by Jackie Nunnery
LANCASTER—The Lancaster board of supervisors on December 12 held a special workshop to discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages of reinstating a boat tax. The board has been looking for ways to diversify tax collections that would increase revenue and avoid its current reliance on real estate taxes.
Members were joined by area marine business owners Clay Holcomb of Chesapeake Boat Basin and Bruce Sanders of Rappahannock Yachts, as well as former county administrator Bill Pennell.
Current county administrator Don Gill reminded everyone that the county “eliminated the boat tax on boats over five tons in calendar year 2015, the following year, calendar year 2016, they eliminated the tax on boats less than five tons. In the minutes of the meetings from 2015, it was suggested that this issue be revisited in five years to evaluate the effect of the boat tax elimination.”
When it was eliminated, the boat tax rate was $1.52 per $100 of assessed value and generated $386,000 annually…
