SENATOR KEMP HANNON VOTES “NO” ON MOTOR VEHICLE FEE HIKES

All New Yorkers that drive a car, a truck, a motorcycle, an ATV, or a boat will be paying more as the latest round of massive tax and fee hikes approved by Democrats in Albany take effect September 1st.

“Every month brings a new round of tax hikes that were forced upon hard working Long Islanders, “ said Senator Kemp Hannon (6th Senate District). “We should aim to control spending and reduce taxes if we are going to help struggling families put dinner on the table,” continued Senator Hannon, who voted no on the proposed tax and fee increases.

On September 1, 2009, the following motor vehicle registration fees will be increased:

• Passenger vehicle registration fees increase from $44 to $55 (two year average depending on vehicle);
• Commercial vehicle registration fees increase from $1.21 (per 500 lbs of vehicle weight) up to $1.51 at the low end of the range and increase from $11.50 to $14.38 (per 500 lbs) at the high end;
• Trailer registration fees will increase from an average of $34 to $42.50;
• Taxi registration fees, on average, will increase from $48 to $60;
• Average bus registration fees will increase from $73 to $91.25;
• Motorcycle registration increases from $14 to $17.50;
• All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) registration increase from $10 to $12.50; and
• Average motorboat registrations will rise from $40 to $50;

In addition, fees will be increased to re-register vehicles, register custom vehicles and make photocopies of motor vehicle documents.

Furthermore, starting on April 1, 2010, New Yorkers obtaining or renewing their vehicle registration will be required to purchase brand new license plates, whether they need them or not, for $25 - a $10 increase.

“For Long Island families, the use of a car is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” said Senator Hannon.

The motor vehicle fee increases were included in the more than $8.5 billion in tax and fee hikes approved by Governor Paterson and Democrats in the Senate and Assembly.

The DMV’s Annual Report for 2008, outlining DMV programs, services, transaction data tables and grant distribution charts, is available online at http://www.nysdmv.com/broch/ar2008.pdf. For more information about New York State and to sign up for email updates, go to Senator Hannon’s website at www.kemphannon.com.