News
February 12, 2022.
The Bay Loses in a Political Grudge Match
The Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association, whose mission is to support recreational anglers, is displeased that our recreational angler representatives on the Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC) Board have been caught up in dirty politics. Our most recent appointees who serve as Associate Board members were appointed by the previous administration. They will not be confirmed by the General Assembly as payback for the Virginia Senate not confirming the appointment of Andrew Wheeler as the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources. It is our desire that VMRC and those who volunteer to serve remain apolitical and nonpartisan when making decisions regarding our fish and bay ecosystem. These two individuals are highly capable and dedicated public servants. They deserve better and so do we. The VMRC Board is required to have a balanced representation of both the commercial and recreational fishing communities. We are asking all anglers to contact your delegate and express your displeasure with dirty politics entering our community. The Chesapeake Bay and thousands of anglers are far too important to be penalized by petty partisan politics. Find your representatives at this link:
https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/
December 30, 2021. Click here to download the VSSA Newsletter for 2022.
November 24, 2021 –
Boat Fuel Tax Refunds
Hey, DO YOU WANT TO GET SOME OF THE MONEY YOU SPENT ON BOAT GAS BACK FROM THE STATE? Would a little extra cash during the holidays help your wallet?
It’s yours for the asking, and like all things involving the state, the ask is simple in principle.
Did you know that $0.26 of each gallon of gas (or $0.27 for diesel) that you put into your boat is earmarked by the state of Virginia for a fuels tax fund which goes directly to maintain roads and highways in the state?
And you do realize that you don’t drive your boat on the roads or highways in Virginia, right? So those monies that you are paying the state are not applicable to boats that are used on the waterways.
The State decided some time ago to make it possible for that money to be returned to boaters via a refund process, which unfortunately has not been widely advertised.
VSSA is hoping to spread the word among all the boaters out there to help you get a Christmas (or New Year, or Valentines, or whatever) bonus through the Fuels Tax Refund program.
You are probably wondering, what kinds of boats are eligible? Well, that’s simple: the DMV website says plainly under their ELIGIBLE USE CONDITIONS, boats or watercraft:
- Used in operating or propelling commercial watercraft.
- Used in operating or propelling recreational and pleasure watercraft.
That means pretty much any boat that is out on the water for whatever reason.
HOW DO I DO THIS?
The refund process is straightforward. Registration is required the first time you use the Fuels Tax Online Refund system; thereafter, logon with your email address and the password you have chosen for your account.
To register for an account online, go to https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/dmv-fueltax/#/. . Then fill out the online web form to make your claim. Be careful following the prompts!
For first time applicants, just gather all of the receipts for the gas you bought for your boat in the past year and scan them to make either electronic copies or paper copies of the receipts and submit them with your first claim in the system. Future claims do not require that you send the receipts with the claim, but you must retain the them.
The online system is the easiest to use, but if you don’t like doing this stuff online and want to do it with the paper form, just print out the PDF Refund form available at:
https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/pdf/ts216.pdf
and mail it in to DMV along with paper copies of your receipts at this address:
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
Tax Services, Room 601
PO Box 27422
Richmond, VA 23269-7422
WHAT’S THAT YOU SAY?
You didn’t save any of your fuel receipts from this past year? Uh-oh!
That’s unfortunate . . . as you have to have them. But there’s always tomorrow!
Make your first New Year’s resolution and put a note on your 2022 calendar to
SAVE ALL FUEL RECEIPTS FOR YOUR BOAT!
Written by John Powers, VSSA Director
We are going to try our best to publish monthly newsletters. We are still looking for a newsletter editor. If you would like to volunteer or if you have an item you think will be interested to other VSSA members please send it to: ifishva@gmail.com
