I am glad I am still in the very broke state of IL. I just paid my tag plates for my truck at $101 and $2.35 handling fee. My trailer is $50 plus a $1.50 handling fee, due every year. Plus there is no emission testing on either my wife's car or my truck both are diesel. Her plate fee is also $101 + the $2.35 handling fee which is due next month in Jan.
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Arizona Registration OH NO
- Thread starter DavidC
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This is how they did it, sound familiar, no tax increase because we are calling it a fee.
Arizona Lawmakers Push Back On $32 Vehicle Registration Fee
By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services
Published: Monday, December 10, 2018 - 5:28pm
Calling its enactment "sneaky,`` a veteran Arizona lawmaker wants to repeal a new $32-a-vehicle fee on every car, truck, motorcycle and trailer that is being used to balance the state budget.
Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, said it`s bad enough that her colleagues used an end-run around the Arizona Constitution to avoid having to get a two-thirds vote for the fee, designed to fund the state Highway Patrol.
But Ugenti-Rita said what added insult to injury is that lawmakers were told the fee would be in the $18-a-vehicle range, not 75 percent higher.
Any effort to repeal the fee — and the $185 million it raises from Arizona motorists — could get a fight from Gov. Doug Ducey who built his $10.4 billion budget on it while insisting it did not violate his promise never to increase taxes. Spokesman Patrick Ptak said the dollars are needed to free up cash for road construction and repair, "especially in rural areas of the state where resources are badly needed."
"Any reforms to that fee should be responsible and keep these priorities in mind," Ptak said.
It`s not just Ducey who is concerned. Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott, the architect of the fee, said there is a need for the additional dollars for road construction and maintenance.
But Campbell, like Ugenti-Rita, is irked that the fee is so much higher than he was told when he proposed it — and so much higher than he told his colleagues to get their votes.
Part of that is because the $32 fee is levied when a vehicle is registered. So anyone who has a multi-year registration — up to five years — is exempt until then.
And then the Highway Patrol budget ended up being larger than lawmakers were told.
Campbell wants to revamp the fee to make it fairer and lower it back to the original $18 promise.
But Ugenti-Rita said that misses the point that the fee was adopted through trickery to avoid having to get a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate. And Ugenti-Rita said if the money is really needed — and the levy is popular enough — it can be done in a way she says is legal, with the necessary two-thirds vote.
And if it can`t get the margin?
"Is that a justification to be tricky and circumvent the will of the people?`` she responded.
That will of the people is a 1992 voter-approved constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote for any new or increased tax or fee.
Unable to marshal that support, lawmakers instead empowered ADOT director John Halikowski to compute the fee based on raising enough money to fund the Highway Patrol, with an extra 10 percent built in. And since it was Halikowski imposing the fee, the legislation to authorize him to do that required a simple majority vote.
Ugenti-Rita conceded that, strictly speaking, the maneuver is legal. The Arizona Supreme Court just last year upheld the legality of a similar mechanism to impose a fee on hospitals to pay for expansion of the state`s health care program for the poor.
That reasoning, however, left her unimpressed.
"If the government`s justification is `Just because I can, I will,` that`s a bad one,`` she said.
"I don`t think the public appreciates that,`` Ugenti-Rita said. "Just because you found a sneaky way around it is not a good enough justification.``
The reason for the Highway Patrol fee is even more complicated.
Another constitutional provision says that any dollars raised from the use of Arizona roads, mainly gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees, can be spent solely for those roads. But in prior efforts to balance the budget, lawmakers and governors have siphoned off those dollars to pay for at least part of the Highway Patrol based on the argument that the agency promotes highway safety.
What that did, however, is left fewer dollars for needed road construction and repair.
The road repair financial problem is complicated by the fact that the state`s 18-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax has not been raised since 1991. And while there are more vehicles on the road, they are more fuel efficient, meaning motorists are buying fewer gallons of gas for every mile they travel.
Campbell figured that a separate fee to pay for Highway Patrol would free up those gasoline taxes for what he said is the intended purpose.
The fee was approved by a 35-24 margin in the House and 17-13 in the Senate, margins enough to authorize Halikowski to compute and impose a fee, but not enough for lawmakers to set the fee themselves.
Even at the time foes decried the plan.
Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, called it "the worst kind of tax increase`` because it was being done without any idea of the price tag on motorists.
"We`re going to tell an unelected bureau craft to go ahead and raise these fees to whatever he wants to,`` he complained.
