Governor’s Office Backs Off on License Plate Replacement and Fees

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office says it will not pursue a $25 license plate replacement program that has drawn the ire of residents across the state.

The plan had called for plates over 10-years old to be replaced with an additional $20 fee to keep your same license plate number.

legislators, citizen groups and others objected to the replacement program and fee, many calling it a “cash-grab” by the state.

The Governor’s office has been backing away from the plate replacement plan that the Democrat said was needed to make sure plate readers and law enforcement officers could decipher the plates with virtually all surveys showing the program widely unpopular. A new Siena College poll shows 60% of the people responding opposed the plan and 75% said the new plate charge was unfair.

Cuomo’s senior advisor said the decision was made weeks ago as the Department of Motor Vehicles commissioner said a plan for readable plates would be re-worked. Advisor Rich Azzopardi said the Governor’s office had backed away from the plan weeks before the Siena poll and said the survey was taken on outdated information.

New York Senator Fred Akshar of Binghamton had his own on-line poll of the 52^nd district that also found most residents hating the idea of new plate and especially the new fees.

The Republican later said, as it appeared the program might move forward, he was proposing legislation to require replacement fees be kept at or below the cost of producing new license plates.