Finally managed to get OC off my back on the boat tax!

We've had this discussion before, so I know there are several boat owners who keep their boats in Mexico that will be interested in this.

I've lived in Sonora for 3 years now, after moving here from The Real OC.

I guess everyone knows where that is, by now.

Moved our possessions down here in May of 2008. Before I moved here, I re-registered my vehicles and boat in South Dakota. Sold the house in SJC. Changed to an address in SD, too. SD drivers licenses, as well.

Of course, the County of Orange's Assessor's office continues to send me a bill for personal property tax on my boat. FOR TWO SUCCESSIVE YEARS, THEY HAVE REFUSED MY PROOF OF HAVING VACATED THE REAL PITA OC! They have refused to accept my change of address, my change of registration on the boat, my temporary importation into Mexico and the invoice for the few months I keep the boat in a slip in a marina down here. Their requirements for proving that the boat is no longer in this jurisdiction are a subjective (on their part, of course) combination of these documents and/or others, as their letters stated.

Eventually, it went to threats of a lien on my pension and turning it over to a collection agency. The bastards! I'm not driving 700 miles to prove I'm innocent.

Well, when I received the same bill early this year with all the back taxes supposedly owed, I pulled out all the stops. I sent copies of my utility bills down here, my FM-3, more copies of my registration, importation, marina use...........and on and on.

I was respectful in the letter that accompanied all this (not that they deserved it). There were two things I included in my letter this time that may have struck a chord with the bureaucrat who eventuallygot it this time.

One, I sent it personally to the assessor himself.

And two, I included a statement saying something like

".....listen, I know a lot of people try to skip out on this tax by CLAIMING the boat is elsewhere. But that's not what I'm doing here. Why would I pay the tax every year I owned the boat and then suddenly stop paying it when I send you proof of residing elsewhere? Because I honestly dont live there, anymore."

Anyway, it finally worked. They rescinded all the back taxes. They stopped the lien process. They called off any planned collection agency action, although we never were contacted by one. You have to realize we only get our mail about once every three months now.

So, for those of you who have had to fight your county for dollars (during this time of desperation for them), take hope!

And maybe there is something in my account that you can use to your benefit.

Way to go Hook!!!!! Don't ya just love it when a plan (FINALLY) comes together?!