New license plates on the way

[bchris02]

http://newsok.com/article/5498581

It looks like everyone is going to have to replace their license plate next year. I wonder if the design is going to change or if they will just take the current design and make it more reflective?

[Paseofreak]

This crap is ridiculous. Making up taxes pure bulls**t!

[kevinpate]

It's only a tax to the Legislature if the majority thinks it will impact election coffers.
1.50 on ciggies is a tax.
4.00 on a new shiny license plate (after covering costs) is a fee, not a tax.

Makes perfect sense ... to some.

[stile99]

http://newsok.com/article/5498581

It looks like everyone is going to have to replace their license plate next year.

House Bill 3208, which passed 52-45, must still be approved by the Senate and governor before it could become law.

Considering how narrowly it passed, I don't consider it a fait accompli at this point.

That said, it's 39 Republicans vs 9 Democrats, and we know the governor will sign whatever her masters tell her to sign, so...

[Bill Robertson]

And if this does pass I'll be paying $12 for plates that will be in my trunks. That blows!

[MagzOK]

Lose the guardian with the bow and arrow. I'd like to go back to the old school sun and Oklahoma is OK logo. Or I'd love an all white with black letters and numerals -- old school. But how about lose the little registration decals on the back of the plates and give us one to put on the inside of the windshield down low on the driver side, just like Texas. It'd minimize theft of those stickers.

[Plutonic Panda]

I agree about the all white plates. That would be cool. I like the Texas and California plates.

[Bullbear]

Lose the guardian with the bow and arrow. I'd like to go back to the old school sun and Oklahoma is OK logo. Or I'd love an all white with black letters and numerals -- old school. But how about lose the little registration decals on the back of the plates and give us one to put on the inside of the windshield down low on the driver side, just like Texas. It'd minimize theft of those stickers.

Is sticker theft really still a thing? I mean with technology now the PD can check to see if you have valid tags without a sticker. I got pulled over for speeding and had not put the new sticker on yet and the police officer said it wasn't that big of a deal that he can see my tags are up to date. seems we could do away with the sticker entirely almost.

[jerrywall]

So we've got one thread talking about our poor schools, with one of the solutions being new fees to help cover the shortfall, and then we have the reactions in this thread. So a case of folks are ok with new taxes and fees, as long as they're on someone else? And we wonder why no progress gets made.

[stile99]

So a case of folks are ok with new taxes and fees, as long as they're on someone else?

I'll stand up and proudly shout yup. If the energy industry gets to pay less than 1% tax, and I'm paying more, than I am TOTALLY FINE with 'new' taxes and fees being charged to them. Or for that matter, they don't need to be new, just pay the same taxes everyone else pays. We didn't get into this huge hole because *I* didn't pay my taxes.

[jerrywall]

I'll stand up and proudly shout yup. If the energy industry gets to pay less than 1% tax, and I'm paying more, than I am TOTALLY FINE with 'new' taxes and fees being charged to them. Or for that matter, they don't need to be new, just pay the same taxes everyone else pays. We didn't get into this huge hole because *I* didn't pay my taxes.

So since they DON'T pay less than 1% tax, are you now supporting this new fee?

[stile99]

So since they DON'T pay less than 1% tax, are you now supporting this new fee?

That's not what the article Pete posted said, so no.

[jerrywall]

That's not what the article Pete posted said, so no.

It said at one point the tax on new wells was as low as 1%. It also mentioned that was raised to 2%. And it's only for the first few years. Energy companies are not paying under 1% on their revenues, and since they have old and new wells, aren't even paying close to one percent.

[Jersey Boss]

It said at one point the tax on new wells was as low as 1%. It also mentioned that was raised to 2%. And it's only for the first few years. Energy companies are not paying under 1% on their revenues, and since they have old and new wells, aren't even paying close to one percent.

Yeah but the program that pays the oil companies for operating wells when the price of crude is low could very well make the effective rate less than 2%.

[jerrywall]

Yeah but the program that pays the oil companies for operating wells when the price of crude is low could very well make the effective rate less than 2%.

That would have to assume oil companies were only operating new horizontal wells, and shutting them down after a few years.

[Jersey Boss]

That would have to assume oil companies were only operating new horizontal wells, and shutting them down after a few years.

This is true. It has been said that the majority of those horizontal wells produce the bulk of resources in the first few years. So to expand on that, I would say that one would have to compute all the credits and incentives that the industry gets to get that effective rate.

[Jersey Boss]

To get back on the plate thing though I have no problem in finding those extra dollars by either taking my lunch to work a couple of days or cutting some coupons from the Sunday paper.

