Marathon Pundit: ILL-inois: Want to float on an inner tube on a lake or river? Then purchase a Water Usage Stamp

Will driftwood be taxed next?

Good lord, what won't they tax in Illinois?

Do you have an inner tube? Do you want to float on a river or lake in Illinois? Get ready to purchase a sticker. Because if it floats, it's taxable in the Prairie State.

From the Quincy Journal:

As of July 1, nonmotorized watercraft, such as canoes, kayaks, even inner tubes, are required to have a valid "Water Usage Stamp" to float on Illinois lakes, streams and rivers.

State vendors, any business which offers hunting and fishing licenses, will sell the $6 stamp — also referred to as a "Paddle Pass" — plus a 50 cent service fee. Failure to buy one can result in a $120 fine, but it won't be imposed right away. Owners buying stamps for more than three boats at the same time will only be charged $3 for the fourth and subsequent stamps.

More.

The requirement is new for inner tube floaters, but for other nonpowered watercraft like row boats and kayaks, this stamp replaces the need to apply for titles and registration in the state. The fee and sticker also are mandatory for out-of-state floating watercraft.

No one is even sure how to apply the stamps onto inner tubes. In ILL-inois, the philosophy is tax first, spend, then think later.

One more piece of idiocy--life jackets are now required for all inner tube users.

My advice? Just stay home. Or float on a river in another state. Just make sure it's not on a river that flows into Illinois. The border crossing could be expensive.

UPDATE 4:00pm CDT:

According to WREX-TV in Rockford, the DNR will for now not enforce the $6 fee as it awaits guidance from Illinois' General Assembly.

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