Chief Deputy TC
Beach Comber
Legislature OK's more fees
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Motor vehicle, driver license and court fees will be going up under bills that have received final approval from state budget negotiators.
But they also agreed Tuesday to make Florida the last state to waive court filing fees for indigents although that’s expected to cost taxpayers $4 million.
Another late agreement would create a specialty license plate for autism awareness. The fees from the tag would help offset a $613,000 spending cut for autism services in the budget that will go into effect July 1.
Lawmakers will vote on the budget and conforming bills Friday to cap a one-week extension of the regular legislative session due to disagreements on budget issues.
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Disclaimer - The following opinions and observations are my personal views, although my post contains my Avitar of the Constitutional Office I am so proud to work for. Please note the post is while I am not at my desk. Well most of the time I am not at my desk at this hour.
Here goes...The legislature continues to weigh in on the evils of local city and county governments. Meanwhile, they have no problem increasing any fees that end up in the state coffers.
Specifically, for years now the Florida Tax Collectors, through their association have requested consideration of not fee increases , but that the Tax Collector's portion of the current fees per transaction be increased to cover the costs for the services we provide for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The fact is the Tax Collector's portion of these fees has not increased in 25 years. This is the portion of the fee that would remain in Walton County for the needs of our residents and visitors.
This year the association asked again, and was ignored. Meanwhile they had no problem with increasing the fees you currently pay as long as it pads their general fund.
Example: Any Tax Collector who chooses to offer driver's license services in it's offices (Something clearly needed in the South Walton Branch) is expected to fund all of the equipment (cameras, card printers, digital signature pads, etc). This funding would have to come from local ad valorem taxes. The current cost is over $150,000 for the equipment alone to perform limited services (no on the road driving tests) in each of our two offices. The tax collector does get a fee per transaction, that after 2 years might allow you to break even, but most TCs report they make no revenue in comparision to the costs. The ID printers alone are $10,000 each, and they strongly suggest you have two in each service branch as they often malfunction. The huge cost is a result of the intellectual properties associated with the security features on the DL/ID card. The agreement amounts to a lease of these devices, and you get refurbished equipment from a State DL Office that has closed. Tax Collectors have reduced their request to a simple consideration that if we provide this service for DHSMV, then please provide the equipment at no cost to TC (Ultimately to the local taxpayers). We had hoped to offer DL services in our South Walton branch as early as this year, but their failure to yeild to basic fairness and equity have resulted in delaying this service offering. Other TCs across the state are planning to discontinue DL services. Another key point is DHSMV came to the TCs to ask for assistance in limiting the long lines (especially in South Florida), and based on our collective track record of fast, efficient, and friendly service. Our local DL office in DeFuniak seems to be doing a fine job, but the service level in other areas of the state have not been viewed so fondly.
This practice is not limited to DHSMV, when you buy that hunting of fishing license from our office, the TC portion of the fee is often as little as 50 cents.
To be clear, I am in no way advocating a fee increase of any kind to the taxpayer, only an appropriate distribution of the fees to, at a minimum cover the cost for conducting the transaction.
Not sure my posting will have much influence on the legislature, but it sure is theraputic to share my personal frustration with you guys.
I have many other rants that I will spare you the details on, such as a Mobile Home is not a car and should not require a sticker that sends money to the state, but enough for now....
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Motor vehicle, driver license and court fees will be going up under bills that have received final approval from state budget negotiators.
But they also agreed Tuesday to make Florida the last state to waive court filing fees for indigents although that’s expected to cost taxpayers $4 million.
Another late agreement would create a specialty license plate for autism awareness. The fees from the tag would help offset a $613,000 spending cut for autism services in the budget that will go into effect July 1.
Lawmakers will vote on the budget and conforming bills Friday to cap a one-week extension of the regular legislative session due to disagreements on budget issues.
----------------------------------------
Disclaimer - The following opinions and observations are my personal views, although my post contains my Avitar of the Constitutional Office I am so proud to work for. Please note the post is while I am not at my desk. Well most of the time I am not at my desk at this hour.
Here goes...The legislature continues to weigh in on the evils of local city and county governments. Meanwhile, they have no problem increasing any fees that end up in the state coffers.
Specifically, for years now the Florida Tax Collectors, through their association have requested consideration of not fee increases , but that the Tax Collector's portion of the current fees per transaction be increased to cover the costs for the services we provide for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The fact is the Tax Collector's portion of these fees has not increased in 25 years. This is the portion of the fee that would remain in Walton County for the needs of our residents and visitors.
This year the association asked again, and was ignored. Meanwhile they had no problem with increasing the fees you currently pay as long as it pads their general fund.
Example: Any Tax Collector who chooses to offer driver's license services in it's offices (Something clearly needed in the South Walton Branch) is expected to fund all of the equipment (cameras, card printers, digital signature pads, etc). This funding would have to come from local ad valorem taxes. The current cost is over $150,000 for the equipment alone to perform limited services (no on the road driving tests) in each of our two offices. The tax collector does get a fee per transaction, that after 2 years might allow you to break even, but most TCs report they make no revenue in comparision to the costs. The ID printers alone are $10,000 each, and they strongly suggest you have two in each service branch as they often malfunction. The huge cost is a result of the intellectual properties associated with the security features on the DL/ID card. The agreement amounts to a lease of these devices, and you get refurbished equipment from a State DL Office that has closed. Tax Collectors have reduced their request to a simple consideration that if we provide this service for DHSMV, then please provide the equipment at no cost to TC (Ultimately to the local taxpayers). We had hoped to offer DL services in our South Walton branch as early as this year, but their failure to yeild to basic fairness and equity have resulted in delaying this service offering. Other TCs across the state are planning to discontinue DL services. Another key point is DHSMV came to the TCs to ask for assistance in limiting the long lines (especially in South Florida), and based on our collective track record of fast, efficient, and friendly service. Our local DL office in DeFuniak seems to be doing a fine job, but the service level in other areas of the state have not been viewed so fondly.
This practice is not limited to DHSMV, when you buy that hunting of fishing license from our office, the TC portion of the fee is often as little as 50 cents.
To be clear, I am in no way advocating a fee increase of any kind to the taxpayer, only an appropriate distribution of the fees to, at a minimum cover the cost for conducting the transaction.
Not sure my posting will have much influence on the legislature, but it sure is theraputic to share my personal frustration with you guys.
I have many other rants that I will spare you the details on, such as a Mobile Home is not a car and should not require a sticker that sends money to the state, but enough for now....
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