By Mark Scott
Albany, NY – It appears state leaders are backing away from plans that would have required drivers to pay for new license plates beginning in April.
Leaders of the State Senate and Assembly appear ready to repeal plans to distribute new blue and gold license plates. Governor David Paterson is giving his qualified support to a repeal. But in a WBFO News interview, Paterson says the revenue the new plates would generate needs to be replaced.
County Clerks from across New York are delivering petition signatures from New Yorkers who see the fees for the new plates as an unfair tax. Erie County Clerk Kathy Hocul is in Albany. She says the Department of Motor Vehicles has already demanded too much from drivers.
The new plates were to be required for each of the estimated 10 million cars, trucks and other vehicles registered in the state at a cost of $25. More than 100,000 people signed an online petition against the new plates.