Mooring permit prices, public can handle a raise

According to an Orange County Grand Jury report, Newport Beach is undercharging boat owners for mooring permits.

In addition, the report, issued in May, questions the fact that moorings may be illegally bought and sold by boat owners and that a waiting list for moorings has hardly moved in 30 years.

The city has about 1,200 moorings that are leased largely to private boat owners and yacht clubs.

City officials have acknowledged for years they are charging less-than-market rates for moorings. Their response to the grand jury: We disagree with most of the report — and any updates to mooring permit fees will be part of a plan up for council approval in November.

November?

Why the feet-dragging?

Said harbor Commissioner John Corrough: “You can’t just arbitrarily raise them without some sort of support. Everyone can say, ‘Oh yes, you’ve got to raise it.’ Raising rates is always found to be lying somewhere between what the marketplace is doing and what political acceptance is if you’re a public agency.”

We don’t disagree, and, in general, we look upon government tax and fee hikes with a skeptical eye. But if boat owners are selling their mooring permits for a profit, that’s a clue the market is willing to pay more than the city is charging. Much more, some say.

It’s also troublesome boat owners wishing to obtain a mooring permit via an above-board process are left standing in line while buyers on what amounts to a black market gain access to Newport Beach’s harbor.

And here’s where the plot thickens: The money the city gets from mooring permits goes to a fund to improve tidelands. Newport Beach’s tidelands are among its most valuable resources — a public treasure, if you will.

We urge the city to act with more expediency on this issue. Charge the market rate for mooring permits. Use the added money to intensify your efforts to maintain and upgrade the tidelands.

We’d prefer the money from permits goes to a public treasure rather than into the pockets of a few boat owners.