart for 299...... a virtual high quality, cold water/ice rescue machine at a low price. Just add two energetic fire rescue people with paddles and pfd's, maybe 100' of line, and it is good to go save an ice victim .......... GERONIMO!!!!!

[radar4401]

While I understand the reasoning behind raising more fees for fish and game projects, I am concerned that the legislature as they have done in the past will take the money for other things. Also while most people only have one or two boats, when it comes to bikes and kayaks, people often have several.

Think of a family with four kids. The cost quickly multiplies and how do you handle out of staters? It would be a big disincentive to coming here. You would be losing a lot of business. Just something to think about.

[FlyingScot]

I'm all for taxes and fees directed at improving/protecting natural resources. But there's an expense associated with every program and transaction. It's just not worth the state's time to collect $10/kayak if it has to spend $5-10(?) per kayak to administer the program.

Much better would be to increase the gas tax that already exists by a penny or two. Or--heaven forbid--reduce/eliminate the tax rebate granted to boats. This would generate real money to use for the items you mention.

[Rusty]

Why don't we all just turn all the money we have over to the government and than they can give us back what they don't need.

[Descant]

Originally Posted by PeterG

I'm all for taxes and fees directed at improving/protecting natural resources. But there's an expense associated with every program and transaction. It's just not worth the state's time to collect $10/kayak if it has to spend $5-10(?) per kayak to administer the program.

Much better would be to increase the gas tax that already exists by a penny or two. Or--heaven forbid--reduce/eliminate the tax rebate granted to boats. This would generate real money to use for the items you mention.

The road toll (gas tax) refund insn't just boats. We're a small part of it. Farm equipment, construction equipment have enough activity they file quarterly.

Simple way to do stickers is to sell them to stores/dealers, etc in large lots for a discount. They sell them for the full price. At the end of the season, they turn in the unsold as a credit to buy next year's supply. No need, to me, to register or track who bought them any more than we track who buys bubble-gum. You stick it on the canoe, or under the counter, and we know you bought it.

[moose tracks]

Perhaps a $10 tax on running & walking shoes could help pay for phase 3 of the WOW trail. Each person using the trail will need a sticker on his/her sneaker. Just an idea.

[Top-Water]

Good Grief !! another lets get some cheap crap at Walmart post disguised as something else ......

& what would the penalty be for non compliance while riding your bicycle on one of these trails . I can just see it now a special division of the State Police, Bicycle Court , a new building for a couple of million dollars for equipment and training, swat teams with Spike Strip Tire Deflation Devices to catch the bad guys on these trails and the list goes on and on. Not to mention the proctored licenses test phased in over several years depending on your age. In congested areas what would the speed limit be. Is speed walking considered not to exceed 6-mph. ?

How about these ideas. Put up a toll both at each end of the trails, add it to your ez pass

While I too can understand the need to raise monies for projects that benefit recreation. I would rather see the legislature focus on more important things than a sneaker or bicycle user fee.

Really, do you want to charge people a usage tax for taking a walk or a bike ride to build boat ramps from folks that might not even own a boat of any type and create a new state agency to administer it all.

We already have a funding mechanism in New Hampshire for Public Boat Access
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/RSA/.../233-A-mrg.htm

Section 233-A:13

233-A:13 Statewide Public Boat Access Fund Established. – There is hereby established a nonlapsing statewide public boat access fund. The $5 boat registration surcharge collected pursuant to RSA 270-E:5, II(d) and any other public access funds donated to the state shall be placed in this fund. All funds received under this section are continually appropriated to the fish and game department for the purposes of the statewide public boat access program established under this chapter.
Source. 1992, 265:2, eff. Jan. 1, 1993.

[moose tracks]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

How about these ideas. Put up a toll both at each end of the trails, add it to your ez pass

What a great idea, toll booths at both ends of the trail. Alex can build another Common Man rest stop at the half way point and Laconia could charge him rent. Billboards could be put in and space rented to local businesses. Enter and exit ramps could be put in at South Down Shores and Long Bay so that these folks will feel included in the project and give up their fight.

[tis]

Why not? There isn't much we do in a day that isn't taxed!

[Outdoorsman]

Adding a liquor store and marijuana dispensary at the exit ramps and I bet they could lower the taxes for the SD/LB residents.

[garysanfran]

Live "free" or die?

[Descant]

Perhaps off topic a little, but my impression is that San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the country. Perhaps because everything is "free". I recall a neighbor once telling me that in (old state) it was "free" because: "THE GOVERNMENT PAID OR IT".
In any event, I think the OP started a reasonable conversation about how to pay for, or who should pay for, certain amenities like trails and boat ramps. Re: ramps. Motor boaters pay for them as well as for miloil control and Search and Rescue. Why shouldn't other users make some sort of contribution to maintain what they use? If that premise holds up, then how should it be handled? OP mentioned seven other states. Anybody know how they handle it?

[JTA]

I personally believe that there should be some ways to get onto the water or move across a road without a fee attached. I have registered my Sunfish every year even though I disagree with that requirement. Vehicles with motors should pay the fees. Muscle or wind power should require no fees.

[8gv]

As mentioned above, nearly every new tax or fee has a cost of collection that diminishes the benefit of the funds collected. A simple line in legislation stating "increase abc fee by $1 which shall go to xyz fund" seems to retain 100% of the incremental dollars collected.

Nobody's cousin or brother in law gets a job though...

[Outdoorsman]

Originally Posted by 8gv

As mentioned above, nearly every new tax or fee has a cost of collection that diminishes the benefit of the funds collected. A simple line in legislation stating "increase abc fee by $1 which shall go to xyz fund" seems to retain 100% of the incremental dollars collected.

Nobody's cousin or brother in law gets a job though...

.... Unfortunately, those funds are somehow sucked in to the general fund and dispersed to every feel good fund that the "legislature-du-jour" sees fit.

[garysanfran]

Repealed? Or reduced?

[Descant]

House bill 229 of 2011 repealed the tax on gambling winnings. There have been others , but that one sticks in my mind as a total repeal compared to a reduction. The last biennium budget reduced business taxes as we met certain revenue goals. A few years ago taxes on income earned in NH Trusts were repealed which brought a lot of trust and investment income into the state.
Wanna save some $$? Ask your CPA about NH Trusts. Not just for the rich and not just for NH residents. NH is the new Delaware.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

Repealed? Or reduced?

Of course--here's three! Ronald Reagan and George W Bush both reduced federal income taxes. Charlie Baker and a Democratic legislature reduced Mass income taxes just last year.

Also, if you believe that Republicans will be successful repealing Obamacare, we are on the verge of a massive tax cut--a 3.8% reduction in capital gains and another 0.9% on incomes above ~$200K. Of course, to take advantage of these particular cuts, you'll need a lot of capital gains (i.e. you'll need to be rich).

I'm sure there are more, but these are just off the top of my head.

[LIforrelaxin]

Oh I love these threads when this topic comes up seeming yearly.....While I have no issue with a "use fee" New Hampshire, needs to show people what it will use the money for, and inact a law, that dictates what the use fees for Kayaks etc. must be used for....

Otherwise, the money will end up in the general fund, and never really get used they way it was supposed to be.