Drivers turned off by higher vehicle registration fees

Increased motor vehicle registration fees, that went into effect July 1, are getting a hostile reception from drivers in El Paso County.

Clerk and Recorder Bob Balink said he's fielded 20 phone calls a day, e-mail complaints and angry customers at Motor Vehicle Department offices.

"It's absolutely insane," he said of the increases, which in some cases are more than triple what they were last month. The higher fees, which were approved this year by the state Legislature to fund transportation and law enforcement training, are being phased in over several years and will go up again next year and in 2011.

Erica Phillips, 27, a waitress with two young children in tow, walked out of the Motor Vehicle Department in Centennial Hall empty-handed. She expected the registration fee for her vehicle would be about $80. Instead, it was $186, which she didn't have.

"I have to go out and scrape up some money," Phillips said. "It was way more than I expected."

Balink called the fee increases "unreasonable, punitive and unnecessary penalties." Balink is a Republican and both houses of the Legislature are controlled by Democrats.

In addition to the higher registration fees, new late fees went into effect June 1. Vehicle owners have a 30-day grace period to renew expired license plate tags, but have to pay a penalty for being a month late, and that fee rose from $10 a month to $25 per month. The maximum penalty is $100.

"We've had a very difficult time this month," Balink said. "It's very difficult for our clerks on the counter serving 2,000 customers a day" to explain the additional charges.

Mike Smith, 53, who had stopped by the office, said the new charges are not necessary, and suggested Gov. Bill Ritter take a pay cut instead.

"I'm the guy suffering," Smith said.