Senate Approves Raising Vehicle Registration Fees
Air Date:02/28/2011
By Kealey Bultena
Both chambers of the South Dakota legislature agree to raising car registration fees as a way to pay for repairs of local roads. Legislators passed House Bill 11-92, even though the governor disagrees.
Senators in Pierre passed a bill that increases the price of vehicle registration fees to pay for road and bridge repairs. Republican Tom Hansen says counties in need can collect more money in registration fees, and now is the time.
"You have no doubt heard the argument that we should not seek to take money from people’s pocket when we are emerging from a recession. But let me ask you a question. What do you do when the wind takes the shingles off your garage? Do you just leave it leak until you decide to reshingle it?" Hanson asks. "In fact, when income is down has very little effect on your decision to fix that roof. The condition of our secondary roads is far worse than losing a few shingles."
The measure doesn’t add or take away from the state’s general fund. It passed with just three dissenting votes and is on its way to Governor Dennis Daugaard’s desk. The governor has threatened to veto any legislation that increases taxes.
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