DeVore and Tran join effort to sink yacht tax bill

Republican Assembly lawmakers including Assemblymen Chuck DeVore, and Van Tran moved to block a senate bill Tuesday that would close a tax loophole that allows yacht owners to avoid taxes by stowing their boats out of the state for 90 days.

The yacht tax issue is likely to come up again and Republican leaders may even use it as a bargaining chip in budget talks this summer, Tran said. Many Democratic lawmakers view it as a tax break for the wealthy while the state slashes social programs for the poor.

DeVore, who voted in favor of another version of the bill last week, which would have required people who buy private jets and large yachts and RVs to store the luxury items out of state for an entire year to avoid state sales and use taxes, abstained from voting on the issue again Tuesday at the request of Republican leadership.

“My position has not changed at all,” DeVore said. “The Democrats are kind of using it as a symbolic issue. While we have a multi-billion dollar deficit, this issue would result in no more than $5 million in revenue this fiscal year.”

Tran, who abstained from voting a second time on the issue Tuesday, said he was still willing to weigh each side of the issue if it came up again.

“On the one hand, you consider the policy and you want to make sure everyone is treated fairly, on the other had, you want to make sure you don’t stifle businesses.”

California temporarily extended the period to avoid taxes from 90 days to one year in 2004. A 2006 impartial legislative analysis found that tax revenue grew during this period and the negative economic effect of the extended waiting period was minimal.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at [email protected].