New York State hiding tax increase behind throwback license plates?
The great state of New York has just unveiled a new license plate design. They're calling it "Empire Gold," unlike the current drab white and blue plates that New Yorkers have been affixin' to their rides since 2001. However, 57,000 people have already filed a petition at a website called nonewplates.com. Already? While the new NY plates aren't the best looking we've ever seen (black on yellow California plates from the 1950s FTW), they aren't that bad. What gives?You, the taxpayer, that's what. New Yorkers are required to get the new plates. And they cost $25. Want to keep your same license plate number so you don't have to call and fuss with your insurance company? Or let's say you want to hang onto an existing vanity plate? That's going to cost you an extra $20. So if you have three vehicles and are happy with your numbers, these new plates will set you back $135. Out here in the Golden State, we've tossed people from office (hello Gray Davis!) for similar antics. Just sayin'. All in all, the new plate is expected to rake in $129 million for the state of NY and they drop in April, just in time for tax season.
Gallery: New York State License Plates
[Source: News Day]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Luis 8:34AM (11/12/2009)
"Out here in the Golden State, we've tossed people from office (hello Gray Davis!) for similar antics."
Because California's ballot-box antics aren't the laughingstock of the nation? You really shouldn't be proud of idiotic ballot-box 'as the wind blows' "democracy".
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notYou 9:05AM (11/12/2009)
"Out here in the Golden State, we've tossed people from office (hello Gray Davis!) for similar antics."
I'm not a fan of Grat Davis, but considering your state isn't just broke, it's in something like $42B worth of red ink, I don't know that you should be crowing to other states on how/what to do about anything.
That said, this is a scam by the State of New York.
fixitfixitstop 9:02AM (11/12/2009)
I don't like contributing to political arguments here, but Luis you got that right.
Lar7789789 9:01PM (11/12/2009)
dont you just love NY state? Am I am a NY state worker
Larry in Miami 8:36AM (11/12/2009)
Remember the orange and blue ones from 1964?
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Venom 8:43AM (11/12/2009)
I am not sure how NY works and if that is just a plate cost or the registration cost.
Here in the shyster State of Michigan, our registration is based on the value of the vehicle so every year I have to pay $500 plus for the registration on my Mercedes, while someone with a Honda Accord pays $125 or so.
Last time I checked my plate was the same as theirs and no one comes and washes my car for me on the weekend or anything. So sick of this garbage state, can't wait till I am gone in a few months.
I think in Florida it is an annual $45 renewal or so no matter the value of the vehicle.
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Luis 9:13AM (11/12/2009)
I think this is a great "progressive tax" way of charging for vehicle registration. Here in MA we have a sliding scale $25/$1000 valuation in annual registration, with a minimum of $25/year. It's much better than raising a blanket rate of say, $100+/year on everyone, especially on people who can't afford it and/or drive old cars worth little money. If you can afford a $50k car you can afford to pay more in tax. FWIW all of the excise tax money goes directly to the local town the vehicle is registered in, not the state.
Plates run $50/2 years plus an annual safety inspection.
Venom 9:18AM (11/12/2009)
I wonder how the state will fell about their great progressive tax when I am gone and they lose all the tax money they make from me and my businesses that I take with me as well as all the other people like me that are sick of it.
A lot of the educated and people with money in Michigan are leaving more and more. It is a steady flow. If the real estate market was not so bad, it would be going even faster.
montoym 12:35PM (11/12/2009)
CO is the same way, but I don't hear nearly as many people complaining here as you say are complaining there.
I believe our registration taxes start out at about 2% of the purchase price (might be different now, I haven't registered a vehicle in several years, but will be next month), and they drop as the years go by. For instance, the taxes on my new car in '02 was about $550 for the 1st year. This past year, it was closer to $100. I just recently bought a 2nd vehicle and I expect the registration to run about $200 on it. My mother purchased a new car last year and the registration tax on it was about $600 as well.
It's not really any different than sales taxes, the more expensive the product you bought, the more the tax is even though the rate is the same. No one forced you to buy that Mercedes.
Venom 12:52PM (11/12/2009)
Montoym,
First of all it is not a sales tax.The State of Michigan gets their 6% sales tax on top of this.
In addition, the $500 plus registration is every year for perpetuity of the vehicle, no matter who owns it and regardless of the current value of the vehicle.
I appreciate your snarky tone about no one forcing me to buy my Mercedes. Typical.
You are right. No one is forcing me to stay here and pay the property taxes on my homes and businesses, no one is forcing me to stay here and employ people, no one is forcing me to stay here and pay income taxes and sales taxes that keep this state afloat and the other people like me. So you are correct. That is why we are leaving and no one is coming in.
Have a good day.
Jimbo 12:53PM (11/12/2009)
A lot of states have similar rules. I'm not sure what you're bitching about. Oh boo-hoo, I don't want to pay $500 in taxes annually on my $50k+ Mercedes. I'm going to pout and make everyone pay by making people lose their jobs. Jackass. And if it was truly based on the value of the vehicle, it should go down dramatically after the first year and then steadily decrease every year after until it reaches the minimum. So unless you own some special model or are buying a new car every year, your $500/year claim is BS. If that is the case, I have absolutely no sympathy for you.
