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Residents think DMV jumped gun on fee hikes
By Francesca Olsen
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Several Columbia County residents have reported they paid increased DMV fees prior to Sept. 1, when the fee for drivers’ license and vehicle registrations were slated to increase by 25 percent. However, the state DMV says the law was written so that fee increases applied to documents that had expirations on or after Sept. 1, regardless of the date they were renewed.
Jeanie Blume, a Ghent resident, renewed her drivers’ license in July, expecting to pay a $50 renewal fee. Instead, the fee was $64.50, representing the planned 25 percent increase.
Blume’s birthday is in October.
“(The DMV clerk) said, make the check out to such and such, $64.50, please,” Blume said. “I think they owe us a refund.”
Blume was charged because her license was up for renewal in October, after the Sept. 1 fee increase date.
“Why were we charged that? They don’t give you an explanation, or anything for it. They just ask you for the fee,” Blume said. “The state is so hungry for every penny.”
The news of residents paying increased fees before the Sept. 1 date also struck County Clerk Holly Tanner by surprise. Tanner had been advising residents to renew early in order to avoid the fee.
“The DMV was promoting the Sept. 1 start date,” Tanner said, “When the reality was they had started them even before Sept. 1.
“It was very misleading and confused a lot of people, myself included. They handled it very trickily.”
Jean Curran, a Craryville resident, had a similar experience with her license renewal. “The DMV had already sent forms to the Hudson office with the increase already on them, and there was nothing on them about paying early, which there should have been,” she said.
Curran and her husband renewed in August, but their licenses were also due for renewal after Sept. 1.
“I was very surprised, but I thought, ‘well, it’s already on the form,’” Curran said. “I didn’t realize the increase was going into effect until I saw the article (Aug. 21 in the Register-Star on the fee increases). I thought to myself, ‘wait a minute! We did renew early!
“We’re retired, living on a fixed income. But I’m not surprised. It’s New York State.”
Tanner said that there really isn’t much residents can do; along with other county clerks, Tanner has been petitioning against the fee increases, as well as a requirement that every registered vehicle in New York get new license plates in April 2010 (residents are welcome to visit the Hudson DMV and sign the petition).
“I don’t set the rules,” she said. “I just have to enforce them.”
Ken Brown, a spokesperson for the state DMV, said the terms of the fee increase were clearly written. “If they received their registration renewal in August, for their registration that would expire in September or perhaps early October, they would still have been paying the increased fee,” he said.
“I didn’t know there was confusion about that. The way the law is written, it states that the increase in fees is for those documents that would expire on or after Sept. 1.”
“Certainly, I’ve had lots of customers comment that they’re fed up with the fee increases,” Tanner said. “They see it as just another tax.”
Curran said she didn’t contact the state DMV about her renewal because “when has anybody ever contacted the state government and gotten any satisfaction? It’s always, I’ll call you back. We’ll look into that. It comes under the heading of: ‘You can’t fight city hall.’”
To reach reporter Francesca Olsen call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail folsen@registerstar.com.
Jeanie Blume, a Ghent resident, renewed her drivers’ license in July, expecting to pay a $50 renewal fee. Instead, the fee was $64.50, representing the planned 25 percent increase.
Blume’s birthday is in October.
“(The DMV clerk) said, make the check out to such and such, $64.50, please,” Blume said. “I think they owe us a refund.”
Blume was charged because her license was up for renewal in October, after the Sept. 1 fee increase date.
“Why were we charged that? They don’t give you an explanation, or anything for it. They just ask you for the fee,” Blume said. “The state is so hungry for every penny.”
The news of residents paying increased fees before the Sept. 1 date also struck County Clerk Holly Tanner by surprise. Tanner had been advising residents to renew early in order to avoid the fee.
“The DMV was promoting the Sept. 1 start date,” Tanner said, “When the reality was they had started them even before Sept. 1.
“It was very misleading and confused a lot of people, myself included. They handled it very trickily.”
Jean Curran, a Craryville resident, had a similar experience with her license renewal. “The DMV had already sent forms to the Hudson office with the increase already on them, and there was nothing on them about paying early, which there should have been,” she said.
Curran and her husband renewed in August, but their licenses were also due for renewal after Sept. 1.
“I was very surprised, but I thought, ‘well, it’s already on the form,’” Curran said. “I didn’t realize the increase was going into effect until I saw the article (Aug. 21 in the Register-Star on the fee increases). I thought to myself, ‘wait a minute! We did renew early!
“We’re retired, living on a fixed income. But I’m not surprised. It’s New York State.”
Tanner said that there really isn’t much residents can do; along with other county clerks, Tanner has been petitioning against the fee increases, as well as a requirement that every registered vehicle in New York get new license plates in April 2010 (residents are welcome to visit the Hudson DMV and sign the petition).
“I don’t set the rules,” she said. “I just have to enforce them.”
Ken Brown, a spokesperson for the state DMV, said the terms of the fee increase were clearly written. “If they received their registration renewal in August, for their registration that would expire in September or perhaps early October, they would still have been paying the increased fee,” he said.
“I didn’t know there was confusion about that. The way the law is written, it states that the increase in fees is for those documents that would expire on or after Sept. 1.”
“Certainly, I’ve had lots of customers comment that they’re fed up with the fee increases,” Tanner said. “They see it as just another tax.”
Curran said she didn’t contact the state DMV about her renewal because “when has anybody ever contacted the state government and gotten any satisfaction? It’s always, I’ll call you back. We’ll look into that. It comes under the heading of: ‘You can’t fight city hall.’”
To reach reporter Francesca Olsen call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail folsen@registerstar.com.
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of registerstar.com.
stonepound wrote on Oct 1, 2009 9:47 PM:
" I just paid thousands to columbia county to get lower interest rate on my house. not even a new purchase. Ms. Tanner did not bother to create a petition for that fee when it was increased by republicans.
The gop just wants to make noise and hope you don't look at how much they are sticking it to you. "
The gop just wants to make noise and hope you don't look at how much they are sticking it to you. "
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gavdar wrote on Oct 1, 2009 4:19 PM:
I'll have to renew my the registrations on my truck and two work trailers at the end of the year, then next spring time I will get new plates for each of them. Why? There is nothing wrong with my current plates - thanks again New York state. "