Recently a series of news articles announcing certain taxes being added on October 1, 2019 has for some reason propelled rumors that sales tax impacting boats and boaters is also imminent.  These are rumors and are false.

We wish to clarify everything here so there is no doubt in your mind or those of your customers!  Please Share!

Sales Tax on the Boating Industry

• 2.99% - Sales Tax on Boats, Motors and Trailers
• 0.00% - Sales Tax on Service Labor, Winter Storage, Trade-In Credit
• 6.35% - Sales Tax on Slips, Parts, Supplies, Summer Storage

In addition there is no $100 fee on Trade-Ins as is the case for automobiles beginning October 1, 2019.

Please feel free to copy these logos and use them in your advertising, social media and email signature lines to remind customers that the sales tax rate on boats, motors and trailers is 2.99%  Never been better to buy a boat in CT!

                          

Pump Out Problems

Recently it has been reported that there have been malfunctions on board pump-out boats and shoreside facilities due to boaters using non-marine grade products resulting in clogged hoses and systems. 

CT DEEP has shared this on their social pages and we encourage you to remind boaters to help everyone, by using proper marine grade products:

Important Reminder to Boaters: 

Please be sure to flush ONLY MARINE GRADE TOILET PAPER and PRODUCTS when using the head on board your vessel.  Service from pumpout stations and pumpout vessels in your area is being impacted when non-marine grade products are being used and flushed in to marine heads, including:   feminine products, baby wipes and non-marine grade paper.  Package markings as “flushable”, generally do not pertain to marine grade systems.  These malfunctions are causing delays in pump-out service.  Help us to keep our waters clean and healthy.  When in doubt, don’t flush it!

The Moveable Bridge Task Force held it's quarterly meeting on Wednesday August 7th at DEEP Marine HQ in Old Lyme. 

CMTA's Kathleen Burns attended along with members of AMTRAK, DEEP, USCG and CT DOT.  It was a highly productive meeting, especially in light of issues on both the Shaw's Cove and Connecticut River Bridges in the last few weeks.

Connecticut River Bridge

• Three interruptions have occurred in the last two weeks due to an electronic sensor issue.  New personnel in place had directed the bridge be closed to marine traffic for a lengthy period, which has sense been rectified.
• Complaints have been received about a bridge operator's treatment of the traveling marine public.  These have been addressed and the operator will be retiring soon.
• If you or your customer experiences something at the bridge, please report it to CMTA HQ immediately.  Please note the rough time of the incident or communication as all of these exchanges are now recorded by AMTRAK and can be used to make the necessary changes.

Mystic River Bridge

• Mystic has installed video cameras due to blind spots for the bridge operator.  These will soon be coming on-line
• Winter Closures:  to complete the projects begun last year, the Mystic River Railroad Bridge will be closed to marine traffic on weekends beginning in February and ending in April.  We will have exact dates and times by November.

Shaws Cove

• The two recent interruptions were due to on-going wedge issues and they continue to look to ways to eliminate this from happening.  Dave Crocker of Crocker's Boatyard and the NL Harbor Master is staying on top of this area.

Overall AMTRAK has implemented a new bridge operator customer training course that all on-boarding tenders must take.  This was created due in part to our continued communications with AMTRAK to improve experience for our mariners as well as train riders.

DOT UPDATE Route 156 in Niantic

Critically important will be the CT DOT work on Route 156 in Niantic this late fall.  A COP was issued by CT DEEP on July 23rd to complete this work.  The impact to boating will fall between November 1, 2019 through March 31 when the bridge will be unable to open for marine traffic.

The channel will not be impacted other than a narrowing for watercraft to repair the fendering along the bridge supports.  Overhead, a debris catch netting will impact the clearance height at mean water.  It is anticipated that the clearance height will not be less than 21 feet.

USCG before approving the schedule deviation has requested of DOT that they are in contact with all impacted parties.  If you need more information on this project, please contact Kathleen Burns who will direct you to the appropriate contacts.

We will continue to keep you apprised of updates on all of these projects.

CMTA is a proud endorsement partner with NMMA on this annual event.  Our partnership includes our on-site participation in Try It Cove and in other marketing efforts.  In turn our Members receive a discount to display at the Show and the Association in turn receives a sponsorship donation by NMMA for our efforts. 

This year, we approached NMMA about expanding our Career Day into a two-day event to help attract more schools and job seekers, as part of our Diversity Workforce Plan presented to the State.  They jumped aboard and we hope to make this a model for their Shows (and ours) nationwide. 

While CMTA is actively seeking student and job seeker attendance we're asking any of our members if you would have interest in presenting to the assembled group.  If you are interested, please complete this Application.  We will be reviewing topics and preparing the agenda in the next few weeks.

