Kayak Tax Proponents Try to Disguise Cash Grab as Safety Measure [Mackinac Center]

Kayak Tax Proponents Try to Disguise Cash Grab as Safety Measure [Mackinac Center]:
"...Last fall, some Michigan sheriffs began calling for a new tax on nonmotorized watercraft like kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.
They say that requiring Michiganders to register these boats will generate needed revenue.
Although both the House and Senate have passed resolutions opposing the “kayak tax,” some proponents of the tax haven’t given up on getting it passed.
Detroit News columnist Daniel Howes describes how to overcome this apparent defeat by using a different tack: “the tax-the-paddlers crowd might have a more compelling argument if the proceeds from the registration fees were earmarked for safety training.”
...Attempting to recast this naked cash grab as a public health and safety measure is misguided.
If there really is a problem with funding Michigan’s water-related infrastructure or first-response teams, it certainly won’t be resolved by creating a new and totally unprecedented tax on the more than 600,000 people just trying to enjoy Michigan’s great outdoors..."
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