"RBOC Urges Governor to Veto AB 2443
Boaters Urged to Take Action
August 29
RBOC is urging Governor Brown to veto AB 2443 [Williams].
RBOC letter to Governor Brown: http://www.rboc.org/documents/RBOCAB2443LGovBrown8-29-12.pdf
submit your own email to Governor Brown: http://govnews.ca.gov/gov39mail/mail.php
copy of AB 2443: http://www.rboc.org/documents/ab_2443_bill_20120821_amended_sen_v93.pdf
RBOC appreciates the opportunities we have had to discuss AB 2443 with the office of Assembly Member Williams and the supporters of this legislation. We share the objective of combating invasive species. Our organization remains unconvinced, however, that the provisions of this bill will accomplish this objective, and we do not believe that the provisions justify a possible doubling of the state registration fees paid by this state's boaters.
RBOC has serious concerns with the provisions of AB 2443 that would:
Establish a new, comprehensive, state-wide approach to combating invasive species without an examination of the effectiveness of the current programs being administered by a number of state agencies.
Focus on the recreational boating public for new fees while there are many participants in the battle against invasive species.
Impose fees on boaters throughout the state regardless of whether they boat in areas subject to infestation by invasive species.
Ignore other solutions including direction of the significant boat personal property taxes paid at the local level.
Create situations where boaters are paying fees although they never move their boats from one fresh-water location and thus never present a risk.
Create situations where boaters are paying twice for the same program.
RBOC has consistently stated that we would remove our opposition to AB 2443 if it were to be amended to replace the proposed increase in registration fees with provisions that would instead require the state to examine the effectiveness of the current programs being administered by a number of state and local agencies and develop recommendations to increase the effectiveness of the current approaches.
While we appreciate the amendments that have been incorporated to provide an important role for the Department of Boating and Waterways in administering the expenditure of funds, the bill has not been amended to instead establish the study of current programs that should occur prior to solutions such as those proposed by AB 2443.
# # #
Jerry Desmond, Jr.
Director of Government Relations
Recreational Boaters of California
www.RBOC.org
DESMOND & DESMOND
925 L Street, Suite 220
Sacramento, CA 95814
p 916.441.4166
f 916.441.3520"
Boaters Urged to Take Action
August 29
RBOC is urging Governor Brown to veto AB 2443 [Williams].
RBOC letter to Governor Brown: http://www.rboc.org/documents/RBOCAB2443LGovBrown8-29-12.pdf
submit your own email to Governor Brown: http://govnews.ca.gov/gov39mail/mail.php
copy of AB 2443: http://www.rboc.org/documents/ab_2443_bill_20120821_amended_sen_v93.pdf
RBOC appreciates the opportunities we have had to discuss AB 2443 with the office of Assembly Member Williams and the supporters of this legislation. We share the objective of combating invasive species. Our organization remains unconvinced, however, that the provisions of this bill will accomplish this objective, and we do not believe that the provisions justify a possible doubling of the state registration fees paid by this state's boaters.
RBOC has serious concerns with the provisions of AB 2443 that would:
Establish a new, comprehensive, state-wide approach to combating invasive species without an examination of the effectiveness of the current programs being administered by a number of state agencies.
Focus on the recreational boating public for new fees while there are many participants in the battle against invasive species.
Impose fees on boaters throughout the state regardless of whether they boat in areas subject to infestation by invasive species.
Ignore other solutions including direction of the significant boat personal property taxes paid at the local level.
Create situations where boaters are paying fees although they never move their boats from one fresh-water location and thus never present a risk.
Create situations where boaters are paying twice for the same program.
RBOC has consistently stated that we would remove our opposition to AB 2443 if it were to be amended to replace the proposed increase in registration fees with provisions that would instead require the state to examine the effectiveness of the current programs being administered by a number of state and local agencies and develop recommendations to increase the effectiveness of the current approaches.
While we appreciate the amendments that have been incorporated to provide an important role for the Department of Boating and Waterways in administering the expenditure of funds, the bill has not been amended to instead establish the study of current programs that should occur prior to solutions such as those proposed by AB 2443.
# # #
Jerry Desmond, Jr.
Director of Government Relations
Recreational Boaters of California
www.RBOC.org
DESMOND & DESMOND
925 L Street, Suite 220
Sacramento, CA 95814
p 916.441.4166
f 916.441.3520"