Members of the House and Senate tax-writing committees are putting together legislative drafts that may determine the fate of one of our most prized tax benefits, the second home mortgage interest deduction. In addition other key tax deductions, such as, property tax write offs and capital gains exclusions are on the table for elimination too. […]

A member of MRAA sent staff a note with great concern about significant increases to the price that distributors will be charging for gasoline beginning on September 16. According to the material supplied to the MRAA office, the primary driver of the conversion to sub-octane (typically 84-octane) gasoline is the Renewable Fuels Standard passed by […]

The US Chamber of Commerce’s recent small business survey found that Washington policies hamper job growth, with over a quarter of small businesses saying they have lost employees in the past year. According to the survey, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is a top concern increasing by 10% since June 2011. Seventy-one per cent of […]

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas joined with other marine groups in a grassroots campaign requesting the US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Quality to complete the saltwater criteria document for copper that would be based on new data and the Biotic Ligand Model (BLM). This new standard would allow for more accurate […]

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has long held the position that the Renewable Fuel Standard must be revised to prevent damage that ethanol blends above the 10% level will cause to engines of all types. The MRAA’s perspective aligns nicely with the head of the third largest ethanol producer. The Des Moines register […]

In the past few years, USEPA has taken over many programs originally managed by state agencies. USEPA takeovers of state programs is up 2,750 percent. This has resulted in drastic increases in regulation of navigable water, something the MRAA is opposed to. Read more about the activities of USEPA here.

Congress is discussing the possibility of increasing the federal minimum wage. The passage of this could affect your business. as S. 460 would increase the wage to over $10.00 per hour from the current $7.25. The Obama Budget includes a new wage of $9.00. Also, a companion bill in the House (H.R. 1010) has been […]

The Renewable Identification Numbers rose to record highs yesterday, indicating that the blendwall is upon us. This article speaks to how ethanol blends would clearly spike gas prices—something that is obviously not good for recreational boating and fishing. Read the full article here. In addition to the likely increase in gas prices, an increase in […]

The Governor of Ohio signed a bill into law on July 11 that becomes effective with the signing that establishes clear criteria for watercraft safety instructions before a recreational boat can be stopped and boarded on Lake Erie and other Ohio waters. In the past, water safety officers could stop a boat at any time […]

As was published in the national media recently, the White House announced a one-year delay in implementation of the employer mandate that requires employers with greater than 50 employees to pay for health insurance or face a penalty. MRAA worked during the drafting of the Affordable Care Act to exempt employers with fewer than 50 […]