For updates to our Job Board that will be listed at the Show, please contact Kathy Ketterer to update, add or delete your job openings.

This is a great opportunity for everyone with open positions and to truly start to "sell" our industry as a viable career path.

For more information or to discuss how you might participate, please contact Kathleen Burns.

National Marine Trades Council

Anacortes, WA -- In July, CMTA joined with twenty other State Marine Trades Association and five National Groups including NMMA, MRAA, USSA, ABYC and AMI for the three-day National Marine Trades Council (NMTC) conference in the beautiful San Juan Islands region of Washington State.  The Northwest Marine Trades Association hosted the group and RIMTA President and CEO, Wendy Mackie chaired.  CMTA Executive Director, Kathleen Burns acted as Vice-Chair and assisted in the meeting's preparation.

The event covered critical topics impacting the industry as a whole.  Included in the agenda were:

• Association Management:  Success and Challenges
• State Reports and Idea Exchange
• Workforce Development Programs - including a special presentation by the US Chamber of Commerce's Jaimie Francis and best practices by NMMA Julie Belzano
  
• Fiberglass Boat Recycling Program
• Boat Show Reports and Idea Exchange
• Updates on Discover Boating, Advocacy Strategy and more...

It was a packed agenda and long days, but the idea exchanges and industry wide updates were of tremendous value.

In addition we were fortunate to have outgoing NMMA President Thom Dammrich and incoming President Frank Hugelmeyer as part of the group on Frank's first week on the job.  It was a great opportunity for us to get to know Frank and to illustrate the important work the State Associations do on behalf of the industry.

The 2020 NMTC Conference will be held on the east coast on Cape Cod.

MRAA Dealer Week Update - December 8 - 11, 2019 Tampa, FL

While at NMTC, Liz Walz of MRAA presented the new "Dealer Week" concept and how to increase value to state MTA's and their members.  We were excited to learn of a new Co-Host opportunity for State MTA's to take a more active role in the event, which in turn opens up opportunities for our Association to gain access to more resources for our own state and regional events.

CMTA was pleased to join with several other states in the inaugural Co-Host roll-out.  More information on Dealer Week and the many opportunities for our members will be forthcoming.  Stay tuned!

July 1, 2019 marked the one-year anniversary of the implementation of the 2.99% tax rate on boats, motors and trailers - Legislation passed into law by then Governor Malloy. 

So where are we today?

New Governor Ned Lamont introduced a budget in the first months of his administration that essentially eliminated most sales tax exemptions (including the marine industry's long-standing exemptions on winter storage, service labor and the trade-in-credit) as well as after only 6 months in effect, raising the tax back to 6.35% on boat sales.

As most of you know, this Association worked tirelessly to fight these changes and in the end prevailed maintaining the exemptions and the tax rate.

Three Key Take-A-Ways

First, there grew an interest by legislators in how our industry can grow.  What jobs can be created within industry?  What training is needed and how can we get there?  At the request of legislators, CMTA presented a "Diversity Workforce Plan" which summarized much of our workforce and education activity to date and what we see as a path forward to grow a diverse and sustainable workforce for the marine industry. 

This must become a priority for our Industry this year - both for the long-term growth of industry and for our commitment to the State.

Second, we know that not all legislators agreed with these exemptions and tax rates and that there may be efforts yet to overturn them.  We MUST be prepared to answer their questions.  To that end, we will begin an additional economic study of the success of 2.99 and our exemption status.  We will need data from every aspect of this industry and association through your input.  We are dedicating the time and effort in the next three months to gather and prepare this data.

When these surveys are sent, please help us help you by completing the simple questionnaires.

Thirdly, at the last Board of Directors Meeting, it was decided we need to continue to promote the tax rate in all of our advertising - both at the Association AND at the Member level.  To that end, we are developing a consistent branding and ease of dropping the information into your own advertising.  This will be available before the Fall Boat Show Season begins.  We ask you to include this in your media.

* * *

If ever this Association came together to fight for something that is so directly impactful it was realized these last two years.  And we again thank every member who gave of their time and energy!

At a recent national meeting of marine trades associations I had the opportunity to present our activity of this past year.  In-coming NMMA President, Frank Hugelmeyer commented that this was a great example of Association benefit - providing a true deliverable for the membership.  We here all hope you agree.

- We are stronger together -

KB

 

Kathleen Burns will be attending the American Boating Congress next Monday - Wednesday in Washington, DC.  This is a tremendous opportunity to gather an bring back important information national industry's activities.

She will be providing a full report to Membership open return!

Kathleen accepting Co-Host Award from Thom Dammrich ABC 2017

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At the recent AMTRAK meeting, officials shared that new surveillance cameras have been installed on the Mystic River Train Bridge.  This action came in response to a serious incident when a vessel tried to beat the bridge closing.  There will also be stepped patrols to discourage boaters from trying to outrun the closing and causing wake damage in the area.