Ptak also insisted that the forcing motorists to pay an additional $32 for each vehicle does not violate Ducey`s pledge not to hike taxes, saying that it technically is a "fee.`` But he declined to say whether the governor believes the levy — whatever it is called — is fair or whether Ducey would veto any outright repeal if it reaches his desk.
Arizona Lawmakers Push Back On $32 Vehicle Registration Fee
By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services
Published: Monday, December 10, 2018 - 5:28pm
Calling its enactment "sneaky,`` a veteran Arizona lawmaker wants to repeal a new $32-a-vehicle fee on every car, truck, motorcycle and trailer that is being used to balance the state budget.
Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, said it`s bad enough that her colleagues used an end-run around the Arizona Constitution to avoid having to get a two-thirds vote for the fee, designed to fund the state Highway Patrol.
But Ugenti-Rita said what added insult to injury is that lawmakers were told the fee would be in the $18-a-vehicle range, not 75 percent higher.
Any effort to repeal the fee — and the $185 million it raises from Arizona motorists — could get a fight from Gov. Doug Ducey who built his $10.4 billion budget on it while insisting it did not violate his promise never to increase taxes. Spokesman Patrick Ptak said the dollars are needed to free up cash for road construction and repair, "especially in rural areas of the state where resources are badly needed."
"Any reforms to that fee should be responsible and keep these priorities in mind," Ptak said.
It`s not just Ducey who is concerned. Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott, the architect of the fee, said there is a need for the additional dollars for road construction and maintenance.
But Campbell, like Ugenti-Rita, is irked that the fee is so much higher than he was told when he proposed it — and so much higher than he told his colleagues to get their votes.
Part of that is because the $32 fee is levied when a vehicle is registered. So anyone who has a multi-year registration — up to five years — is exempt until then.
And then the Highway Patrol budget ended up being larger than lawmakers were told.
Campbell wants to revamp the fee to make it fairer and lower it back to the original $18 promise.
But Ugenti-Rita said that misses the point that the fee was adopted through trickery to avoid having to get a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate. And Ugenti-Rita said if the money is really needed — and the levy is popular enough — it can be done in a way she says is legal, with the necessary two-thirds vote.
And if it can`t get the margin?
"Is that a justification to be tricky and circumvent the will of the people?`` she responded.
That will of the people is a 1992 voter-approved constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote for any new or increased tax or fee.
Unable to marshal that support, lawmakers instead empowered ADOT director John Halikowski to compute the fee based on raising enough money to fund the Highway Patrol, with an extra 10 percent built in. And since it was Halikowski imposing the fee, the legislation to authorize him to do that required a simple majority vote.
Ugenti-Rita conceded that, strictly speaking, the maneuver is legal. The Arizona Supreme Court just last year upheld the legality of a similar mechanism to impose a fee on hospitals to pay for expansion of the state`s health care program for the poor.
That reasoning, however, left her unimpressed.
"If the government`s justification is `Just because I can, I will,` that`s a bad one,`` she said.
"I don`t think the public appreciates that,`` Ugenti-Rita said. "Just because you found a sneaky way around it is not a good enough justification.``
The reason for the Highway Patrol fee is even more complicated.
Another constitutional provision says that any dollars raised from the use of Arizona roads, mainly gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees, can be spent solely for those roads. But in prior efforts to balance the budget, lawmakers and governors have siphoned off those dollars to pay for at least part of the Highway Patrol based on the argument that the agency promotes highway safety.
What that did, however, is left fewer dollars for needed road construction and repair.
The road repair financial problem is complicated by the fact that the state`s 18-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax has not been raised since 1991. And while there are more vehicles on the road, they are more fuel efficient, meaning motorists are buying fewer gallons of gas for every mile they travel.
Campbell figured that a separate fee to pay for Highway Patrol would free up those gasoline taxes for what he said is the intended purpose.
The fee was approved by a 35-24 margin in the House and 17-13 in the Senate, margins enough to authorize Halikowski to compute and impose a fee, but not enough for lawmakers to set the fee themselves.
Even at the time foes decried the plan.
Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, called it "the worst kind of tax increase`` because it was being done without any idea of the price tag on motorists.
"We`re going to tell an unelected bureau craft to go ahead and raise these fees to whatever he wants to,`` he complained.
Ptak also insisted that the forcing motorists to pay an additional $32 for each vehicle does not violate Ducey`s pledge not to hike taxes, saying that it technically is a "fee.`` But he declined to say whether the governor believes the levy — whatever it is called — is fair or whether Ducey would veto any outright repeal if it reaches his desk.
