Bill would mandate canoe, kayak licenses‏. (how much, tax, exemption)

[reloop]

Originally Posted by tcrackly

I understood that is part of the proposals. Recipients of search and rescue would be financially accountable for the cost OR they would pay for a seasonal(?) $20.00 "rescue card" from MIF&W. Personally to see the state with less bureaucracy and micromanaging would be good. They can discount my annual fees while they're at it.

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure that a seasonal $20 "rescue card" would be of much benefit 'tho, If, that is, I'm understanding it correctly. Sure, there would be many of them resulting in $$$, but the costs of administration relating to them could outweigh the benefits...hmmm...

Nonetheless, I do agree that varying "agencies" have become almost maniacal in number these days. The old adage of KISS (keep it simple...) appears to be long gone by all appearances to me anyway. My father used to hire full crews throughout the 60's and the 70's, but by the late '70's or mid 80's, he found himself needing to go the route of subcontracting as he couldn't make it worthwhile to pay for various "fees" and the cost of Worker's Compensation went through the roof. That, and he had to fight the EPA, tooth and nail to get a job done correctly. Sometimes I really think we hoist our own petards when we try to make something better... Oops! the curmudgeon in me raises it's ugly head....

I'm beginning to file this latest gem of legislation under "useless micromanaging by a desperate state."

[BHShaman]

I'm sure as it is now, for every dollar IF&W fees bring in the States takes out $1.50

I hunt, fish, boat, snowmobile, etc. I've lived in Maine my whole life, and we struggle to stay due to the economic burden. Still, I'd gladly pay DOUBLE on all those fees if the State agreed that all of those funds remained with IF&W 100% (minus indirect) and the accounts spanned State fiscal years without forfeit.

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by reloop

Oops! the curmudgeon in me raises it's ugly head....

There's nothing wrong with a good curmudgeon. They raise good points. I DO think the state has butted in where it doesn't belong but we ahve asked for it for decades. Too many want the gov't to take responsibility for anything away and now it looks as if we have to pay on top of it all. Well, I would like to maintain my own responsibilities (especially since the kids are grown and off) just like I was raised to do. Back before the Golden Rule was "He with the gold, makes the rules." If we all played nice then maybe we wouldn't have a nanny gov't. Hey...hang on...what topic am I on again???

[reloop]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

I think we should put weed eaters on our canoes and kayaks and bill the state for taking care of its milfoil problem.

Not a bad idea!

[RANGER.101ST]

oh this realy puts a thorn in my %#@.
and to think i was going to have a good weekend and not think about the state stickin it to me once agine.as you all know we are an out doors family we all have canoe's and kayak's.
i did some figuring and between the 5 kids and me and the wife we will spend around 160 bucks.
this is BULL.
and im not doing it.we keep letting them do what ever they want and they keep thinking up more crap to get money out of us how mutch is to mutch.ok im done for now.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by Kracer

A canoe tax !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not again!!!!!!!!!

I would assume bicycles are next as they share the road with cars.

Pardon me while I contact your legislators!!!!!!!!!!!

"leave no tracks", just your tax..........

You would think hand powered craft would be rewarded as no emmisions are produced during their operation.

Taxes have nothing to do with emissions.... and everything to do with getting money.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by RANGER.101ST

oh this realy puts a thorn in my %#@.
and to think i was going to have a good weekend and not think about the state stickin it to me once agine.as you all know we are an out doors family we all have canoe's and kayak's.
i did some figuring and between the 5 kids and me and the wife we will spend around 160 bucks.
this is BULL.
and im not doing it.we keep letting them do what ever they want and they keep thinking up more crap to get money out of us how mutch is to mutch.ok im done for now.

