§ 126-1. Registration fee on vessels.

(a)

Purpose and intent; authority.

(1)

It is the intent of this section that the expenditure of county revenue to patrol, regulate and maintain water-related endeavors should be supplemented by the users through a registration fee, rather than be paid entirely from ad valorem tax sources.

(2)

The provisions of F.S. § 327.22 authorize the county to collect an annual vessel registration fee from the owners of all vessels registered within its jurisdiction, which is equal to 50 percent of the state registration fee. One dollar of each fee collected shall be remitted to the state for expenditure on activities which protect manatees. The remaining portion shall be expended for the patrol, regulation and maintenance of lakes, rivers and saltwater bodies and for other boating-related activities.

(b)

Collection and deposit of fees.

(1)

All vessels registered in the county shall pay an annual county registration fee which shall be 50 percent of the applicable state registration fee in existence at the time of registration.

(2)

The department of finance of the county is hereby authorized to collect the annual county vessel registration fee at the time payment is made for the state registration, to issue a receipt for payment of the county fee, and to deposit said fee into a county vessel registration fee trust fund.

(c)

Remittance of fee to state. As required by F.S. § 327.22, the first $1.00 of the county registration fee imposed in this section shall be remitted to the state for deposit in the motorboat revolving trust fund for expenditure solely on activities relating to the preservation of manatees.

(d)

Use of funds. All other county registration fees collected after payment to the state shall be expended for the patrol, regulation and maintenance of lakes, rivers or other waters, and for other boating-related activities in the county.

(e)

Penalty. Violations of this section are punishable as provided in section 1-7.

(Ord. No. 89-24, §§ I—IV, 5-4-89)