Yacht owners flee South Carolina over taxes

[LuckyLady]

Yacht owners flee South Carolina over taxes

Large yachts that summered in Charleston, S.C., have begun their seasonal southern migration, partially to avoid large tax bills that would arrive if they were to linger in South Carolina waters.

Yachts registered out of state don't get a bill unless they're in Charleston County waters for 180 days, so lots of those big boats get moved to places such as Florida, which has no property tax on boats, The Post and Courier newspaper reported.

"If those boats could stay, they'd be spending money and hiring people," Chuck Laughlin, of St. Barts Yachts at the Charleston City Marina, told the newspaper.

The laws involving property taxes on boats have been on the books for years, but local marina officials said enforcement has increased.

"It's definitely stepped up, and I think the stepped-up enforcement is running business out of town," said Robbie Freeman, manager of the Charleston City Marina. "I've never seen it this bad. We probably lost five or six customers this week."

Charleston County Auditor Peggy Moseley denies that there has been any sort of crackdown. Records from her office have previously shown, however, that until last year, when the issue was raised repeatedly at public meetings, no yacht worth $1 million or more had received a bill in Charleston County, the newspaper reported.

"What we've done is left after 179 days," said Charleston-area resident John Thomas, owner of a 50-foot boat worth about half a million dollars. "I'll take my $10,000 [that would be owed in taxes] and buy some fuel and stay in the Bahamas. If they would charge a reasonable fee - $1,000 or $2,000 - we would pay it and stay."

[hubris 1]

Part of the fun is making obama pay for part of it. Yea, If I could stay in SC or go to the Bahamas for the winter, Im gonna stay in SC. Ill take a bowl of conch chowder, and sushi over hush puppies and grits any day.

[marine4003]

Thats typical at any marina in SC, or instead of moving out of state..they move to another marina already visited by the tax man.

[longfisher]

Thats typical at any marina in SC, or instead of moving out of state..they move to another marina already visited by the tax man.

Ms. Haley's election is likely to drive SC boat owners wild with rage. Even though she's a Republican, and an attractive and intelligent person at that, SHE'S NOT WHITE.

So, I expect she'll have trouble in that state.

By the way, I see Hubris referred to Obama when he was agreeing that folks should avoid taxes. But H, aren't the taxes being discussed here local taxes vs. Federal Taxes?

If so, why do you conflate them with Federal taxes? Just wondering if you'd had your coffee already this morning.

LongFisher

[hubris 1]

By obama, I mean govt. Hes the new symbol of tax and spend. I dont really care who it is. If your job is to take whats mine......your an "obama" Boy, you need to get laid......BAD! BTW, put up a picture of your ugly ass so we can compare it to the vision we already have. You got alot to say, own it, put it to a picture, then we know you mean what you say. Ive done it, I say it, I live it, I defend it. Why not do the same?


Also, I have a "summer home, some arent" on the intercoastal waterway. I have seen plenty of Yachts come through with a hailing port of Delaware or some Bahama Island as home base. I love it......No Taxes! You go girl.

[marine4003]

Ms. Haley's election is likely to drive SC boat owners wild with rage. Even though she's a Republican, and an attractive and intelligent person at that, SHE'S NOT WHITE.

So, I expect she'll have trouble in that state.

By the way, I see Hubris referred to Obama when he was agreeing that folks should avoid taxes. But H, aren't the taxes being discussed here local taxes vs. Federal Taxes?

If so, why do you conflate them with Federal taxes? Just wondering if you'd had your coffee already this morning.

LongFisher

You dont know SC very well, the people with real power in this state..arent the ones in columbia.the governer is more of a figurehead.

[longfisher]

By obama, I mean govt. Hes the new symbol of tax and spend.

...all governments worldwide tax their people and spend the money. Furthermore, it's not just one party within any government that does this. Absolutely all do, even your cherished Republicans.

The term "tax and spend" has been endlessly abused to the point that it's meaningless. The real difference between the Democrats and the Republicans, and it's not a very large difference by the way, is that the Democrats tend towards being more communally oriented and the Republicans tend towards more authoritarianism.

But that's mostly just in the rhetoric. When one comes into power they mostly just dance to the tune that Wall Street plays.

It would be best to give up all the distracting nonsense about them being different and get on with finding an alternative to the two parties.

LF

[hubris 1]

North Carolina for instance only imposes a tax on boats no matter the price of 1500 dollars. There are alot of manufactures in that state for that reason. Delaware has no sales tax at all which makes people register boats in Delaware when they dont even live there.
If South Carolina thinks they will just tax people for using their boat there, Im sure alot will simply pull up anchor and go to the Bahamas. Yea, they all do it, collect taxes and spend it but, there is always a loophole too.

[SeaMent]

The State of Florida has a Law that if you own a vessel less than 6 months and stay in Florida over 90 days then you will pay the 6% Florida Sales Tax on the Original Sales price you paid for the Vessel. I bought my last Boat in July and ran it down to Stuart for the winter in November and in January I recieved notice from the State Dept. of Revenue that I owed 6% Sales Tax on the Boat. I paid 5% Sales Tax in Maryland on the purchase and once I provided them with the paperwork from the Purchase they were kind enough to make me pay only the 1% difference in MD. Sales Tax and FL. Sales Tax. What a crock of **** !!

[mvsusaf]

The arguably biggest Mercedes dealer in NJ has probably got the best "avoid taxes"deal that I have seen.
As you all know many boats are registered in Delaware for a variety of reasons but mainly to skip the sales tax.
This guy has registered his boat in the Marshall Islands and brings his boat from I don't know where each August and ties it up in Sea Bright, NJ. This is a 120 foot Mycara built in Wisconsin.
I had to pay 149 bucks sales tax to NJ for my 14 foot tin boat. There has to be a better way!