Hmm....I thought it was more expensive the last couple years. And they keep flip-flopping on the emissions requirement crap.
Varies by county though as well. They gotta repair the roads somehow right? Except that they don't do it.
this is state wide, what county you live in does not matter.
http://www.clearthebenchcolorado.or...o-you-courtesy-of-the-colorado-supreme-court/
So why is the Car Tax (er, vehicle registration fee) increase so deeply (and deservedly) unpopular?
One reason is the deeply regressive nature of the tax (er, fee) increase - which hurts most those least able to afford it (especially those with lower or fixed incomes, such as blue-collar workers, students, and retired or unemployed individuals). Since newly increased tax (er, package of fees - which will go up not just once, but each year through 2012) is now based on vehicle weight, the increase may not seem like much to the latte-sipping Prius-driving set, but makes up a significant portion of the total vehicle registration bill for anyone driving an older, heavier (and incidentally, safer) vehicle.
SB09-108 Registration fee increase total
Vehicles/Trailer FY09-10 FY10-11 FY11-12+
2,000 lbs. & under $22.50 $25.75 $29
2,001-5,000 lbs. $32 $36.50 $41
5,001-10,000 lbs. $39.50 $45.25 $51
10,001-16,000 lbs $51.50 $58.75 $66
16,001 lbs & over $55 $63 $71
Actually, its even worse than you think. The FASTER bill (the Colorado Car Tax) actually consists of TWO new fees: a road safety surcharge fee, and a Bridge Fund fee (that will increase in each of the next two years). The new law also imposes a new vehicle rental fee of $2/day - with an exemption for politically-correct vehicle sharing arrangements, such as instituted in Boulder and other trendy spots. The two new fees - and the additional bureaucracy created for each - have been ignored in most of the reporting about the impact of the Car Tax increase on most citizens.
Road Safety Surcharge Fee
(incl. trailers & other nonmotorized vehicles)
Bridge Fund Fee Rate Schedule
(50% 1st year; 75% 2nd year; 100% 3rd year +)
$16 Vehicles <=2000 lbs (incl. motorcycles) $13 Vehicles <=2000 lbs (incl. motorcycles)
$23 Vehicles 2000 - 5000 lbs $18
Vehicles 2000 - 5000 lbs $28
Vehicles 5000 - 10000 lbs $23
Vehicles 5000 - 10000 lbs $37
Vehicles 10000 - 16000 lbs $29
Vehicles 10000 - 16000 lbs $39
Vehicles 16000+ lbs $32 Vehicles 16000+ lbs
And of course there are the Late Fees -
A late registration penalty of $25 for each month or portion of a month that a vehicle is not registered after the one month grace period, not to exceed $100, will be charged beginning June 1, 2009. Expired temporary permit registrations are also included in the $25 penalty. There is no grace period for permits.
Late fees are now mandatory - the bill removed existing language allowing clerks to exercise discretion:
The department or the authorized agent registering the vehicle may waive the late fee.
Adding insult to injury, the Car Tax bill also creates entirely new bureaucracies, complete with new staff: the Bridge Enterprise and the Transportation Enterprise - both of which operate as a government-owned business within the Department of Transportation. These government-owned businesses not only have exclusive authority to budget and approve the expenditure of moneys collected by the Car Tax (er, fees), but also have the authority to issue/re-issue bonds and contract for loans or grants. The enterprises were also added as entities authorized to use eminent domain to seize private property.
Yet despite all of these revenue-generating and spending powers, the bills language explicitly states that both enterprises - shall not be subject to any provisions of Section 20 of Article X of the state Constitution (i.e. TABOR, the Taxpayers Bill of Rights). They are not constrained, or accountable.
But all of this is necessary to preserve our crumbling transportation infrastructure, right? That was the justification for passing the bill - along with claims that any and all fees collected shall be used exclusively for the construction, maintenance, and supervision of the public highways of the state. Says so right in the legislative language (43-4-810), so it must be true, correct?
Not so much. The dirty little secret of the FASTER bill is that many of the taxes (er, fees) collected dont go towards the construction or maintenance of roads or bridges at all, but for multi-modal and demand-side transportation solutions - such as the desire of certain state Senators for streetcars in Denver - justified by other language in a following section (43-4-812):
43-4-812. Use of user fees for transit - legislative declaration.
(2) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEREBY FINDS AND DECLARES THAT THE FUNDING OF TRANSIT-RELATED PROJECTS AUTHORIZED BY SUBSECTION (1) OF THIS SECTION CONSTITUTES MAINTENANCE AND SUPERVISION OF STATE HIGHWAYS BECAUSE IT WILL HELP TO REDUCE TRAFFIC ON STATE HIGHWAYS AND THEREBY REDUCE WEAR AND TEAR ON STATE HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES AND INCREASE THEIR RELIABILITY, SAFETY, AND EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE.
Facebook
Twitter