AUGUSTA, Maine — A legislative committee is supporting a bill that would prohibit Maine towns from collecting fees for ice fishing shacks.
Rep. Mike Shaw of Standish introduced the bill after Randolph selectmen last year voted to assess a $15 fee on each smelting shack along the town’s Kennebec River frontage. Selectmen estimated the fees would bring in about $2,000, but the town hasn’t collected the money pending the outcome of the Shaw’s bill.
MaineToday Media says state law already prohibits municipalities from charging fees on lakes and ponds that are not public water supplies. Shaw’s bill would extend the protection to coastal and tidal waters, and water bodies that serve as public water supplies such as Sebago Lake.
The bill now goes to the full Legislature.
The great ponds act ensurers access to Lakes Ponds and Rivers!
You cant charge an access fee!
Charge a clean up fee instead!
Fishermen help support the local economy as it is (bait, gas, food, etc). Why don’t you assess the fee to those sitting on their @ss’s and getting fat watching tv all winter. God forbid somebody enjoy a winter activity without having to pay a fee to keep warm doing it. The selectman should be shunned. You assess a fee for that where will it end!
maybe if the towns didnt have to annually make up for the states shortfall in mandated state contributions to education,then towns wouldnt be scratching for every dime they can get their hands on.
So charge a fee for a completely unrelated cause. Makes sense to me. I’m sure the towns would more than make up for the shortfalls if the delinquent taxpayers paid their bills.
So okay, but if they catch fire, let the pond put it out.
If they catch fire let them burn.
… and let the pond to put them out, after they the melt though, the ice ?
Fee, Fee everywhere a Fee, Fee… FEE=TAX…
Who makes up these laws anyway???
Charge a dumping fee to cover the clean up towns have to do each spring.
Ice shacks, no problem. Sounds like the perfect place for Occupy Portland/Augusta to set up for the winter. Local officals seem to have no worries about safety, or sanitation or other trumped up bull that have so many so worried. Occupy the River !!!