Property tax bill for my dinghy? Really?

I received an unsecured property tax bill from the Los Angeles County Asessor, for my Porta-Bote folding dinghy that I bought last year. Are dinghies subject to property tax in LA county? If so, that's a new one on me. Never received a bill for my Mercury inflatable which I purchased new in 2005.

They also assessed the Porta-Bote's value at $2195, but I only paid $1350 for it.

Property taxing your dingy, whaaat?

Mike, That's a new one on me too. We've had one sort of dinghy or other for almost all of the 30 years we've been sailing that this is a first for me. How about a friendly call and then if that doesn't work, take 'em to the mat with this one. All this assumes that the rules haven't changed in this tight economy. Keep us posted. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA

Well this is a bunch of happy horseshit. The county assessed the value of the Porta-Bote I payed $1300 for new at $2195. The minimum value for a boat to get taxed is $2000. So this is a bunch of crap - they deliberately inflated the assessed value so it would be taxable. I am contesting the damn thing on principle. The property tax bill is only $27 but I am mad as hell that the county is trying to snake $27 bucks from me in the hope that its too small an amount for me to bother arguing over/ They are wrong - I guaran-damn-tee you I will make LA County expend more than $27.87 in salaries and expenses working my appeal of the assessed value. I will obtain my pound of flesh one way or another.

Bill is due Aug 31, so I have to send the $27.87 in today to avoid even more fees. What a bunch of horseshit.

If they can do that to you, then the tax on surf boards alone should totally restore their budget - forever!


Actually it all sound bogus. At the inflated rate they asses watercraft for, virtually ALL canoes and kayaks would also be taxable. Do you folks have a boaters' organization that can oppose this with either an education campaign or a lawsuit? BoatUS maybe??

The Equal Protection clause would bring you a lot of allies owning little "watercraft"...

Good luck,
Loren

Damn it Loren I just spent 40 minutes relaying my experiences with SanDiego county on the same issue only to lose it all when I hit the post button and having to relog in.

Try again.

San Diego county did the same thing to me a couple years ago on my E25. They based their valuation on my original purchase price. I called and talked to a real nice kid. When I pointed out that I had paid that price over 25 years ago he acknowledged thier mistake and sent me the forms to contest the assesment. A LOT OF FORMS. Which I duly completed and submitted only to have them returned to me a few months later having been rejected for an alleged error in filling them out on my part. I gave up and forfieted the 80 bucks or so they had wanted. They did it a gain the following year and I blew up and sent them a nastigram pointing out the errors on THEIR paperwork. They responded demanding documentation of current sale prices (ads etc) I went back and told them to look at the Boat Trader on their desk (which the kid had acnowledged having in the first call) and decide wether I was right or wrong. Havent heard back from them. Knock on wood.

Mike, it may be possible that they sent you a property tax bill on you Dinghy if the address you put on your registration is for your Marina. My dinghy is registered with the DMV with my home address. Just a thought.

Good luck getting that sorted out. Not fun dealing with the Assessor's and Tax Collector's offices, which I am sure you will have to deal with both. Prepare for red tape. :0

Please let us know how it turns out...

But hey - may be they actually are counting on you to contest?! It's a job security question to them.

Regards,
Stan