Resident opposes increased license fees for state patrol

I have sat here fuming and I'm totally outraged after reading articles within the past two weeks concerning the recommendations by a committee that the State Legislature raise license plate fees by seventeen percent so that the Ohio State Highway Patrol can be fully funded.

I'm sure that the fee increase will not just stop with license plates but extend to the new issue and renewal of our operators licenses when due.

License plates will go up $5.75 for cars, $19 for trucks and an incredible jump from $10 to $25 for a temporary tag. Motorcyclists and RV owners who register their vehicles for half a year will now pay a $10 fine for that privilege. Car title fees are going from $5 to $15.

There is not one road in Ohio that is not patrolled by either local police, sheriff's deputies or regional police. The highway patrol duplicates their efforts, so much that Ohioans receive more tickets per capita than any other state. One could make the argument that the highway patrol is a luxury that we can no longer afford. But let's look at a few ways the Highway Patrol could cut their $300 million annual budget:

First, they could stop taking the cruisers home with them and letting them sit idle 16 hours a day. . The patrol would only have to buy half as many cars. How many employees in the area are furnished a new vehicle and fuel to drive to and from work each day? Sounds like an unneeded benefit which could easily be put in place to save their operating money.

Second, get rid of the huge, gas-guzzling, Ford Crown Victorias and replace them with more fuel-efficient cars. Almost all police agencies now have policies about breaking off dangerous high-speed chases, so cruisers capable of 140 mph are no longer needed.
Lastly, people are driving less because of high gas prices. This should translate into a need for fewer troopers. There should be a hiring freeze combined with an attrition policy. I urge all motorists to call or write their state senators and representatives and express their opposition to these ill-timed registration fee increases.

I have challenged the local media to do a comparison of wages alone that are earned by the Ohio State Highway Patrol with those of other local law enforcement, I'm sure we would be surprised. One such print media annually publishes the top paid government employees but for some reason has omitted State of Ohio employees working locally from the article.

The State of Ohio in the past ten to twelve years has relied heavily on "Fee Based Revenue Enhancement" to operate. One doesn't have to be too smart to realize that each time you pay a fee to government in essence you're being taxed.

These increased fees have cost not only the individual taxpayer, they have to be added on to items purchased at the local level from local business, and industry has to pass all these government fees on as a cost of doing business. That is only simple cost accounting that is done if a business or industry is to survive.

I was involved in the field of law enforcement for twenty-seven years, twenty-one as an administrator. I felt the tight times, we had to adjust, do without wage increases, without new equipment and at the same time we all managed to survive without a loss of additional revenue. I had in a letter to Senator Buehrer and State Representative Wachtmann to pay a visit to the County Sheriffs and local Chiefs of Police to find out how seriously they are being affected by loss of revenue. To inquire how funding mandates passed by the State Legislature are affecting them financially.

It is not only the State Highway Patrol that I'm targeting, it is every agency in the State of Ohio that needs to learn to tighten the belt if we are to survive. It is tough to work in tight revenue conditions but it can be done.

It is time that our State Legislators learn to say "no" to fee increases. It is time that they learn to say "no" to new legislation that increases the cost of doing business at the local level. I firmly believe that if we are to survive in Ohio we need to see a government run efficiently that is responsible to the needs of the individual taxpayers, small business and industry if we are to prosper.

Government fee increases are taxes anyway you look at it. The more we permit our legislators to go along with this the less we have left to support local government and schools.

The people that make the most noise will be heard, those who grumble but don't express their unhappiness by not contacting your voice in government is like not voting at all and then complaining about the job they do.

I urge each citizen, small business owner, industry leaders, county commissioners, local mayors and councils along with school officials to speak loud and clear to them about your wishes. Money taken from this area in the form of fees is that much less to provide to local entities to operate on.

I have provided a list of our local legislators below. Call them, mail them, email them, fax them our feelings on what is happening. Let them know you mean "NO" to new taxes whether in the form of a fee increase, tax increase, or legislation that costs local government a hardship.

I vote and I intend to let my representatives know my feeling, if it falls on closed ears then maybe my vote will be for their competition the next election. If enough voters at the local level vote against spendthrifts they won't have a job in the future.

State Representative Lynn Wachtman
Address:
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Phone: (614) 466-3760
Fax: (614) 719-3975
Email: district75@ohr.state.oh.us

Senator Steve Buehrer
Address:
Senate Building
Room #125, First Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Telephone: 614/466-8150
Email: SD01@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

State Representative Matt Huffman
Address:
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Phone: (614) 466-9624
Fax: (614) 719-0004
Email: district04@ohr.state.oh.us

Senator Keith Faber
Address:
Senate Building
Room #034, Ground Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Telephone: 614/466-7584
Fax: 614/466-3691
Email: SD12@mailr.sen.state.oh.us