We wrote the legislation that eliminated the Rhode Island sales and use taxes on new and used boats and on any equipment installed on those boats at the time of sale. If your revenues are higher now than they were in 1992, you've probably got RIMTA to thank. The legislation has benefited every boat dealer, broker, and charter company in the state, everyone who conducts business with locally-bought boats, and every company providing goods or services to these businesses.
RIMTA helped kill the personal property tax that towns levied on boats kept in Rhode Island more than six months out of the year. Because of this, the state is perceived as more boater-friendly to non-residents, and this has meant more business for marine equipment vendors, repair services, hotels and restaurants.
We played a leading role in repealing the infamous federal luxury tax on boats. Rhode Island's big-boat builders and their suppliers saw their business skyrocket when this ill-conceived tax was laid to rest.
RIMTA created the "Boaters' Resource Center" at the Providence Boat Show, a joint project of RIMTA, RI-DEM Boat Registry, RI-DEM Division of Enforcement, the Rhode Island Harbormasters Association, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the U.S. Power Squadron, to make boating registrations and safety information more accessible to the public.
We spearheaded the "Deadbeat Boater Law" to accelerate past-due payments to marinas for boat storage, repairs, and other services rendered.
RIMTA is a key player in the East Bay Economic Initiative, helping promote Rhode Island's great boat builders and cruising grounds throughout Western Europe and other foreign markets. Who benefits? You guessed it—just about everyone selling goods or services to boaters.
RIMTA helped write the marinas' "Best Practices" guide for controlling non point-source pollution, and insisted more pumpouts be installed throughout the state before actively supporting new regulations making all Rhode Island waters a No-Discharge Zone —the first such statewide designation by a coastal state. We did it because we believe that clean water is good for the industry, and because we want to demonstrate to the general public that the marine trades are the "good guys," not the enemy.
We're working with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Governor's Dredging Task Force, and other entities, to promote the dredging of the Providence River Ship Channel and marinas all across the state. This is critically important, for once there is an approved disposal site, marinas will finally be able to dredge. Virtually every marine business in Rhode Island has a stake in this issue, and RIMTA is doing all it can to make it happen.
Most of all, we are your watchdog during the legislative session to ensure that our industry is not unfairly regulated and to ensure that taxes we worked hard to repeal are not reinstated.