[jerrywall]

This is true. It has been said that the majority of those horizontal wells produce the bulk of resources in the first few years. So to expand on that, I would say that one would have to compute all the credits and incentives that the industry gets to get that effective rate.

Additionally, to imply the energy companies pay less than one percent ignores property taxes, payroll taxes and more. Plus their expanded impact of their employees also paying property, sales, and income taxes. It's not a zero sum game.

That being said - these companies aren't going to NOT harvest money making oil without incentives. I feel like tax incentives DO bring film companies and such to Oklahoma that wouldn't come otherwise. When it comes to oil? They're gonna drill baby drill, regardless.

[stile99]

You are correct, it is probably more than 1%. I pulled a number out of the air without doing any math, and I apologize for that.

I will be more than happy to become the most ardent supporter of this new tax, even moreso than McCall himself, and all I ask is one thing. Just one small thing.

Numbers are hard to come by it seems, and any numbers I use someone else can come back and say that was yesterday, here's today's, but all the numbers I can find say the tax breaks are worth well north of $500 million (how much is the budget deficit again?). This new tax is supposed to raise $18.5 million, with the state not even getting that full amount. But like I said, I will support it.

All I ask is the energy industry match that amount.

That's my entire point. I understand, and agree with, your frustration that there appears to be a double standard. People want schools funded, but they object to this new tax. It seems a bit disingenuous. But let's be honest with each other. This tax is like asking us to pee in Optima Lake and expect the problem to be solved. It's going to do literally nothing. It is perfectly natural for people to be upset when they watch someone set $500,000,000 on fire and then cry that they're broke. They're going to then be even more upset when that person says "Now I'm broke, so I'm going to mug you".

[jerrywall]

The thing is, all tax incentives are supposed to be analyzed, and must show a net benefit, or else they are discontinued. If that's not happening like it should then it's a whole other problem. But to say that 500 million in tax credits costs us 500 million is extreme oversimplification and ignores secondary revenues.

[MagzOK]

Is sticker theft really still a thing? I mean with technology now the PD can check to see if you have valid tags without a sticker. I got pulled over for speeding and had not put the new sticker on yet and the police officer said it wasn't that big of a deal that he can see my tags are up to date. seems we could do away with the sticker entirely almost.

Yeah man, I would be fine with that! Just lose the stickers all together if they really aren't needed.

[jerrywall]

To get back on the plate thing though I have no problem in finding those extra dollars by either taking my lunch to work a couple of days or cutting some coupons from the Sunday paper.

Seriously. I've got 4 vehicles. You're talking a one time expense of $20, paid out at $5 a time as I renew tags next year. I have a hard time getting that upset over this. And if it does reduce the number of uninsured drivers on the road, then that much better.

[stile99]

And if it does reduce the number of uninsured drivers on the road, then that much better.

The last time plates were refreshed in Oklahoma was 2009. At that time, the percentage of uninsured motorists in Oklahoma was 24%.

http://www.autoinsurance.org/how-man...uto-insurance/

Oklahoma already addressed the problem of uninsured motorists three years ago.

http://www.news9.com/story/22146196/...nsured-drivers

I really wish I could believe even one uninsured motorist would be removed from the road by this, but history suggests if they're breaking the law today, they're going to break the law tomorrow as well.

It's not a problem of 'finding the money', it's a problem of 'second verse, same as the first'. Let me be very very clear: this will do nothing to address the problem. Nothing. I don't think I am getting this across correctly, so I'll just stop rather than risk annoying people further, as that is absolutely not my intent.

[jerrywall]

The last time plates were refreshed in Oklahoma was 2009. At that time, the percentage of uninsured motorists in Oklahoma was 24%.

http://www.autoinsurance.org/how-man...uto-insurance/

Oklahoma already addressed the problem of uninsured motorists three years ago.

http://www.news9.com/story/22146196/...nsured-drivers

I really wish I could believe even one uninsured motorist would be removed from the road by this, but history suggests if they're breaking the law today, they're going to break the law tomorrow as well.

The problem with the past efforts is enforceability. Now they have cameras that autoscan in the patrol cars, and identify drivers without insurance. The problem is, from what I understand, that as the plates age their readability for the scanners goes down.

Unless they're lying about this (of course, always a possibility) this is a solution addressing a problem, not just a manufactured fee (although they could charge less to cover the costs of the new tags).

[Stew]

So if we all replace are tags as to usher in some automation for the cops as to reduce manual enforcement effort can I expect a reduction in full time law enforcement positions. That's something I could certainly get behind.