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Monday, June 8, 2009

Drivers License Fees Up 150% -- Who Voted for That?

My Mitchell blog nemesis Steve Sibson reminds me that I'd better get my driver's license renewed this month, since on July 1, the fee jumps from $8 to $20.

Sibby moans that we "can thank the Progressives for this." What? Really? There are "Progressives" in charge of the South Dakota Legislature and Governor's office? Sibby should have headlined that one "Breaking News!"

Whom exactly can we thank for a 150% increase in drivers license fees? I check the votes on Senate Bill 32, and find that our local Dems (I think we can safely call them "Progressives"), State Representatives Gerry Lange and Mitch Fargen, both voted No on the final bill. Our District 8 State Senator, Republican Russell Olson, voted Yes to raising your fees.

But this still makes sense. Conservatives like Senator Olson hate change. Come July 1, when you hand your county treasurer examiner* a twenty, she won't have to make any.

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*Correction, 2009.06.09 07:30 CDT: Classic case of where a simple mistake clouds the punchline. See comments below. I regret the error! Now, does anyone regret their vote for Russ? ;-)

3 comments:

  1. Last time I renewed my drivers license, I paid my fee to the divers license examiner. Do we now pay that fee at the county treasurer office, I just saying...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good point, FireBird. Driver's license fees are paid to the examiners once a week. Treasurer's Office takes money for your vehicle license plates and sales tax on vehicle purchases. Buy a four-wheeler, boat and some other modes of transportation and you have to visit the State Revenue Office in Sioux Falls to pay sales tax or have the dealer collect it. Been working on Russ on that discrepancy. Should be able to pay all state and county taxes locally without leaving town.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tim (sign your name, FireBird!), Rod, you point out an excellent example of how one simple mistake can overshadow the entire message. I regret the error and have made the necessary correction above.

    I'm going to load railroad ties today, so I won't be able to make the driver's license examiners office until next week. See you there!

    ReplyDelete

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