Weekly 5: Kansas calls for phase-out of boat taxes
January 29, 2013
Filed under Weekly 5
The BI Weekly 5 is a collection of tips, news and data affecting the boating industry this week. Be sure to look for the BI Weekly 5 every Tuesday on BoatingIndustry.com.
1. Kansas plan calls for phase-out of boat taxes
Boaters could be paying no property taxes on watercraft by 2016 under a plan proposed by the state’s Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. The plan would reduce the current 30 percent rate over the next three years in an effort to get more Kansans to start registering their boats in-state instead of taking them to neighboring states to avoid paying the higher tax.
Oklahoma rep introduces boating education bill
It’s that time of year, as state legislatures go back into session. An Oklahoma state representative has introduced legislation requiring all boaters take safety education. Those born before 1992 would be exempted from the requirement.
Boating education and safety bills have either been introduced or are planned in several other states including Georgia, New York and New Jersey.
3. Boating states losing population
Hard to say exactly what it means for future boating registrations, but states with high per-capita registered boat counts were more likely to be on the losing end of moving patterns in 2012, according to Atlas Van Lines.
For the last 10 years, Atlas has tracked the origins and destinations of interstate moves. Four of the top five states for per-capita boat registrations had more moves out than in: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine and Michigan. South Carolina was the lone exception.
Most of the states with a big influx are in the lower half of per-capita registrations: Texas, Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Tennessee. It is worth noting that Texas ranks as one of the top states for total boating expenditures, even if it’s per-capita numbers pale.
4. 5 things Facebook Graph Search means for business
Not sure what to make of Facebook’s recent announcement of an enhanced search option? Here’s a quick guide to what it means for businesses.
5. Busy week for economic data
Several reports due this week to watch from key housing numbers to consumer confidence to employment. Some of the highlights to keep an eye out for:
- Housing/Construction: S&P/Case-Shiller House Price Index and the Census Bureau’s Q4 Homeownership report (both Tuesday); Construction Spending for December (Friday)
- Consumer confidence: The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index (Tuesday) and the Reuter’s/University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (Thursday)
- Employment: ADP private employment report (Wednesday) and the government employment report, which will include the annual re-benchmark (Friday)
