nomadwilly wrote:
Just because a Marina has a lot of fat boats dosn't mean they should get any more money in slip fees.
While I'm certainly not a proponent of higher moorage fees, the Port of Bellingham has a mandate that Squalicum Marina must be self-sufficient.* In other words, the cost of operating, maintaining, and improving the marina must be covered by the income generated by the marina.* The Port cannot receive any subsidies or funds from the City of Bellingham for the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the marina.* The city prefers to spend its tax and fee income on schools, water, roads, police, fire dept., etc.
The cost of operating, maintaining, and improving a marina is going up all the time.* The only way the Port can continue to provide the facilities that boat owners need or demand is to increase the marina's income.
So on the one hand, you have the desire of the boat owners for the lowest possible moorage fees.* On the other hand, you have the city's desire to make the people who use the marina pay for the marina so the city's budget can be used for the services everyone in the city needs, not just boaters.
Another example of an issue being a bit more complicated than it might appear from just one perspective.
-- Edited by Marin on Friday 14th of January 2011 12:15:59 PM