The state of Massachusetts wants to impose fees on Connecticut residents who live on Congamond Lake, according to the Hartford Courant‘s Shawn Beals. Apparently, their houses are in the Nutmeg State but their backyard docks are part of the Bay State.

You can interpret this story as a sign of how desperate state governments are for any kind of revenue, or as evidence that a bad economy lowers any tolerance of free riders.

Congamond Lake is part of the “notch” on the southern border of Massachusetts that juts into Connecticut. The town of Southwick claims the entire lake, and it’s demanding (with support from the state Department of Environmental Protection) fees from all lake users to help pay for security patrols. That means annual dock fees of $20 to $40 and boat fees of $10 for property owners on both sides of the lake.

One Suffield official is not happy:

First Selectman Scott Lingenfelter said imposing the fees is “inappropriate.” He said he would prefer to work something out between the two towns that would not burden the owners of 170 Suffield homes that are on the lake.

“It’s taxation without representation against the residents of Suffield,” he said.

I’m not sure what can be “worked out” that doesn’t involve some kind of “burden” on Suffield residents, but maybe Lingenfelter has a surprise up his sleeve.

The border tensions here go back to 1642; read the whole history at Walking the Berkshires. I especially like this throwaway line from a recent AP story:

Suffield officials say the lake has risen since a 1913 survey, putting its eastern side within Connecticut’s borders.

Well, that would change things, wouldn’t it?