When is a taxcut not really a taxcut??

For the answer to that question you might want to call your representative and ask them about all the increases to registrations and other various FEES which will be rising this year.
To show how corrupt politics really is our current Senator Mr. Kit Bond is espousing the virtues of taxcuts down at the O'Reilly warehouse this afternoon. Meanwhile the "fishwrapper" finally got one right and with facts to support their claim. Every now and then even The News Leader will hold itself to the same standard that it requires of activist groups in and amoungst the peoples of Springfield, MO.

Our republican lead legislature knows that a tax increase would be a death nail to their political longevity, so they pass on TAX increases in other forms.
I can hear the reply from many as I type this "I don't own a boat so this is going to bother me" or "it's only an additional(fill in the blank)per year and besides the bigger boats are getting accessed a much larger portion then I am." Well I don't personally own a boat either and with these current increases I won't be purchasing one. User fees are set up so the people using the water ways are supposed to pay for the upkeep which sounds like a good idea, so then WHY isn't the government school system set-up that way???

A link to our states budget is below good luck in locating the appopiation for our waterways in this massive 587 page document. This is only the transportation portion of the budget.

http://www.oa.mo.gov/bp/budreqs2007/dept/Modot1.pdf

Boat fee increase awaits governor's decision

By David A. Lieb
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JEFFERSON CITY — For many Missourians, Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional start of the summer boating season. But before this year's season ends, boaters could be paying more for the privilege of revving their motors on Missouri's rivers and lakes.

Missouri's boat registration fee would more than double for small boats and nearly quadruple for the biggest ones under a bill passed by the General Assembly and awaiting a signature decision by Gov. Matt Blunt.

Fees also could rise for the millions of Missourians who get their drinking water from public systems, as opposed to private wells. And various state and local governmental bodies could gain new discretion to raise fees on everything from honorary highway signs to the landowners in local drainage districts.

The Republican-led General Assembly remained opposed to new taxes during its 2006 legislative session. But lawmakers found fee increases not quite as repulsive.

The higher boating fees are perhaps the most obvious increase.

About 315,000 boats are registered in Missouri, excluding canoes, rowboats and other solely paddle-powered vessels. The legislation would raise fees to $25 for the smallest boats (shorter than 16 feet) and $150 for the largest boats (stretching more than 40 feet long).

Based on the number of boats in each category, the fee increase should generate almost $5 million annually for the state — $3 million more than the state now receives.

The new money would go to Missouri State Water Patrol, which has lamented for some time its low salaries and high mileage on its trucks and boats.

The higher boat charges essentially are user fees, meaning the people who use the waterways are the most likely to benefit.

Many of the other bills also are user fees.

For example, the annual fees charged for public water connections would rise more than 60 percent to fund the water quality duties of the Department of Natural Resources.