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MMTA ENews: May 18, 2006

  • New Fuels Info
  • Marine Dealer Plate Refresher
  • Coastal Hazards Commission Public Forums
  • Business Activity Tax Simplification Act
  • Marine Industry Event Calendar


    • NEW FUELS: GASOLINE & DIESEL

    Can't get enough information on new marine fuels and their potential impacts?

    Be sure to read this article by and reprinted courtesy of Philip A. Gaudreau Jr. AMS of Middlefield, CT's ALLPOINT Marine Services, LLC http://www.boatma.com/membersonly/pdf/MarineFuels2006AllPointMarine.pdf


    FIRST SEA TRIAL OF THE SEASON? SETTING UP YOUR SHOWDOCKS?
    Reminder to ALL Holders of MA Marine Dealer Registration Numbers (MS "D" Plates)
    Reprinted Excerpt From MMTA ENews Brief May 2005

    ALL vessels on the waters of the Commonwealth, whether underway or at rest at a mooring or dock, MUST AT ALL TIMES display a temporarily affixed marine dealer registration placard and original registration card together with identification of the dealer name and location e.g. a For Sale sign with dealer/broker contact information.

    1. If your inventory "floats," it must at all times display the dealer placard, dealer identification and the original of the dealer registration in order to comply with the law that states every vessel on the waters of the Commonwealth shall be registered. There is no limitation on duration of time a "demonstration vessel" may be in the waters of the Commonwealth provided it properly displays dealer registration plates. If you do not currently hold sufficient dealer registration placards to cover your inventory you should apply immediately for additional numbers for floating inventory. Marine dealer registration applications may be downloaded at http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/instructionspage.htm#Boat

    2. If you require permission to transport multiple vessels at the same time under a single dealer registration, a form is available that may be faxed or emailed to the EPO notifying them that you are "caravanning" a fleet of boats to a particular event e.g. boat show, rendezvous, alternate sales location etc. Download the form here: http://www.boatma.com/membersonly/pdf/MA_EPO_Request_for_Marine_Transport2005JUN21.pdf

    3. The Environmental Police state that using dealer placards on workboats is an inappropriate use of dealer plates. Dealer plates are exclusively reserved for those vessels being demonstrated for sales promotional purposes and should not be affixed to marina capital equipment. If you have a workboat, towboat or similar vessel, it should be registered and titled just like any other machinery or vehicle you employ in the course of doing business.

    Want to review the original MMTA ENews brief in its entirety? Click Here: http://www.boatma.com/membersonly/newsbriefs/2005_may_18_news.html


    Coastal Hazards Commission Public Forums
    May 22-31, 2006
    Purpose

    The Coastal Hazards Commission is hosting public forums to solicit input on local storm damage and erosion issues, concerns, and potential solutions.

    Format

    The chair of the public forum will provide an overview of the Coastal Hazards Commission and then ask for responses to the questions listed below as well as general comments. Interested persons may also submit written comments to Julia.Knisel@state.ma.us. All comments will be summarized by CZM staff and presented to the Coastal Hazards Commission at their next meeting on June 12.

    Questions

    1. Are you aware of your vulnerability to coastal hazards, such as flooding and erosion? If so, how were you informed? If not, where would you look for information?

    2. Have you taken action to minimize the risk of damage to your home during storms?

    3. Given that flooding and erosion are issues in MA, what do you feel are the best management approaches?

    4. Have you been involved in the development of any local plans designed to manage coastal hazards, such as hazard mitigation or beach management plans?

    5. Would you recommend other successful shoreline management techniques that MA should consider?

    Locations

    May 22, South Shore (7-9 PM)
    Chair: Representative Frank Hynes
    Scituate High School
    606 Chief Justice Cushing Highway, Scituate

    May 23, Boston (10 AM-noon)
    Chair: Susan Snow-Cotter
    Saltonstall Building
    2nd Floor Conference Room A
    100 Cambridge St., Boston

    May 24, North Shore (7-9 PM)
    Chair: Susan Snow-Cotter
    Ipswich Town Hall, Room A
    25 Green St., Ipswich

    May 30, Cape Cod & Islands (5-7 PM)
    Chair: Senator Robert O'Leary
    Barnstable Town Hall, Hearing Room
    367 Main St., Hyannis

    May 31, South Coast (7-9 PM)
    Chair: Representative Susan Gifford
    Wareham Public Library
    59 Marion Rd., Wareham


    Action Alert
    Urge Your Senators to Support the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act (BATSA)

    The time to act is now. Please contact your senators and urge them to support BATSA, S. 2721, the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2006. NMMA needs your help to ensure fair business activity taxes that prevent states from imposing expensive corporate income and other direct taxes on businesses without a physical presence in their states.

    What is the problem? In the last two years, many state and local tax enforcement agencies have made dubious claims alleging that manufacturers established "economic nexus" in their states and demanded that the manufacturers pay millions in fines and business activity back taxes.

    Why should I care? The attempts by state and local taxing officials to apply nexus has generated widespread litigation and caused considerable uncertainty that has hurt the U.S. economy and hindered business expansion and interstate commerce. Because so many boat manufacturers conduct business across state lines without establishing a physical presence, BATSA would save the industry millions in unfair state taxes.

    How do I get involved? Please contact your senators and urge them to support BATSA.

    You can reach your senators by fax or email at http://www.nmma.org/grassroots/ where you will find contact information for your senators and a form letter that you can customize to suit your company. Please let Jeffrey Gabriel (jgabriel@nmma.org) know when you respond to your elected representatives so NMMA can follow up.


    MARINE INDUSTRY EVENT CALENDAR

    Have an event to be added to the calendar of interest to all members, send an e-mail to Leona.Roach@boatma.com


    ONGOING REMINDERS TO MEMBERS AND LINKS OF INTEREST

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    BOATER INFORMATION PIPELINE SIGNUP:
    http://www.boatma.com/boatersenewssignupform.html
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    MMTA NEWSBRIEF ON ETHANOL:
    http://www.boatma.com/membersonly/newsbriefs/2006_march_11_news.html
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    MMTA NEWSBRIEF ON LOW SULFUR GASOLINE:
    http://www.boatma.com/membersonly/newsbriefs/2006_march_03_news.html
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    RENEW YOUR 2006 MMTA MEMBERSHIP ONLINE THROUGH PAYPAL:
    https://ssl3.pair.com/bythesea/cgi-bin/quickstore/boatma-renew/order.pl
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    MAKE THE MMTA JOBS BULLETIN BOARD WORK FOR YOU!
    Be sure to post your help wanted notices here. It's free, it's popular and it works! http://www.boatma.com/jobs/bbs.pl
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    MARINE TRADES EDUCATORS WISH LIST
    Go To: www.boatma.com/membersonly/news/bbs.pl to visit the MMTA News Bulletin Board of Wish Lists from Ben Franklin Institute of Technology, Massasoit Community College and Cape Cod Tech.
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    SHOW YOUR COLORS
    Proudly Display the MMTA Logo: Download it Here: http://www.boatma.com/membersonly/mmtalogos.html
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    WE WANT YOUR MARINE INDUSTRY PHOTOS!
    We need photos of marinas, boatyards, retailers, service and repairers. Please send all photos in a high resolution version and indicate if a photo credit is applicable or not. Send to Leona.Roach@boatMA.com
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    UPCOMING MARINE INDUSTRY EVENTS
    CLICK HERE: http://www.boatma.com/membersonly/memberscalendar.html
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    MMTA-STAPLES BUSINESS ADVANTAGE PROGRAM
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