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Assemblymember Portantino Asks Legislators to Pay for Vanity
Arcadia Weekly Mar 01, 2012
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Most California drivers who want personalized license plates, commonly referred to as vanity plates, have to pay an extra fee. Even retired firefighters pay the state an annual fee to be properly respected for their life time of work. Not California legislators. Current and retired legislators get personalized license plates almost for free.
Assemblymember Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) today introduced AB 2068 to require legislators that have distinctive legislative license plates on their personal cars to pay the same fees that almost everyone else does for personalized license plates.
“I was shocked, but not surprised to see that legislators would carve out a special situation for themselves and I’m determined to put an end to the practice,” commented Portantino.
Under existing law, current and retired legislators can ask DMV for a license plate that designates them as a state legislator or retired state legislator. The cost of these plates is $12 on issuance, and no additional or annual fees are paid with subsequent yearly registration. The Department of Motor Vehicles has stated that there are 750 of these legislative license plates that have been issued in California. In contrast, average Californians, retired police and fire included, pay $50 upon issuance and $35 per year thereafter.
“Why should current and former legislators get special treatment for the issuance of license plates? It makes no sense for former and sitting legislators to be treated any differently than everyone else,” Portantino said.
Portantino did not drive a state purchased district car, does not use an Assembly plate and has no plans to receive one upon retirement.
AB 2068 will be heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee in about six weeks.
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