Yeah, I know, John Kerry is kinda old and busted, but, he has been trying to rehabilitate his standing with his climate change wackadoodleness (I don’t care if it isn’t a word, being Friday and all), and, let’s face it: it’s really funny exposing Democrats for the hypocrites they are
Sen. John Kerry, who has repeatedly voted to raise taxes while in Congress, dodged a whopping six-figure state tax bill on his new multimillion-dollar yacht by mooring her in Newport, R.I.
Isabel – Kerry’s luxe, 76-foot New Zealand-built Friendship sloop with an Edwardian-style, glossy varnished teak interior, two VIP main cabins and a pilothouse fitted with a wet bar and cold wine storage – was designed by Rhode Island boat designer Ted Fontaine.
But instead of berthing the vessel in Nantucket, where the senator summers with the missus, Teresa Heinz, Isabel’s hailing port is listed as “Newport†on her stern.
Could the reason be that the Ocean State repealed its Boat Sales and Use Tax back in 1993, making the tiny state to the south a haven – like the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Nassau – for tax-skirting luxury yacht owners?
Cash-strapped Massachusetts still collects a 6.25 percent sales tax and an annual excise tax on yachts. Sources say Isabel sold for something in the neighborhood of $7 million, meaning Kerry saved approximately $437,500 in sales tax and an annual excise tax of about $70,000.
Do I blame him for doing everything possible to pay the least in taxes? No. If I had that kind of money, I would do the same. Yet, Kerry is always for raising taxes on everyone else, so, come on, John, pay your fair share!
As for the rest, since I’ll be on the road for the next 8 1/2 hours, Open Thread! Talk about what you want!
not sure what you think the problem is here Teach That boat will not be in Nantucket for more than 6 months each year probably it will be there for less than 3 months Kerry/Heinz are there only in the summer
And how do you avoid paying your taxes, johnny? Please do tell!
not sure what you think the problem is here Teach
Well, let’s see….. the guy moors the boat in another state with the appearance of avoiding taxes. These would be the same taxes that he votes to raise on the rest of us.
Boats – no matter what type – pollute the water. Kerry wants the rest of us to be more “green” while he drives around in SUV’s and sails in large boats.
Then there is the fact that the boat was built in New Zealand. This is the same guy that says we must stop “outsourcing” and yet outsources a 7 million dollar boat halfway around the world.
New England, California, Florida, and Washington state all have world class luxury yacht builders but Kerry goes out of country, while saying everyone else has to do business within the US.
Look, I don’t care what Kerry does except for the fact that he tells the rest of us to do one thing, and then he feels privileged and above it all so he does something different.