Carnival won't reimburse Uncle Sam for ship rescues

[tosh]

After the US spent more than $4 million, a powerful senator calls the cruise operator's response to his call for compensation shameful.

By Jonathan Berr 20 hours ago

http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=a4f3dad9-39f2-4a01-9ea6-a2149da30f48

Carnival (CCL +0.03%), the world's largest cruise operator, has rejected a request from a powerful U.S. senator that it reimburse the U.S. government for the costs it incurs for rescuing the company's ships when they become disabled.

According to Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., the U.S. Coast Guard has responded to 90 "serious events" involving Carnival ships over the past five years, including the rescue of the Carnival Triumph (pictured) in February and the 2010 operation to assist the Carnival Splendor. The Coast Guard and Navy spent $4.2 million to assist the Triumph and Splendor, which were both hit with power failures, according to a report in Skift.com quoting Rockefeller.

The Triumph made more news Wednesday after it broke loose from its repair dock during a storm. Sadly, a security guard was knocked into the Mobile River and hasn't been seen since, according to CNN.

In a letter to Carnival, Rockefeller noted that the company should repay the government for its help because the Panama-based operator pays "little or nothing in federal taxes." Carnival rejected Rockefeller's request, arguing its policy is to "honor maritime tradition" to render assistance to those at sea in need of assistance.

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[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Wonder if the Gov't asked BP to pay for all the Coast Guard help it got

Don't know how much in taxes BP pays,
but......BP got a $10 billion tax credit, which is matches the EPA's entire budget
http://www.thenation.com/blog/160023/bps-oil-spill-tax-credit-matches-epas-entire-annual-budget

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. It would be better to fix that little thing about paying "little or nothing in federal taxes."

And use whatever other ways we have to put the squeeze on them to clean up their performance.
All the passengers paid taxes to ensure that services from the government like the Coast Guard are in place for events like this.

[mercuryblues]

3. Yup

My response would be

Pay up, pay taxes or no more docking in US ports. It really is that simple.

[pintobean]

4. That's what I was thinking

Just writing a bill might do the trick. It would be interesting to see what it would do to their bookings and stock value.

[Bonhomme Richard]

5. "Law of the Commons" This is a perfect example of how....

the greedy usurp the Law of the Commons for their own interest regardless of who else is paying.