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DMV fees increase starts September 1

By bud prevost

Just a friendly reminder for all my fellow Batavian readers....driver's license fees and motor vehicle registration fees increase on Tuesday 9/1/09.  I believe it's like a 20% increase on each. Thanks Governor Dave, someone has to make the hard choices. Nice how it's a tax on people with cars. As if gasoline taxes, thruway tolls, surcharges on insurance weren't enough, now let's hose the constituents upstate some more. Wonderful how the governor isn't hammering the majority of NYC residents, who have no cars. I'm tired of it, and it's time for a change.

Karen Miconi

Thanks for the info Bud. Hunting licenses also went up. My husband and daughter payed about $20 more than last year. I guess even duck stamps are up too. Ugg

Aug 31, 2009, 3:16pm Permalink
Peter O'Brien

I wonder how much it costs the government to prosecute an unlicensed hunter? Do they find enough of them to cover the costs with hunting license revenue?

Aug 31, 2009, 3:27pm Permalink
James Renfrew

Wasn't it during the Pataki years that the great shifteroo occurred? "Look over here, no new taxes". ("Don't look over here where we're raising fees!")

I think I first noticed it when I got a speeding ticket one time, with the big state surcharge fee added. The judge dropped most of the fine, but the surcharge had to be left intact.

Aug 31, 2009, 10:09pm Permalink
James Renfrew

Bud, what's the source of your comment "the majority of New York City residents, who have no cars"? I've lived in New York City and believe me there appear to be plenty of cars in all five boroughs.

Also, what do you think NYC residents might get upset about with the imbalance of what we get around here from the state instead of them? Roads, school aid, ag support? I mean, are metro New Yorkers happily dancing in the strets over how much they get knowing that it comes at upstate expense? Or maybe there's another side here?

Aug 31, 2009, 10:16pm Permalink
bud prevost

Jim, I don't argue that some on the island of Manhattan have cars, but it is far more likely that an upstate resident would have one before a Gotham dweller. My comment comes from personal, unscientific observation. I have 2 very good friends in NYC, and I have met quite a few people through them. None of them owns a car. It isn't neccessary, and is expensive to park. If they need a car, they rent one. I contend that there are more cars per person in UPNY than in NYC, thus the opinion I have shared.
And as far as NYC goes, you know I feel no alignment with that part of the state. I feel more of a kinship with someone from Pittsburgh or Cleveland. My thought is you can live without Wall St., but you can't survive without farmers.
Always nice to converse with you sir!

Aug 31, 2009, 10:47pm Permalink
Wayne Speed

Maybe with all that extra money coming into the DMV we can get registration stickers that will actually stick to the windshield for the two year period of registration?
Or -- is that too much to ask for?

Sep 1, 2009, 7:44am Permalink
Marcia Boor

registration stickers that will actually stick to the windshield for the two year period of registration?

Or stick on the windshield AT ALL!!! Mine hasn't stayed put from day 1............

Sep 1, 2009, 10:41am Permalink
Charlie Mallow

I think the adhesive on the registration stickers is a problem for everyone. It looks like I’ll be going down to get my third one in a couple of days. I know my brother is on this third as well.

Sep 1, 2009, 10:44am Permalink
James Renfrew

Well this is the problem with blogs - as opposed to news research. Lots of anecdotes, and few facts. Bud says a lot of people don't have cars in NYC, based on two friends' experience. I say that there are lots of cars, based on actually living there for a time (yes, another anecdote). Ever try finding a parking spot down there? Or driving across town without endless gridlock? Or dealing with the damage? Bumpers down there are used as part of your basic driving strategy! Bud says upstaters get stuck with a fee that NYCers don't have to pay. What they do pay is a ton more in parking (as much as your monthly rent up here!), fuel, and insurance. My car got broken into in NYC one time - guess what, the fine print on my policy said no losses are protected in NYC! Bud says NYC then narrows it to Manhattan, while I'm thinking all five boroughs, because that is NYC. I never heard (another anecdote) anyone I knew in NYC singing with joy for the sweet deal that they have with DMV sticking it to upstaters. There are so many other ways that they get stuck it to them that just like upstaters it's hard to sympathize with someone at the opposite end of the state! Rather than polarize the state on the basis of anecdotal information about how great "They" have it, and how lousy "We" have it, maybe there's some common ground we should be looking for.

Sep 1, 2009, 11:06am Permalink
Karen Miconi

Anyone know when we will have to pay $25 for our new fangled license plates? I wonder if they will be the same style. It would be nice to have a new look.

Sep 1, 2009, 11:09am Permalink
Timothy Paine

James, you brought up a lot of things that NYC dwellers have to pay for towards a car than us Upstaters don't. However, almost all of those things are part of the free enterprise system and not government. I spent a lot of time in the five buroughs and it was with a 75 ft long vehicle. I don't know what the ratio is between them and us pertaining to vehicles per person, I doubt it's even close. I know they do have an added cost in their area for registration and on thier license too. But, the vast majority of increased income the state will get from added fees will come from outside the buroughs.

Sep 1, 2009, 2:49pm Permalink
bud prevost

Tim wrote "I don't know what the ratio is between them and us pertaining to vehicles per person, I doubt it's even close. I know they do have an added cost in their area for registration and on thier license too. But, the vast majority of increased income the state will get from added fees will come from outside the buroughs."

Thanks Tim, that is the point I was trying to make.
And Jim, we do have something in common, we all share the same dysfunctional government at the state level, and I'm sure that they feel Gov Dave is doing a piss poor job as well.
And I apologize for the misunderstanding on NYC. When I refer to someone from NYC, it usually means Manhattan. If they are from Yonkers, or Brooklyn, then I say Yonkers or Brooklyn, not NYC. Probably bad on my part.

Sep 1, 2009, 3:48pm Permalink

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