Marinas and residents warn Gloucester County that proposed boat tax would drive business away
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Summary
Marine business owners and residents told the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors that a proposed boat tax would push boats and customers to neighboring counties, risking marina jobs, fuel sales and local economic activity; commenters urged the board to reconsider or commission an updated economic study.
Dozens of marina operators, boat owners and residents told the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors on April 13 that reinstating a recreational boat tax would threaten local marine businesses and the county’s tourism and service economy.
"If you assess tax on these boats, it puts us at risk," said Jeff Brandflick of Severn Yachting Center, who said he and his wife have invested nearly $1 million in improvements and have more than doubled payroll since buying the marina in 2018. "A boat tax will really just harm jobs and small businesses and the investment and large value customers will leave the county." (Jeff Brandflick, public comment.)
Rick Munday, regional manager for Suntex Marinas, said many neighboring jurisdictions do not have a boat tax and cautioned that occupancy and local spending fall where taxes are applied. "When we lose occupancy or the boats get up and they go across the county... it's gonna be a lot harder to provide jobs," Munday said.
Several small operators and yacht brokers made similar points. "A new tax on boat ownership creates a strong incentive for owners to keep their boats in neighboring counties," said Jennifer Flake of Northpointe Yacht Sales, noting the interconnected local supply chain for repairs, haul-outs and fuel.
Speakers and email commenters questioned the county's projected revenue from the boat levy (staff cited roughly $586,000 at an advertised rate of $1 per $100 of assessed value) and urged the board to either reject the levy or fund a contemporary economic analysis. Some cited a 2009 Virginia Institute of Marine Science study as informative but said its age limited its relevance to today's conditions.
Chair closed the tax‑levies public hearing after staff read many emailed comments for and against the proposal; no board vote was taken on the boat levy that evening.
The hearing record shows strong, organized opposition from the marine sector and homeowners who said past county policy of avoiding a boat tax was a key factor in local investment and residential decisions.
