Already taxed to death

Regarding "Tax exemptions" (Letters, March 3):

I cannot speak to the other more than 200 sales tax exemptions, but I can speak to the sales tax exemption for fishing boat charters.

I tow the boat to the water with a truck that has an annual tag tax that was just almost doubled. The boat trailer has an annual tag tax that just recently was almost doubled. The boat has an annual vessel registration tax that recently almost doubled.

I buy an annual state of Florida fishing license for all of my clients who come fishing, and that is also a tax.

To get the boat to the water the truck needs gas taxed by the state and federal governments.

When the boat gets to the water, the boat needs gas that is taxed.

When I buy the many things I need for my business, like tackle, rods, reels, oil and many other things to properly run a charter fishing business, I pay a sales tax.

When I book my clients over the phone, my cell phone bill has state and federal taxes on it.

Many of my customers come from out of town or out of state. If they fly, they pay a flight tax. If they drive, they pay state and federal gas taxes. When those who fly in rent a car, they pay a car-rental tax. When the out- of-town and out-of-state people stay in a motel, they pay a motel tax. When they eat out in restaurants, they pay a food tax.

I am sure I forgot to mention some taxes, but you get the idea. The fact is charter fishing guides bring a lot of people into Florida who pay lots of taxes before they even get to the dock. If charter fishing clients had to pay another tax, many would stay home or go somewhere else.

If the sales tax is put on fishing charters that are currently exempt, the state would lose more money than it would take in. When that happens, my business is over, and I will not be spending any money on extra boat and truck gas that has state and federal taxes on it, and then the state and feds will have to raise other taxes to make up the shortfall.

There are good economic and common-sense reasons to have the sales tax exemption on charter fishing trips. In the case of the sales tax exemption for these trips, it is not a political favor as Bill Madden states in his letter.

Yes, there is a budget shortfall, but if you want to see an even bigger budget shortfall, just let them put a sales tax on my business. I am sure that there are political tax exemptions that need to be repealed, but I am also sure that many of the sales tax exemptions are there for good reasons. Be careful what you ask for because your tax bill will go up if you get your way.

JAMES WISNER

Tampa