Vehicle Tax Change for 2009

The News Reporter Motor vehicle tax scofflaws who haven’t paid their vehicle taxes would soon have a surprise – and for some it will be a big surprise – under a law passed by the General Assembly. The tax delinquency will show up on Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) computers when new plates or a registration renewal is sought. Residents will have to pay up their past-due county taxes or go home empty handed. Columbus County bills $2.6 million in motor vehicle taxes each year but collects only 73 percent of that. The new legislation could bring in $500,000 in additional revenue – equivalent to 1.5 cents per $100 assessed value on the property tax rate – cutting the burden on real estate owners. The new law would take effect July 1, 2009. The biggest hurdle to implementation is updating the DMV’s computer system. Gore’s office had collected only 73 percent of vehicle taxes by July 1, typical for rural counties. Had the new law been in effect, the collection rate would have been much higher and commissioners might have been able to estimate another $500,000 in revenue – approximately 1.5 cents on the ad valorem rate. Yes, this is just what we need so the county commissioners can spend more of our money with as little input from the people as possible. The figures used here may be bloated. The next time you get your tax bill for your car or truck look at what they have it valued at, then go online and search for the true value at Kelly Blue Book. If they have it valued to high call them up and tell, that's what I do and every year they reduce my tax burden.