Bentley: Expand harbor maintenance tax

Bentley

   Helen Delich Bentley, a former Maryland congresswoman and past chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission, has proposed changing the Harbor Maintenance Tax so that it’s collected not only on ocean-borne cargo, but on all freight from foreign sources entering the United States. 
   The tax is not paid by freight entering the United States from Canada or Mexico.
   A press release said she made her proposal Tuesday evening in Tacoma, Wash., in a speech to West Coast maritime interests.
   Bentley noted concerns of Washington state shippers that substantial Asian cargo is being diverted via the new port at Prince Rupert in Canada to avoid the harbor maintenance tax. The tax was instituted in 1986 to pay for ship channel maintenance.