Beach nourishment-so me the money!

[BeachSiO2]

I have a hard time looking at it that way. It?s my understanding that doc stamp revenues are used to fund general revenue, debt service, land acquisitions, etc. Some of it goes for local infrastructure, and every year some of it goes for beach renourishment projects identified by the DEP. First you get your beach determined to be critically eroded, then you follow some other steps, and then eventually you get one of these state grants, maybe, if there is enough money appropriated. Doc stamp revenue is also collected on demand notes, retail installment sales contracts, etc. including refinancing. So if you signed onto any sort of money transaction that is subject to the doc stamp tax, you paid a tax to the state that is then distributed as the legislature sees fit, like most taxes. It isn't as if you can say, well, we had a lot of real estate transactions here so therefore we are able to pay for the restoration with other people's money. IMHO, it's always a mistake to consider a tax, even the bed tax, as someone else's money.

Thanks I appreciate the further discussion. I just think its important that everyone realizes that taxes are collected in different ways and that the beaches are not funded through general revenue (property taxes) but through the documentary stamp tax, especially in light of all the property tax reform discussions. Here's a question for you, how would you rather see the issue handled? I like the County using grants and bed taxes to pay for the projects instead of general revenue.

 

[NotDeadYet]

Here's a question for you, how would you rather see the issue handled? I like the County using grants and bed taxes to pay for the projects instead of general revenue.

Hmm, not sure exactly what you are asking. I haven't taken a position on renourishment either for or against, except to comment that I think eventually retreat will be the only option. So are you asking how I want to see renourishment paid for in the meantime, on the assumption that it will proceed regardless of my opinion as to whether or not it's a good idea? There is no way the county could use general revenue to pay for it, it's way too expensive. Bed tax by itself is not adequate, so that leaves state and/or federal dollars. I like to think of them as dollars, not as grants. The word grants sort of implies painlessness. In any case it's probably best to spread out the pain amongst as many taxpayers as possible. All the money wasted on unliveable Katrina trailers and ice that rode around the country for months could buy a lot of sand, or it could buy a lot of health care for poor kids, or, well, you get the idea, we could be here for a long time discussing what we think is the "proper" use of tax revenues. Should we start a new thread maybe?