TFucili
TDR MEMBER
I don't want to see anything go up to feed the money incinerator, but IF they are going to do something it needs to be something that EVERYONE pays into. Sales tax or fuel tax, for instance. At least then the snowbirds, tourists, and travelers pay in, not to mention the professional moochers playing the out-of-state registration scam. Again, I don't favor anything, but the burden must be spread more fairly, IMHO.
Even fuel tax is not real fair anymore with all these electrics like Teslas running around. I’m hearing they’re digging around for money because of overall efficiency and non IC engine vehicles, gasoline use is down, therefore fuel tax revenue is down.
The details of this post is foggy, so I apologize if I rehashed something already brought up. This is a real issue I just read about elsewhere.
The details of this post is foggy, so I apologize if I rehashed something already brought up. This is a real issue I just read about elsewhere.
TFucili
TDR MEMBER
You are 100% correct, and I had meant to mention it.
I don't mind holding up my end of the pole, but I am 1000% sick of carrying professional moochers on my back.
Texas , we pay 6.25% when we purchase vehicle, then we just pay a yearly reg.mine for my 07 is 50.00 a year, my gooseneck flatbed reg. for 34,000 lbs. Is 9.00 a yr., My F150 is 70.00 a yr.and thats with inspection and bridge fee included, no city tax either, my little 8x10 trl is 0.00
I do find it ironic that the government is pushing for higher fuel economy and electric vehicles and now they're complaining about the lack of revenue from fuel tax.
It’s all part of getting us away from fossil, which is a scam. There’s a huge movement that’s totally hidden from the news here, and that’s the construction of natural gas pipelines and powerplants all around here. They want us on the grid with electric powered everything while they burn fart gas to make it happen.
That won’t last forever with all the Californian immigrants coming to your fine state. They’ll demand everything they left behind and you’ll pay for it with increased taxes which will forever more be termed “ Fees” by those picking your pockets.
TFucili
TDR MEMBER
Yup, they have Arizona in their stranglehold. The plague of locusts will continue on.
Tuesdak
TDR MEMBER
And one little storm knocks out all the fragile power lines that they can't keep the trees away from. Even if they did wind/ice/etc. loads just sheers the power poles off anyway. On a good weather day it's too hot or too cold and there isn't enough electric power to run AC/Heaters. Canceled school because of not enough power to heat the buildings. Blackouts/brownouts. On a mild day there is a transformer fire and we are still in the dark. Then there is the usual truck that hits a power pole or transformer box...
I can't wait till it affects the electric golf cart fleet that supposed to deliver everything in the middle of the night...
TFucili
TDR MEMBER
Me too.
D
Deleted member 995608
Guest
I do find it ironic that the government is pushing for higher fuel economy and electric vehicles and now they're complaining about the lack of revenue from fuel tax.
I knew this would be coming. They'll tax us per miles driven soon. Wanna bet the prices will ironically mirror exactly what we're currently paying?
No; I think it will be higher in cost. What I can see happening is the gas tax will still be applied to fuel sales. Than the states will hit you with a road mileage tax regardless how many out of state miles you drive. In fact IL is considering this plus Chicago IL is calling for a higher state wide fuel mileage tax to help off set their road cost in Chicago.
We just had 35 migrants breach the "secure border". Some of these politically left legislators need to ride with the men and women of the Border Patrol.
Shiner
TDR MEMBER
I always liked Texas!
Shiner
TDR MEMBER
DPS pensions seem ripe for abuse. I know court cases where officers are to testify are scheduled as OT for officers, they purposely work all hours possible in their last years to bump the pension up to ridiculous levels. We have a local cop who gamed the system by "medically retiring" for a shoulder injury(before rules changed), while being a state legislator screaming about "lack of fiscal control from republicans"(he is a demonrat). Whenever you contact about and issue you get the "I will have to take a look at it and decide if I agree" attitude. I thought politicians were supposed to represent their constituent's views, not what they themselves, think.
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Issue 128 – Digital Version
Digital Magazines
FREE!
TDR Test Drive - Digital Edition
Renew
Subscribe
Gift Subscriptions
Back Issues
Subscription Status
Address Change Form
Buyer's Guides
Ram Diagnostic Trouble Codes
The Perfect Collection
The Perfect Collection Vol. II
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Dodge/Cummins Historical Overview
Cameron Collection
What Makes Us Tick?
Product Showcase
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