Membership Advisory
MRAA Board Approves ACMA Resolutions
Setting 2012 Legislative Agenda
The Board of Directors for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas recently approved three resolutions written by its Advisory Council of Marine Associations. ACMA met in Orlando, Fla., prior to the official opening of the Marine Dealer Conference and Expo on Nov. 7. The members of ACMA consist of local, state, and regional marine trades associations, and they advise the MRAA Board on key national legislative issues and legislative strategies ACMA has long served as the MRAA’s Legislative Committee.
For 2012, ACMA recommend MRAA to:
1. Move forward the opinion that mandatory PFD wear is a decision that is better made at the state. MRAA has strongly opposed mandatory adult PFD wear for many years, and recently has stopped a mandatory wear requirement on Lake Meade, commented in opposition to the potential of the Army Corps of Engineers mandatory wear requirement on all of its lakes, and opposed U.S. Coast Guard attempts to initiate a wear requirement on all federal waters.
2. Take action to protect personal home mortgage deductions, specifically second home deductions as applied to vessel ownership. MRAA has long opposed elimination of the second home mortgage interest deduction. This year, MRAA led the issue to save the deduction when the issue came to the forefront of Congressional action early in the year during deficit reduction discussion and recently during consideration by the Super Committee.
3. Take action and work against the proliferation of E-15 fuels and encourage the pursuit of acorn blend alternative to ethanol fuels, such as isobutene. MRAA has opposed efforts to include E-10 and E-15 blends in gasoline used in marine engines. MRAA is encouraged by research by marine engine manufacturers, working with the federal government, that shows promise for a new blend that in early testing does not adversely impact marine engines.
MRAA has been actively lobbying against the above issues and many others and will continue to work to protect the interests of marine retailers.
“MRAA greatly appreciates the support of ACMA and the hard work of the many state MTAs to craft these resolutions,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “Many key issues were discussed this year. ACMA prioritized the issues and settled on these three for the basis of MRAA’s key legislative goals for next year.”