DoTheMath

It's been to Nantucket a couple times since it was delivered, (where they have a house) thus it breached MA waters / territory and once he got called-out on the whole thing, he tried to make up for it.

PhantomChaos

From what I reacall of the laws, he can do that for repairs. maintenance or upgrades. Here in SoCal, a lot of folks take offshore delivery and then keep the yacht in Ensenada Mexico for 90+ days (I think that is what it still is....I know it was changed for a bit to 1 year but think it is back to 90 days).

DoTheMath

Technically it's not a sales tax, it's a "use tax" that he is being subjected to in this case. In the event that he intends to use the boat in Mass, (and he has legal residence here) - that amount is 6.25%, which (coincidentally) is equivalent to our sales tax. He is supposed to file the paperwork for that within 20 days of taking possession of the vessel, saying that he intends to use the vessel within the state (his states) waters, harbors, etc... Where he bought and registered it outside of Mass, (doing it through RI and they have neither) but is a MA resident, that is where the state gets you, on the "use tax". They have been cracking down on all that stuff here the last several years, watching boats with out of state registrations berthed here in the state. If they see them sitting for more than a couple weeks, they see a red flag and start to check into it. I know MA and NH have reciprocity with regard to registrations, but I am pretty sure it's about 2 weeks, then you need to move it. Of course, off-shore registrations take on a whole different set of rules and regs, this is on a more local level we are talking about, like the state next-door.

There is lots of gray area with what is legit and what is suspect, I guess if you get called-out, you just need to argue your case and hope it sounds - and looks - plausible. Kerry just rolled over and caved without so much as an hint of a fight... gee, wonder why!?

BTW - nice cartoon Nort!