Jan. 28, 2009

Warnick and Hinkle propose to end boat lift fees

After hearing from numerous constituents, Reps. Judy Warnick and Bill Hinkle today introduced a bill that would allow Moses Lake residents to own boat lifts and not be charged a fee.

In June 2008, dozens of residents contacted the 13th District legislators with concerns about being charged fees for having boat lifts on Moses Lake.

"They didn't understand why they would be charged to have a lift on their own waterfront," said Warnick, R-Moses Lake. "Because the lake shore is considered state-owned aquatic land, the state was allowed in statute to collect fees on the boat lifts. The problem was, they had not been collecting the fees until June 2008, and citizens were not made aware of the fee until they were served notice of a possible violation. We talked with the former Commissioner of Public Lands to waive the fee until we got this sorted out. So now we're in Olympia and we're trying to make the lifts exempt from fees."

House Bill 1750 allows citizens to install and maintain boat lifts or docks, if they are used for purely recreational purposes. Any boats moored could not be used for commercial or living uses.

"I guess I’m just getting tired, frankly, of the government taxing citizens for the 'right' to do this or that, or the 'right' to use their own property," said Hinkle, R-Cle Elum. "I appreciate the former commissioner of public lands being willing to waive the fee until a more permanent solution is found. This needs to be a legislative fix and we need to do it this year."

The bill has been referred to the Ecology and Parks Committee, a hearing has not yet been scheduled. Information to come if a hearing is scheduled.

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For more information, contact: Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7698