On Nov. 4, Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment that provides fair taxation to waterfront businesses. Amendment 6 received more than the 60 percent of votes required to make it state law.

Prior to Amendment 6, Florida’s waterfronts were taxed at their “highest and best use,” meaning that businesses were taxed for the potential use of their land instead of the actual use. This created increasingly high tax burdens, and forced some waterfront businesses to shut down and sell their land to developers. In many cases, these developers would eliminate boat repair facilities, dry stack storage, boat ramps and in-water slips.

“Amendment 6 is a tremendous victory for marine businesses and the many Florida boaters who depend on local waterfront businesses to store, repair, provision and launch their boats,” said David Dickerson, director of state government relations for the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Florida voters showed how vitally important water access and the marine industry is to them, and to the state’s tourism industry and local economy.”