Venom 1:03PM (11/12/2009)
Jimbo,
Before you open your mouth and let people know that you are a jackass like you did, perhaps you should do some research. The State of Michigan determines the registration based on the initial cost of the vehicle, not its current vehicle. It is called the Internet, you might want to use it some time.
Your attitude completely reminds me of the UAW mentality that people around here have. You are arrogant, nasty and have an entitlement attitude. You want to know why no companies are coming to Michigan and others are leaving, it is because they don't want to deal with people like you.
I don't have to live around people like you, I can afford not to and in a few months I will gone from here and people like you will still be exactly where you are. Probably sitting in a bar somewhere, drinking and smoking.
Jimbo 1:14PM (11/12/2009)
That's fine. Go back to your gated little world and cry. The rest of us in the real world will be fine without you. Just be sure not to use any of our roads, sanitation, education, or any of the other services as you go about your ignorant existence, ok?
Venom 1:25PM (11/12/2009)
Jimbo,
All those things you just mention exist because of guys like me, not you.
When we are gone, cities and municipalities die.
I don't think you get it.
When we don't shops and restaurants die.
Car dealerships close.
Museums and other non-profits die.
Malls and stores in malls close.
You may not like it, but it is the truth.
If you don't believe me, look at Michigan.
If guys like me were not important, the state should be doing just fine.
Right?
Municipalities benefit from guys like me that pay insane property taxes every year, high state income taxes and so on.
Jimbo 1:33PM (11/12/2009)
Oh and I used this amazing internet you speak so highly of and guess what, you're wrong. From the Michigan DMV website:
"License plate fees for 1984 or newer model year passenger vehicles and light trucks are calculated using a percentage of the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) at the time the vehicle is first titled. This is also known as the base price. It is then reduced by a percentage of that registration fee for the following three years. Under the present law, no further reduction is provided." - http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1585_1587-25272--,00.html
So again, unless that percentage is zero there's no way your registration should be consistently $500 year after year on the same vehicle. See, even us little people can do math.
Jimbo 1:48PM (11/12/2009)
No I think it's you who don't get it. I'm tired of hearing from people like you who act like you own us and we should be thankful for your very existance. YOU NEED THE REST OF US. Without us:
Shops and restaurants die
Car dealerships close
Museums and other non-profits die
Malls and stores in malls close
None of those can survive without average joe consumers, either. Without us buying such things or going to such places, how can you as our superior expect to make money?
You're right, you guys pay insanely high property taxes and buy big-ticket items like Mercedes vehicles. But you wouldn't have the money to do that without us buying goods and services from your businesses. It's a symbiotic relationship.
I don't live in Michigan, but the symbiosis appears to be broken. People and businesses pay taxes. If tax revenue dramatically decreases, the state turns into a dump. People don't want to live or work in a dump so they move elsewhere. Which, in turn, decreases the amount of tax revenue. It's a self-defeating cycle. I wouldn't blame you if that was the reason you wanted to leave. But that's not the case. You stated you were going to leave because of some piddly $500 tax on a vehicle you CHOSE to purchase.
montoym 2:41PM (11/12/2009)
CO's isn't a sales tax either, I think you misread my description of how the registration works like a sales tax.
The registration tax is based off the purchase price of the vehicle and is assessed just like a sales tax is, i.e. it's not progressive(as some claimed) it's the same rate for everyone but if you buy something more expensive, you pay more. Like when you buy a $100 pair of shoes you pay more in sales tax than when you buy a $30 pair despite the sale tax rate being the same.
Do you also get angry and riled up when you pay more in taxes for buying more expensive clothes, or having a more expensive dinner etc? Fair taxes are those that have everyone paying the same rate, not the same amount. It sounds to me as though MI's registration tax system is pretty fair as far as that goes, everyone pays the same rate.
Progressive would mean that if you bought something more expensive, you actually would pay a higher rate on that purchase, like income taxes. People making $20k and people making $200k don't pay the same tax rate (directed more at Luis).
I still have a simple solution for you if you don't want to pay $500/yr in registration taxes on your car, buy one of those Honda Accords that will have you paying $125/yr like those you mentioned. Once again, you chose to buy the car you bought just we all have made the same choices. I honestly don't feel sorry for you and your continued comments here aren't changing my feelings at all.
Jim 2:36PM (11/15/2009)
Don't mind paying a fortune for a car because you can lord that over others, right? But pay a buck or two more to the state and you are all upset. My guess is that you are a tea-bagger fighting healthcare reform.
Emilyc941 7:17PM (11/15/2009)
Florida just had an increase on their plates and registrations...what use to cost $46 is now $71 but that's still better than paying on the value of your car. However, be prepared if it's your first time getting plates in Florida it will cost you closer to $400.00
harolds75068 12:13PM (11/16/2009)
Venom? youre a real dumbass! for buying a peice of junk like that MB, lol. im a professional auto mechanic, you paid way too much for CRAP!! only good thing about them and BMW is that they are always breaking down! it keeps my family fed quite well! if you leave Mich. please dont come here to TEXAS!! i thought that i turned the lights out when i left there?