DMV hikes suggested

Friday, Feb. 28, 2003 | 11:23 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Rather than taking more money away from road building, legislators suggested today the state Department of Motor Vehicles raise the costs of a driver's license and vehicle registration to support growth.

Director Ginny Lewis told a Senate-Assembly budget committee her agency wants to increase its share of tax collections from the highway fund from 22 percent to 29 percent.

She said she needed the extra money to hire 154 more employees to beef up the Las Vegas and Reno offices and to start Saturday service in Carson City.

But lawmakers balked at the suggestion.

Assemblyman John Marvel, R-Battle Mountain, said he didn't want to see more dipping into the highway funds. "What will be left to fix the roads?" he asked. He suggested the department look at raising the cost of a driver's license by $5 and determine how much money that would bring in.

Lewis said a license now costs $21 for four years and "That's a great deal." Nevada is in the middle of the states in its driver's license fee, she said.

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, suggested the agency look at all fees, including the cost of registering a car. At present the registration fee is $33 for a year, plus the privilege tax on the value of the car.

Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, suggested that newcomers pay up to four times more to register their cars for the first time.

"Persons moving into the state ought to pay more," Coffin told Lewis. "Let's think big."

New residents could pay $100 or $150 instead of the $33 fee, he said. "The new person causes the labor and the impact," he said.

The committee directed Lewis to compile some recommendations and report back.

Assemblyman David Parks, D-Las Vegas, the chairman of the committee, asked about out-of-state motorists who move to Nevada and avoid registering their vehicles within the 30-day time limit.

Many newcomers wait until their out-of-state registrations expire before getting Nevada plates, Lewis said. A bill to address the issue was heard by the Assembly Transportation Committee last week.

Assembly Bill 30 would require new residents to register their cars in Nevada at the same time they get a Nevada driver's license. It also would end the practice of giving people refunds when they turn in their plates before the expiration date. Currently the privilege tax is refunded on a pro-rated basis.

The DMV has estimated that $5 million will be lost this year because of the refunds.