Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/807903
www.BoatingIndustry.com April 2017 | Boating Industry | 17 MARKET INTELLIGENCE legislative conference or session and 11 percent have attended American Boat- ing Congress. Ten percent have financially sup- ported the industry's efforts by contrib- uting it BoatPAC, the political action committee of NMMA and MRAA, while 7 percent have signed up for Boat- ing United and 10 percent have reported taking some other type of action, such as supporting local efforts. 2015 2016 2017 Ethanol/RFS 30% 28% 26% Tax policy 14% 17% 21% Environmental regulations 13% 18% 13% Water access 15% 14% 12% Trade 3% 5% 8% Fisheries management 4% 7% 6% Emission standards 6% 5% 6% Invasive species 2% 3% 5% Local zoning issues 4% 3% 4% Sources: Boating Industry surveys, February 2015, February 2016 and February 2017 Contacted elected representative 46% Met in person with elected representative 38% Responded to "call to action" from trade association 34% Attended state legislative conference 19% Attended American Boating Congress 11% Made contribution to BoatPAC 10% Signed up for Boating United 7% Other 10% None 29% Source: Boating Industry survey, February 2017 TOP ISSUES BY YEAR Percent who said issue was most important to their business WHAT ACTIONS HAVE YOU TAKEN TO TRY TO AFFECT PUBLIC POLICY? HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT THESE ISSUES? HOW DO YOU BELIEVE THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY WILL AFFECT THE BOATING INDUSTRY? TOP REGULATORY CONCERNS We also asked readers about the issues they were most concerned about and how regulations were affecting their businesses. Here is some of what they had to say: "Reduce the tax punishment on employers for trying to create jobs. The cost of an employee is astronomical." "If you're a small business they don't acknowledge you or don't care about your concerns or ideas." "Making regulations that cost us time and money to implement but don't have any effect." "With USA Tier 4 regulations to go into effect in 2021 on diesel engines in larger boats it stands to crush the larger builds." "Water management by local, state and federal authorities." "Worried the Republican Congress and ad- ministration will screw up what has been a strong six-year run of steady growth in my business and our industry." "Being anti-business, but I do not see that as a threat for at least the next four years." "The more we have to deal with gov- ernment, the less we have available to grow the business." "They won't regulate those who want to destroy the environment." "Ethanol fuel and outdated required reporting." "Emissions standards on engines have many side effects on how the industry will prosper in the short run." "That Trump will turn the water- ways back 40 years to when at least one river caught fire." "That legislators can be swayed by a vocal minority and pass legislation that negatively affects our ability to sell inboard boats." "Regulatory inconsistency from region to region." Positive 64% Negative 6% Neutral 15% Unsure 15% 57% 45% 38% 37% 31% 31% 28% 25% 23% 34% 51% 57% 56% 63% 60% 63% 65% 70% 9% 4% 5% 7% 6% 9% 9% 10% 7% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Ethanol/RFS Tax policy Environmental regulations Water access Fisheries management Invasive species Emission standards Trade Local zoning issues Very Somewhat Not at all Source: Boating Industry survey, February 2017 Source: Boating Industry survey, February 2017