Please share with your customers on the Mystic River.

After several years of work the Blue Plan Draft was delivered to the public last month. 

The CMTA Board of Directors appointed a special Task Force who is digging deep into the details of the plan and to outline any concerns, issues, etc., that may have impact on the industry and our Members.

Members of the Task Force:

• Ron Helbig, CMTA Chairman
• Bill Gardella, CMTA Vice Chairman and Appointed Blue Plan Committee Member.
• Dave Crocker, CMTA Secretary/Treasurer
• Devin Santa, RACE, LLC and Board Member
• Cindy Karlson, Karlson Law (environmental) and Board Member
• Ted Sailer, Fuss & O'Neill and Board Member
• Keith Neilsen, Docko, Inc.
• Brian Skelly, GEI Consultants
• Kathleen Burns, CMTA

The group met with the Blue Plan Outreach Team two weeks ago and provided important follow up questions to them in a weeks time.  We await their responses by Friday, May 10th and further dialogue will continue.

For a review of the Blue Plan and Public Meeting Schedule, Click Here.

This is important.  Upon reading if you have any questions, please contact Kathleen Burns here.

Since the Legislative Session began in January, CMTA has worked tirelessly on the most important issues facing the Industry.  This year, even after our successful tax reduction last year, taxes were front and center with the Governor's Budget which proposed eliminating the sales-tax exemption on winter storage, labor, the trade-in credit and to increase the sales tax on boats, motors and trailers to 6.35%.

CMTA together with our Government Relations firm, the Kowalski Group, has taken countless meetings with legislators, the Governor's Office, Office of Policy and Management, delivered thousands of emails, phone calls and letters, staged a huge Rally Day that visually told lawmakers that the Marine Industry is strong and we've and testified at critical Public Hearings.

Dozens of Members have dropped what they were doing to join in important legislative meetings in Hartford, often with little notice.  Hundreds of you took the time to answer our Voter's Voice Call to action to reach out to legislators and we know an untold number of Members have had personal and private conversations with legislators to try to illustrate the needs of the industry.

We've kept poling data up to date to so we can deliver real results to legislative questions.

After a busy and often challenging four months, it all comes down to the next four weeks.  Between now and the Legislative Session's scheduled June 6 close, the legislators will be voting on a number of Bills and presenting a response Budget to that which Governor Lamont delivered shortly after taking office.

As of this writing, the Finance Committee presented a bill that did not include any taxes that would impact the Industry - essentially dropping the Governor's proposals.  However, it's not done and anything can happen any day.  We remain hopeful and diligent.

One of the points we made in testimony is that in remaining competitive with neighboring states, it will allow the industry to grow.  To add jobs.  And so in response to legislative requests, CMTA has provided a Workforce Plan to members of the committee outlining the strategies and activities we're working on as an organization to help find, train, employ and retain industry workers state-wide.  These initiatives, important ones for which the CMTA Foundation was formed to address, are important to all of us and we hope that we can continue to find paths, funding and programs to deliver boating industry training and to sustain a long term employment pipeline for our Members.  We hope that we can forge this path together with the State.

We will update as news warrants. 

A HUGE shout out to all of you who have answered the Call to Action!  Thank you for taking the time to be part of the process to help the industry!

Minimum Wage & Other Bills

CMTA has been committed to advocating for those issues that have a direct impact on our industry.  There is no one else out there that will be doing that for us.  In turn, the larger business and employment related issues such as Paid Family Medical Leave and Minimum Wage have also been on our radar, however we have relied on and worked with larger business-focused organizations who have been addressing these issues including CBIA and area Chambers.

Today, the House approved House Bill #5004 raising the Minimum Wage to $15.00 per hour by 2023 with a series of increases along the way.  It now goes on the Senate.

Stay tuned for more action in the next month!

Long time Board Member and former Chairman of the Board, Dawn Schieferdecker of American Boating Services sadly announced her resignation from the Board at the April Board Meeting.   Dawn is continuing her marine industry career in the Customer Service department of Boston Whaler, part of Brunswick Corporation in Florida.

But the job change was just one big change this month as Dawn married her long time partner, CMTA Member Tim Hyatt from American Boating Services.  We congratulate both Tim and Dawn on their new life together!

And we congratulate Dawn on her new position, wishing her a wonderful future!  Dawn has faithfully and tirelessly served CMTA for over two decades in a variety of capacities, most recently as Chairman Emeritus after her two-term role as Chairman of the Board. She has chaired several committees, volunteered her time in a variety of positions and always called CMTA "family".

Fair Winds Dawn, you will be missed by all!  Our Best Wishes!