![]() That’s not a huge state expenditure by Sacramento standards, but it’s vital for the recipients. Newsom is budgeting $3.6 billion for SSP in the next fiscal year. The federal Social Security Administration handles this program and the state supplements it with cash benefits. Praise is due, however, for Newsom’s generosity toward the aged, blind and disabled - 1.1 million mostly poor people on SSI/SSP (federal Supplemental Security Income and State Supplementary Payment). My email said the state will now be “treating only navigable waterways utilized by recreational boaters.” That might seem reassuring, except I suspect not every penny-pinching bureaucrat will agree on what’s a navigable waterway. Newsom also proposed cutting $5.3 million out of the effort to eradicate aquatic invasive species, such as floating plants that can clog waterways and burn up boat engines. That sounds like old-fashioned, vote-buying pork politics. “Launching facility grants will be funded as needed and as funds are available through the annual budget process,” I was told in an email by the Newsom administration. The budget writeup reads like the program will be completely eliminated, but I couldn’t find anyone willing to directly answer that question. Newsom proposes cutting $6 million out of the grant program for building and improving boat launching ramps. But normally if you pay a higher user fee, you expect to get something in return. No canoes, kayaks, rowboats or floating homes.įine. Required to be registered are motorboats and sailboats longer than 8 feet. And they’d be “re-evaluated” - hiked - every four years afterward. They’ve been ridiculously low: only $20 for a two-year sticker. No boater should boo-hoo about the increased registration fees, even if the governor proposes to quadruple them. “Recreational boating annually contributes several billion dollars to the state’s economy and investments help to strengthen this economy through our many grant and loan programs,” the division website asserts.īut Newson wants to raise the boat registration fees while seemingly all but eliminating the grants for launching facilities. There are 2.6 million recreational boats in California and more than 4 million boaters, according to the state Division of Boating and Waterways. ![]() OK, I admit to being biased because I’ve been hooked on powerboats since age 14. But first about the slap at recreational boaters.
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