A measure that had initially gained momentum in the Republican-led House, aiming to roll back vehicle-registration late fees, was brought to a halt today by the Democratic-led Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee.
Two years ago, the Democratically controlled legislature passed Senate Bill 09-108, dubbed FASTER, which then-Gov. Bill Ritter signed into law. FASTER tacked a $41 fee on average onto vehicle registrations and imposed an additional $25 late fee per month up to $100 for those people who failed to renew their tags before the expiration date. The hiked late fees were part of the FASTER bill’s broader effort to raise some $250 million a year in transportation funding.
House Bill 1084, sponsored by Rep. Randy Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs, and Sen. Kevin_J._Grantham, R-Canon City, would have given county clerks discretion in applying the fees. The clerks could have chose to waive the fees or impose the maximum fee of $100 under the legislation.
Grantham said revisiting the status quo regarding late fees puts the issue back in perspective.
“The clerks can look at extenuating circumstances and assess the fee accordingly,” said Grantham. “It’s been that way for years, before FASTER, and most clerks charged the (then) $10 late fee.”
Senate Democratic Majority Leader John Morse, of Colorado Springs, said he is fine with giving discretion of whether or not to impose the late fees—as long as they make up the difference to the state.
“If they (the clerks) send us (the state) the money, they can use their discretion all they want,” said Morse.
Yet, Grantham said the fees serve little purpose other than generating revenue for a state thirsty for dollars.
“It’s a cash cow for the state, and that’s not the original intent of the bill,” said Grantham. “Families are strapped for cash and are having to choose between their gas bill, groceries or mortgage.”
Morse counters that the fees serve the purpose of nudging people toward compliance and should remain in place.
“The incentive is important,” says Morse. “No one should be able to avoid the cost of registering their vehicles. They use the roads just like those who pay on time.”
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The argument here is that the people who renew late still use the roads and should not be able to avoid the tax on using the roads [translation: let them eat cake]. Okay. But, what if they don’t use the roads? What if they find a way to park their vehicles and get around without using the roads (in the vehicle that is not registered) until they come up with the money for registration? It seems to me that there have to be some reasonable exceptions where vehicle owners should not be charged late fees for not registering on or before their renewal date. Imagine some guy just woke up from a coma to find out his vehicle registration had not been renewed and he owes the state an extra $100 because “No one should be able to avoid the cost of registering their vehicles. They [destitute, broke, medically unable] use the roads just like those who pay on time [are not destitute, broke, medically unable].” Sure, there are those who are just plain lazy and deserve to pay a fine. But, generally, if someone is not paying on time it is not because they are thinking it will be fun to get a ticket and have to go to court and deal with sobbing to a judge – as well as paying the fine.
I have been rebuilding an old jeep from the ground up. After over seven years of not being driven at all I now have to pay through the teeth as it were. I guess I will have to wait a few more months until I can save to pay the non tax (fee) tax that the lawmakers slipped through on us. Groceries still come first, and even though they have increased dramatically, they are not figured into the inflation figure the government uses. Who are these people and why are they running this country into the ground?