Point Roberts would likely be impacted as much as just about any crossing along the 49th parallel by a proposed U.S. government border fee.
I think it's safe to say the vast majority of trips across the line into the tiny American peninsula are for personal economic gain. Whether it's filling up the tank, buying a brick of cheese or picking up a package, the visits tend to be short and to the point (pun intended).
Access to the U.S. via Point Roberts is, for the most part, quick and convenient, allowing drivers to dash across the line to save $10 on a tank of gas, but what if you were giving half of what you saved at the pump to the good folks at U.S.
Customs?
I haven't seen a number attached to the trial balloon being floated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and I suspect it would be a relatively nominal amount, but when it comes to Point Roberts, that just might be enough to tip the scales.
It's one thing to pay a few bucks to cross the border if you're going away for the weekend or longer, or it could even be rationalized as the cost of doing business if you're on a shorter-term shopping excursion. If your reason for entering the U.S. is compelling enough, and the cost to cross is minimal in the scheme of things, then it's likely not going to be too much of a deterrent.
However, if your reason for crossing is nothing more than short-term financial gain, and the fee cuts into those savings, then you're likely to think twice about the economics of such a trip. Would you cross a toll bridge to shop at a particular store or would you simply stay on your side of the water and frequent one closer to home? That decision likely rests on two key factors: product availability and cost savings.
In other words, it has to be worth it to not only go out of your way, but to also pay for the privilege of doing so.
Fluctuation in gas prices and the Canadian dollar notwithstanding, it's largely been worthwhile to make the journey to Point Roberts over the years, the quaint little town that offers a slice of Americana right in our back yard.
Even with a fee at the border, I suspect many would still find a reason to cross the line, but there would undoubtedly be others that would refrain from doing so, or that would reduce the frequency of their visits.
Their reasons would likely range from financial to psychological to one of principle, but the bottom line of such a move would be a dulling of the economy in the Point.
