New York's New License Plates Stir Resentment Over Fees

[Pardus]

here and here and here

Obviously you have to replace license plates now and then. Among other reasons, the reflective material wears off. And besides, that way cops can tell if a car hasn't been re-registered in, ohhh, several years.

Like many states, New York is grappling with major budget deficits. Now it has turned to a slew of new fees to fill the gap.

Following a $50 surcharge on vehicle registrations and a $16 fee on driver's license renewals, the state plans to charge car owners $25--up from $5.50 nine years ago--for a new license-plate design that will start arriving for car sales and renewals next April.

But many states charge nothing at all for redesigned license plates. At least the state is honest about it; the DMV press release headline notes it will "generate needed revenue." The new and clearly retro design harks back to the bright yellow plates used from 1973 to 1986.

The state will also charge owners a further $20 to retain their existing plate number (except for vanity plates, which pay a separate fee). Otherwise, they'll be issued a new one, which hasn't happened since the state had to replace 6-character plates with 7-digit ones in 2001. That $20 fee, however, stayed at its 2001 level.

Residents from the poorer upstate region, which has always been at odds with wealthier New York City and its suburbs, are fighting back. Patricia Ritchie has founded a website against the change, called NoNewPlates.com.

Notably, she's also the president of the New York State Association of County Clerks, whose members administer plates for each county. She is charged to uphold state law, of course, but she's far from happy about it.

And we suspect that will likely be how New Yorkers will react. They will pay the money and mount their new plates--with or without a new number--while grumbling about it. Some things never change.

 

[moshquerade]

search does work now

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Difficult to sympathize with people a few thousand km away having to pay a one-time $25 fee But yeah I'm sure it sucks.

 

[sswingle]

Ohio charges for redesigned plates, but you have no obligation to get one. I see many cars on the old plate design even though they changed it several years ago.

 

[Parasitic]

New York...the Empire Fee State.
Yes, I'm allowed to make fun of it since I still have to pay NY state taxes next year

 

[IceBergSLiM]

fugly.

 

[apac]

Colorado charges a registration fee proportional to the year of your car. They absolutely rape you with the charges.

I bought a new 08 legacy last year. Registration last year was about $500. This year was something like $420.

$25 fee? Waaaah.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Colorado charges a registration fee proportional to the year of your car. They absolutely rape you with the charges.

I bought a new 08 legacy last year. Registration last year was about $500. This year was something like $420.

$25 fee? Waaaah.

you have to register every year? Also do you have property tax on your car?

 

[OCGuy]

Ah yes, instead of cutting costs, they make new ones and tax you for it.


Fuck.

 

[zerocool84]

Ah yes, instead of cutting costs, they make new ones and tax you for it.


Fuck.

But hey remember how much our car registration went up this year here in Cali? Insane.

 

[StageLeft]

Colorado charges a registration fee proportional to the year of your car. They absolutely rape you with the charges.

I bought a new 08 legacy last year. Registration last year was about $500. This year was something like $420.

$25 fee? Waaaah.

You probably don't realize that people in Western NY literally pay the highest property taxes in the country based on home value. The state is completely and brutally overtaxed and still faces endless budget problems.

This $25 is yet another in a long line of nickel and dime charges and taxes and bullsh*t the state imposes on its populous.

Nobody in NY is happy about this. I have seen polls and spoken to people. We are all pissed off enough about the taxes as they are but this is a particularly visible representation of how nefarious the state is on its money stealing spree.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

you have to register every year? Also do you have property tax on your car?

I'm not in CO, but here in MA we have excise tax which we pay to the town we're in. Its $25 for each $1000 the car is valued at (they tend to value rather low...) but for a new car its easily a couple hundred bucks for the first few years. I guess that counts at the property tax?

 

[TallBill]

At least they designed the plates to be ugly enough where they'll want to change them again in 4 years.

 

[boomerang]

From what I've been reading, it sounds as though NY is next on the list for a financial meltdown. With that in mind, it's not surprising that more taxes and fees are on the way and in the works.

When they institute the "you get to pay 10% more tax as a loan to us" program, I expect the shit will hit the fan. Someone (can't remember whether I hear things on TV or the net anymore) said they would not be surprised to see a nationwide tax revolt before Obama's term is over.

 

[herkulease]

So they are charging people $25 for sending out redesigned plates? Or those who want the redesigned plates?

Do you guys not have registration stickers?

 

[TallBill]

So they are charging people $25 for sending out redesigned plates? Or those who want the redesigned plates?

Do you guys not have registration stickers?

Did you read the article or are you just a moron?

 

[BrownShoes]

Did you read the article or are you just a moron?

lol

 

[BrownShoes]

So they are charging people $25 for sending out redesigned plates? Or those who want the redesigned plates?

Do you guys not have registration stickers?

We currently have to renew our registration every two years here in NY.
The fee was $110 (or so) for me last month.

 

[RoloMather]

Lol. Owned.

 

[mugs]

Difficult to sympathize with people a few thousand km away having to pay a one-time $25 fee But yeah I'm sure it sucks.

I'm only 30 miles away and I still don't have any sympathy for people complaining about a one-time $25 fee. Especially because the people who complain about the $25 fee are the people who likely benefit the most from government spending.

But if the goal is to raise money, just skip the plates and add $25 to the annual registration fee. It saves the cost of making the plates, keeps the old plates out of landfills a while longer, and would raise more money.

I don't think $25 a person is going to go very far in a budget the size of New York's though.

 

[Dari]

No wonder people are leaving the state.

 

[mugs]

Colorado charges a registration fee proportional to the year of your car. They absolutely rape you with the charges.

I bought a new 08 legacy last year. Registration last year was about $500. This year was something like $420.

$25 fee? Waaaah.

Colorado's total state and local tax burden is an average of 9%. New York's is 11.7%. Waaaaah yourself. Different states allocate their revenue sources differently. What matters is the total you pay. Here in NJ it's 11.8% - we're number 1, baby!

(Before anyone makes a comments about political affiliations, look at the list of which states get the least federal spending per dollar of federal income taxes paid. It's easier to balance your budget when Uncle Sam is footing the bill )

 

[Brainonska511]

You probably don't realize that people in Western NY literally pay the highest property taxes in the country based on home value. The state is completely and brutally overtaxed and still faces endless budget problems.

This $25 is yet another in a long line of nickel and dime charges and taxes and bullsh*t the state imposes on its populous.

Nobody in NY is happy about this. I have seen polls and spoken to people. We are all pissed off enough about the taxes as they are but this is a particularly visible representation of how nefarious the state is on its money stealing spree.

Yeah, the NYS government sucks. Even more so when they acted like spoiled children back in June. I say, kick them to the curb and stop electing jackasses to state offices.

 

[Zenmervolt]

What's the big deal about different numbers? New plates always meant new license numbers back in Ohio. It does here in Washington (state) as well. Keeping the old numbers wasn't even an option unless you had personalized plates.

ZV

 

[StageLeft]

They are even charging $20 for people to keep their old number, what a SCAM. I partly believe these are so ugly to encourage people to pay for the more expensive custom-looking plates with different backgrounds.