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No saltwater fishing tax.
How can it be anything more than a mony grab. Please!!
SaltHeart nailed it. It isn't a question "if" but "when".
Even if all of the well intentioned polititions agree that the money will go to fishing related endeavors today, there is nothing keeping the next legislature (voted in every 2 years) from doing whatever they want with the funds. The $50 (or more - who knows) you thought was going to add more parking spaces at the boat ramp will inevitably end up in the hands of some welfare mother in Woonsocket.
I say that this is a done deal because not only does the RI public not have a vote but even if they did, only 44% of those who fish in RI are residents. The other 66% of us will never have a say.
I'll tell you what though. I WILL vote with my check book and I will not buy a RI license. Unfortunately, this also means that I will not patronize any RI tackle shops or gas stations or restaurants or hotels. I like fishing the Warwick area with my father in law who keeps his boat there but I will be just as happy to keep my fishing related dollars in Mass or Maine where they don't charge me for a resource thet they don't even manage anyway (how can one state manage a migrating stock).
Now that I think of it, I don't even think my father in law (Mass resident) knows about this proposal yet. Spring for him usually means time to put the boat in and start fishing. This year he will be introduced to the joy of "springing" for a fishing license for him, his wife, and their 16 year old son.
Sorry for venting but I really hope this doesn't go through and I hope it never rears its head again.
Mike
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