I don't think it would cost you any more. Assuming you buy fishing, hunting or trapping licenses for yourselves and the kids when they're 16 you don't need a boating license.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by retiredtinbender

I know it's politically incorrect but people need to clean up their own mess, police their own activities and be carefull enough to stay on designated trails. It worked before for decades. It was called self responsibillity.[/font][/color]
[/font][/color]

Well, it has been more and more politically incorrect because more and more people "from away" have moved in to Maine and are redesigning the state to be more like where they came from. This is particularly so in the southern portions of the state, where people have congregated around Portland, and have decided to get active in making the state better. Many of these good folks don't go to "Maine"....they just stay near Longfellow Square. My state representative is new this year, and he is amazed at what he sees in Augusta, proposed at the hands or bequest of those whose roots in Maine are very, very shallow.

Actually, some of this may well be taken care of by the recession. The truth of the recession hasn't really hit Maine yet, but it is coming, and there will simply be much less money for the state to get its hands on period.

Many of the so-called services and benefits of having a huge bureaucracy in Augusta may well be shelved since there will be much less revenue to support them. As an example, I saw the Maine Coast Mall in Ellsworth closed and dark at 4:00 P.M. yesterday afternoon. I don't know what time the stores closed, but I have NEVER seen it dark so early in a spring afternoon in thirty years.

Whatever the case, it is up to the taxpayer to decide what to spend and not to spend on "services". If we don't like the direction of the State of Maine and its out of control bureaucracy, then it is up to change things. So far, the people have been sitting on the sidelines with their hands out for many, many years. We have elected and reelected the same sort of legislator, and when things don't seem to go sweetly, we do not hold accountable those people whom we EMPLOY in August, because it must be remembered that those folks who serve in Augusta (and Washington) are OUR employees.

I personally think that we ought to downsize state government by cutting buy one half the number of legislators that are sent there to spend our money. And I think this downsizing should hold the legislators directly accountable for whatever is happening in the state.

Fewer legislators might sound good, but it isn't enough. There should be a total redistricting of the state. Each representative would serve the electorate in two different parts of the state. That means that the guy from Cumberland ALSO answers to voters from, say, Fort Fairfield.

Now, wouldn't that be interesting? We could get to see if the Cumberland County Volvos actually do go north of the Volvo Line.

(OK, Ok, Ok, I know! It's a closed thread, but I couldn't resist....)

[retiredtinbender]

I agree with you, Acadianlion, that part of the problem is folks moving here and wanting the same sort of programs they had in their last home, maybe more of them. But all this costs money. Money the State of Maine just doesn't have. With the global economy and hi-tech that we have more people find themselves out of work. That means the state gives them a hand; sometimes a handout. We just can't afford it.

Funny about your take on legislative downsizing. I have said the same about lawyers. Sorry if there are any lawyers on here. BUT, I think tht the lawyer population should be set the way theat representatives in Washington are set, by population. There are too many frivolous lawsuits filed by too many TV law firms. Probably draw fire for that but what the h...

But to get back to it; we can't aford all the programs that give whaat should be our responsibilities over to the state to enforce. If everyone just took care of things themselves we wouldn't need the state to remind and tax, fine, or license us for it. Sort of like the Robert Fulgham book, "All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten". And I quote:

"Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody."

Hope this isn't infringing.

[reloop]

[quote=Acadianlion;7912538]Well, it has been more and more politically incorrect because more and more people "from away" have moved in to Maine and are redesigning the state to be more like where they came from. This is particularly so in the southern portions of the state, where people have congregated around Portland, and have decided to get active in making the state better. Many of these good folks don't go to "Maine"....they just stay near Longfellow Square. My state representative is new this year, and he is amazed at what he sees in Augusta, proposed at the hands or bequest of those whose roots in Maine are very, very shallow.
quote]


Oooooooo...so agree - my biggest "pet peeve" (and the biggest pet peeve of native Mainers that I know). Whatever happened to "When in Rome, do as the Romans do?" It's not just Maine. Why on earth would you move somewhere to get away from somewhere else and then set about poste haste to redesign it to reflect where you were trying to get away from in the first place? This makes absolutely no sense to me.