Spiegal Grove Diving Tax

[DiveTub]

Arn't Donations a tax deduction in the USA ?
Here in Australia if you make a donation you can claim it back at the end of the financial year on your tax.

I can't believe that you people are winging about spending $10.00

 

[WreckWriter]

metridium once bubbled...

That's different, then. As long as the option exists, I wouldn't have a problem donating (though I wouldn't wear the tag) to a good cause. Thanks for the explanation!




It wasn't the amount; it was the principle. Heck, I wouldn't even pay those $3.50 "energy surcharges" hotels tried sticking to travelers at check-in over the last couple years.

Oh no, I don't wear mine either, tie wrapped it to a zip on my gear bag.

Tom

ps- some shops may make it optional, I think most don't.

 

[Walter]

"guess you could always rent a boat. That will only force you to pay a couple hundred bucks extra instead of ten."

This option is more attractive than paying a "voluntary" $10 that is presented as required.

"Each shop is trying to fulfill its commitment in its own way. Some are making it totally voluntary, but "selling" the benefits. Some are making it mandatory to dive with them."

Which are which?

 

[scubanole]

If the shops in the Keys are catching as much grief about as being shown here. The dive operators that are participating should just charge $10 more for any dive trip that goes to one of the artificial reefs, and not bother selling any medallions. An example if you want to dive the Grove it is $60, if you dive Conch Wall it is only $50.

 

[Jarhead]

A twist on Scubanole's ideal. I don't know what the regular trip cost is, so I'll use Scubanole's $50.00. Let the operator charge $60 and give you a "free" medallion. Of course, then you get a free medallion with each trip and the SG would be paid for quicker and the next ship can be obtained, cleaned and sunk on a faster timeline.

 

[Reeflover]

Many dive locations around the world are charging some kind of "fee" and many more will be. As someone stated, in Cozumel they charge a fee and we wore a bracelet (and it was not an all inclusive bracelet from a resort) the whole time we dove there. The bracelet was issued by the dive op since we paid our "fees" for the whole week in advance. No fee paid....no diving.

Alot of work and alot of money goes into creating and maintaining an artificial reef/natural reef. I don't see anything wrong with a fee and if you don't like it, don't dive.





Reeflover

 

[newton]

Reeflover once bubbled...
Many dive locations around the world are charging some kind of "fee" and many more will be. As someone stated, in Cozumel they charge a fee and you wear a bracelet the whole time you dive there. No bracelet....no diving.

In Coz, the dive boats are supposed to charge a fee/day, and that fee is *supposed* to go into a fund to preserve/protect the marine park.

However, there are no bracelets to wear, or anything else like that. Also, as I understand it, dive operators are supposed to get the money up-front every day before you dive, but my operator did no such thing, and I paid them at the end when I settled my bill.

The people that wear bracelets in Coz are people at the all-inclusives, which are their 'key' into the grounds so they can get all the free booze and food they are entitled to.

Like Coz, I suspect the $10 fee in the Keys *usually* ends up in the right places, but I suspect some dive operators end up pocketing some of that money. At least with the Medallion, you have a little bit of accountability for both the diver and boats. If they boats get 10 medallions, they better pony up $100 at some point to the Key Largo 'fund'. Plus, divers who dive the SG have something to remember it by (besides their dive log notes), and if you dive it alot, you only have to pony up the fee once/year.

In Coz (and other sites), it's once/day. (Not that I'm complaining mind you, since I still think Mexico still gives you the best bang for you buck!).


Nate

 

[Munin]

newton once bubbled...

Like Coz, I suspect the $10 fee in the Keys *usually* ends up in the right places, but I suspect some dive operators end up pocketing some of that money.

Medallions are paid for by the operators on delivery. No chance of that happening.

 

[MikeS]

After getting over my irritation as the result of the conspiracy to make the medallion seem mandatory when it’s not; as far as I’m concerned no one owns the ocean, if it’s in US Territorial waters, maybe they should pay rent to us tax payers for storing their wreck there; I think that if the $10 dollars results in more wrecks like the SG becoming available for divers, I say it’s money well spent, quit your winning.

Mike

 

[Walter]

"Many dive locations around the world are charging some kind of "fee" and many more will be."

True, many governments are taxing divers. I don't believe diving should be taxed, but governments can levy taxes. This "fee" in Key Largo is not a tax, but a voluntary contribution. The Key Largo Chamber of Commerce has every right to collect donations as long as they are truly voluntary. They have no authority to levy taxes and hold no title to the waters of the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary nor to any of the artificial reefs in those waters.

"I don't see anything wrong with a fee and if you don't like it, don't dive."

Neither you nor the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce has any right to dertermine who can and who cannot dive the artificial reefs located in Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary.