Yearly tax on car...why?

[Enderw24]

I just received a "bill" in the mail for a tax on my car. It calculated out the assessed value of the car (half of what I bought it for a year ago, BTW), and multiplied that by around 8 or 9%. Apparently I owe the government $500! I'm not really sure why I owe this.
It's not a sales tax. I paid that last year when I bought it.
It's not a tax to operate it. I pay that every time I go to the gas station.
It's not a tax to use it on roads. I pay that in tolls.
It can't be a personal property tax. There's lots and lots of property I own that the government doesn't seem to care about taxing me for.
It can't be a tax to ensure the car can be IDed by the government. I pay that in the form of license plates and yearly registration fees.

Come to think of it, I pay a lot of taxes on my car. Which brings me to my question: why in the hell am I being forced to pay $500 just because I own a car? What am I being charged for here?

Now, whether you agree or disagree about it, I can at least understand the stated purpose of a yearly property tax on houses you own. The government still owns the land itself and you're just kinda renting from it.

But this? Why? Seriously? The government doesn't own my car. It's mine.

[DSYoungEsq]

I just received a "bill" in the mail for a tax on my car. It calculated out the assessed value of the car (half of what I bought it for a year ago, BTW), and multiplied that by around 8 or 9%. Apparently I owe the government $500! I'm not really sure why I owe this.
It's not a sales tax. I paid that last year when I bought it.
It's not a tax to operate it. I pay that every time I go to the gas station.
It's not a tax to use it on roads. I pay that in tolls.
It can't be a personal property tax. There's lots and lots of property I own that the government doesn't seem to care about taxing me for.
It can't be a tax to ensure the car can be IDed by the government. I pay that in the form of license plates and yearly registration fees.

Come to think of it, I pay a lot of taxes on my car. Which brings me to my question: why in the hell am I being forced to pay $500 just because I own a car? What am I being charged for here?

Now, whether you agree or disagree about it, I can at least understand the stated purpose of a yearly property tax on houses you own. The government still owns the land itself and you're just kinda renting from it.

But this? Why? Seriously? The government doesn't own my car. It's mine.
You live in a state with a "personal property tax." I know, we tend to think of property taxes as applying only to real property. But certain classes of personal property are also taxed. Cars in some states, also boats, planes, etc. Other possible targets include works of art, business inventory, etc.

California had that, and the result was that registering a car every year was an expensive proposition. I love Ohio for the fact they don't have a personal property tax on cars.

The good news: it's a tax, and to the extent it is a tax, it's deductable on the federal schedule for payments of state taxes. So, if you itemize your deductions, it makes the personal property tax slightly less onerous. Of course, it's only deductable to the extent of the tax; often there is only a portion of the yearly registration fee that is actually a tax, and the rest is fees which are not deductable.

[Enderw24]

Yeah, I know it's a personal property tax. But my point was that
1) I already pay a heck of a lot of taxes about, for, and surrounding the use and ownage of my car.
2) There's a ton of personal property of mine the government doesn't bother taxing.

I'm trying to determine a reason the government has for taxing a possession of mine that the government doesn't own, has no claim over, and hasn't gone through the stream of commerce in this year. The only answer I can come up with is "because they can," and that doesn't seem right.

[gazpacho]

The reason is they want the money. There is no end to have the government could tax if they so chose. The only defense you have is to have is that people want to get reelected.

[SmackFu]

They want to make money from renters.

OTOH, it's a local tax, and I can deduct most of it from my state income tax, so it works out ok. The deduction is capped at a few hundred bucks, so it's meaningless for property tax, but it's nice for the car tax.

[Jurph]

The reason is they want the money. There is no end to have the government could tax if they so chose. The only defense you have is to have is that people want to get reelected.

Don't forget to hold... :confused:

[Ravenman]

I'm trying to determine a reason the government has for taxing a possession of mine that the government doesn't own, has no claim over, and hasn't gone through the stream of commerce in this year. The only answer I can come up with is "because they can," and that doesn't seem right.One reason why a personal property tax on cars can be viewed favorably is because it tends to be a progressive tax. People with the money to buy Hummers would pay a sizable tax bill each year, those who drive more normal cars pay less, and poor people who take the bus aren't touched at all. Some may view it as preferable to have this kind of tax which raises more from those who own many expensive cars, rather than, say, raise the sales tax which tends to collect proportionately more money from those with lower incomes.

As far as what allows government to tax personal property, there's no constitutional protections against such kinds of taxation, so if a government wants to tax cars, planes, or whatever, they can pretty much have at it to the extent that voters allow them to do so. (A few years back in Virginia, there was a gubernatorial candidate who won on a platform of getting rid of Virginia's car tax. IIRC, it was cut somewhat, but not eliminated, because the prospect of raising other kinds of taxes to make up the lost revenue was too big of a pill to swallow.)

[Mangetout]

Come to think of it, I pay a lot of taxes on my car. Which brings me to my question: why in the hell am I being forced to pay $500 just because I own a car? What am I being charged for here?
You're being charged for having a government - taxes aren't about penalising you for doing certain things; they're about generating the level of income that the government has deemed appropriate for itself.

[Shagnasty]

I paid for my SUV years ago yet Massachusetts still charges me an excise tax every year. Like you, I don't think it is right. It is just a tax because they think they can. Car ownership generally means some level of other wealth and they want to take it. They could base the tax on the number of individual pieces of clothing that you own if they wanted to. However, sending an assessor to go through everyone's closet every year just wouldn't fly. Excise taxes just barely do.

Here in the Boston area, it gets even worse than that. The western suburbs tend to be affluent so we have tolls on the Mass Turnpike that are basically a necessity to get to Boston. These aren't your average tolls at .50 cents or so either. You can rack up a $6 bill both coming and going into the city which means hundreds of dollars a month just to get to work for people like my wife. The tolls were put into place to pay for the turnpike itself. That goal was accomplished years ago yet what type of progressive government could ever turn down such a revenue stream no matter how unfair and illogical it is?

[beowulff]

.. taxes aren't about penalising you for doing certain things;
Actually, many are - think about cigarette and liquor taxes...They both bring in revenue, and discourage behavior.

[Shagnasty]

You're being charged for having a government - taxes aren't about penalising you for doing certain things; they're about generating the level of income that the government has deemed appropriate for itself.

This may be a Great Debate but your argument is completely open ended. It doesn't allow for the fact that some taxes may be too high or may be targeted completely inappropriately towards certain groups like newer car owners. You could make the (often poor) argument that excise taxes are used for things like road repair and emergency assistance but that doesn't differentiate between someone that drives a $1000 beater and someone with a $50,000 sports car. The tax at hand is just an example of taking money because there is some indirect evidence that given people seem to have a surplus of it.

[Mangetout]

Actually, many are - think about cigarette and liquor taxes...They both bring in revenue, and discourage behavior.
Perhaps, but the point is that that it isn't really a system constructed to be nice, fair and logical - it's a system constructed to generate revenue and be as nearly tolerable as possible. The government could try to tax little girls for owning kittens, if they decided, but it would probably be unprofitable and unpopular. Any appearance of fairness and niceness is borne out of expediency.

[Mangetout]

This may be a Great Debate but your argument is completely open ended. It doesn't allow for the fact that some taxes may be too high or may be targeted completely inappropriately towards certain groups like newer car owners.I don't think there's any way to define 'too high' or 'inappropriate', except in terms of public opinion. The OP's argument could be made regarding any tax. Why do I pay income tax? - I worked for that money myself.

Taxes are a pretty much inevitable feature of a government that spends money doing things. Governments will excise those taxes from wherever they think they can best do so without appearing to take the piss.

[Chief Pedant]

But this? Why? Seriously? The government doesn't own my car. It's mine.

Whenever I see tax comments referring to the government as "they" it makes me smile. We are the government. But you know that...

The reason for this tax is that the people in Kansas have elected officials who passed it. This money funds the government and its services.

Interestingly, outrage over services seldom rises to the level of outrage over taxes to pay for them. ("I am taking a course at the community college and they are not charging me what it actually costs to provide the class, those bastards!") Unless you really are confused about how government works (doubtful) it seems to me this thread belongs in the Pit. I would be happy to join you there and complain about how incompetent the elected officials are, and how maldistributed taxes and benefits are.

Some time ago I tried to start a thread on how we might tax wealth instead of income. It went nowhere. Property tax is a good example of the difficulty of trying to pass taxes which get at what you have instead of how much ordinary income you make.

[DSYoungEsq]

Yeah, I know it's a personal property tax. But my point was that
1) I already pay a heck of a lot of taxes about, for, and surrounding the use and ownage of my car.
2) There's a ton of personal property of mine the government doesn't bother taxing.

I'm trying to determine a reason the government has for taxing a possession of mine that the government doesn't own, has no claim over, and hasn't gone through the stream of commerce in this year. The only answer I can come up with is "because they can," and that doesn't seem right.
Um, the government doesn't own your land or house, nor does it have a claim over it, nor does it go through the stream of commerce every year. Yet, you pay thousands in real property taxes every year. Where is your complaint there?

And why does the fact something is in or out of commerce in a given year have anything to do with the legitimacy of taxing it? :smack:

You want to start a rant, go to GD

[F. U. Shakespeare]

...There's lots and lots of property I own that the government doesn't seem to care about taxing me for.Since you are required to register your car with the state, they already know you own it. Consequently, it's more convenient for them to tax everyone who owns a car than it is to go after other items of equal value like, say, Rolex watches.

[DrDeth]

.
It's not a tax to operate it. I pay that every time I go to the gas station.
It's not a tax to use it on roads. I pay that in tolls.


Now, whether you agree or disagree about it, I can at least understand the stated purpose of a yearly property tax on houses you own. The government still owns the land itself and you're just kinda renting from it.
.
It is a tax to use it on raods. In fact, (in CA at least) you can file a doc stating that you will not use the car on public roads and the fee is some tiny amount for filing.

The rest is indeed a "tax" and it is used (supposedly) for highway improvements and repairs. It is deductable on your Federal 1040 Sch "A".

The government does not own your land. You do.

[t-bonham@scc.net]

It's not a tax to operate it. I pay that every time I go to the gas station.
It's not a tax to use it on roads. I pay that in tolls.
I think you are seriously over-estimating how much these 'pay' for the costs.

Here in Minnesota, the taxes directly related to cars (like the gas tax, license plate fees, sales taxes on vehicles, etc.) cover less than 1/3rd of the cost to build & maintain the roads. So the general fund covers the remaining 2/3rds of these costs. Some people say this means automobiles are subsidized by taxpayers in general, including those who don't own or operate cars.

[Mangetout]

The government does not own your land. You do.
Just out of interest, do leasehold land agreements exist in America? - In the UK, some houses are built on land leased (I assume from the local government) - often originally for a period of 999 years - and this is declared in the details given by the estate agent to prospective buyers - it usually says something like 'Leasehold: (residue 893 years)'

[Balthisar]

Some people say this means automobiles are subsidized by taxpayers in general, including those who don't own or operate cars.
Presumably these people purchase goods transported over the roads? If they were to fund with 100% user fees, that's very regressive, like imposing a huge sales tax that has a larger impact on the poor than it does on normal people. (I'm not arguing with you, but, like, the people don't see this?)

[GaryM]

Just out of interest, do leasehold land agreements exist in America? - In the UK, some houses are built on land leased (I assume from the local government) - often originally for a period of 999 years - and this is declared in the details given by the estate agent to prospective buyers - it usually says something like 'Leasehold: (residue 893 years)'

I've never heard of this in the USA. But a similar situation might exist where commercial entities construct buildings to run concessions in State or National parks. I know they don't own the land, but I'm not sure who might own the building.

[neutron star]

Just out of interest, do leasehold land agreements exist in America? - In the UK, some houses are built on land leased (I assume from the local government) - often originally for a period of 999 years - and this is declared in the details given by the estate agent to prospective buyers - it usually says something like 'Leasehold: (residue 893 years)'

My small hometown has something like that. Ever since I was a kid, I've heard my father gripe about the fact that he won't technically own his land until 2049, when he'll almost definitely be dead.

[Chez Guevara]

Here in Minnesota, the taxes directly related to cars (like the gas tax, license plate fees, sales taxes on vehicles, etc.) cover less than 1/3rd of the cost to build & maintain the roads. So the general fund covers the remaining 2/3rds of these costs. Some people say this means automobiles are subsidized by taxpayers in general, including those who don't own or operate cars.Lucky US car owners.

I don't know the gasoline tax in Minnesota but the average state gas tax across the US seems to be about 22 cents per US gallon. Add to that your federal gasoline tax of 18.4 cents per US gallon and you pay a total of roughly 40 cents.

Petrol here costs £4.54 per Imperial gallon on average, the tax element of which is £2.44*. This equates to a cost £3.78 per US gallon and a tax of £2.03 per US gallon.

Therefore, at current exchange rates, you pay 40 cents and we pay $4.26 per US gallon.

Some people say this means taxpayers in general, including those who don't own or operate cars, are subsidised by car owners.
.
.
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* Conventional unleaded petrol

[Gary T]

Yeah, I know it's a personal property tax.
Then why did you say this?
It can't be a personal property tax.


But my point was that...
2) There's a ton of personal property of mine the government doesn't bother taxing.
So what? Does your state constitution require that ALL personal property be taxed? Would you feel better if there were taxes on every single thing that you own? No offense, but you're making an absolutely lame point.

The state defines selected items as "personal property" for taxation purposes. You just need to accept that they use the phrase to mean taxable personal property, not all personal property.

[BobLibDem]

It's not a tax to use it on roads. I pay that in tolls.

Yes it is and no you don't. Not every road is a toll road. Not sure how it is in your state, but in mine the auto registration money gets apportioned to the state and its local agencies for road maintenance and repairs. Maybe a lot of your freeway driving is on a toll road, but you can't tell us that you never drive on a non-toll road. The money to maintain these roads has to come from somewhere.

[Balthisar]

Wow, I thought surely that you must have really low everything-else taxes. But holy cow, 6.45% income tax! I've not scoured all of the normal deductions, but jeesh, that's high. How about sales tax: 5.3%, which is respectable, but charged on food! Plus it looks like communities can impose their own little taxes atop that! How about real property taxes: I quick check at a random online calculator for a random burg looked reasonable in my eyes.

How are businesses taxed?

[Liberal]

We are the government.We are also are the world. And the children.

[control-z]

I'm with the OP, it really sucks that we have to pay this damn tax every year on cars we have already paid for.

In Virginia we did have a governor (Gilmore) that in 1998 reduced the car tax state-wide. It's still in effect even though he was 2 governors ago. I think it's getting gradually going back to higher levels.

[AskNott]

We are also are the world. And the children.
We are also confused. Taxes, and the distribution of their pain, are seldom a matter of "justification" or "why." Our governments need x number of cubic yards of money to get things done. The deciding is done by elected folks, and their main concern is "Who can I tag with a tax, without losing my job?"

This time, it's you, the one with a year-old car. If you keep your car long enough, that tax will fall off to nearly nothing. If you don't want to pay it, buy an older car.

If you are angry enough, you are free to vote for somebody else. Somebody who will tax the bastards who beat you at golf, and the jerks ahead of you in line at the grocery store. Yeah, and tax the bums upwind of you, with all the dandelions, and the stuck up ones who wouldn't date you in high school. Yeah, tax those (Oedipal word)s! :rolleyes:

[billyb0b]

We are also are the world. And the children.

And the champions.

[Enderw24]

Frankly, it just came as a complete shock to me. Despite what my location says, I moved over to the Missouri side and honestly wasn't expecting anything like this bill. AFAIK, there's no tax like this on the Kansas side. So for the government to send me a completely unexpected bill saying that, on top of registration costs, I now owe them $500 extra, it just blew me away. That's two full car payments for me. It's sales tax amount on my car, every single year, despite the fact that there's no sale to be had. The commerce is over. It doesn't belong to them!
Bleh, maybe I'm just ranting at this point.

[Liberal]

If you are angry enough, you are free to vote for somebody else.Yeah, I tried that. Must not've held my mouth right or something.

[si_blakely]

We are also are the world. And the children.the last generation
We are the ones they left behind :eek:

Si

[bump]

What a horrible crock that "personal property tax" sounds like.

I'd burn down the fucking Capitol building in Austin if those jerks in the Legislature tried that BS around here.

[DSYoungEsq]

Frankly, it just came as a complete shock to me. Despite what my location says, I moved over to the Missouri side and honestly wasn't expecting anything like this bill. AFAIK, there's no tax like this on the Kansas side. So for the government to send me a completely unexpected bill saying that, on top of registration costs, I now owe them $500 extra, it just blew me away. That's two full car payments for me. It's sales tax amount on my car, every single year, despite the fact that there's no sale to be had. The commerce is over. It doesn't belong to them!
Bleh, maybe I'm just ranting at this point.
I think you were ranting from the start. ;) But, it is an understandable rant.

Your problem, in part, is your persistence in seeing this as some sort of double taxation on the "sale" of the car. It is not. It's no different than taxing you some portion of the value of your real property (land and house); after all, that was only purchased once, too. Why should you have to pay 2% of the value of the property every year to the government? Well, because it's property, which governments have been taxing for hundreds of years. Including personal property; at one time, you would have the tax collector estimate the value of everything you owned and you would have to pay a percentage of that in tax. This is simply a remnant of that system.

But it angers a lot of people, especially when governments try to milk money from it. Governor Ahnohd is in the statehouse in Sacramento primarily because Gray Davis, IIRC, engineered a significant increase in the taxes and fees paid on yearly registration of cars in California. The peeps, they did get angry, Lawd!

[control-z]

What a horrible crock that "personal property tax" sounds like.

I'd burn down the fucking Capitol building in Austin if those jerks in the Legislature tried that BS around here.


I'm sure they get taxes from you somehow. What other kinds of taxes/fees does your state/county have other than income and sales taxes?

[chowder]

I'm really not getting this. Are you saying that every person in the US gets taxed on his/her car every year?

If you have more than one car do you get taxed on each?

If so then it's not much different to the "Tax Disc" we Brits have to pay for.....every year :(

[RedRosesForMe]

I'm really not getting this. Are you saying that every person in the US gets taxed on his/her car every year?

If you have more than one car do you get taxed on each?

If so then it's not much different to the "Tax Disc" we Brits have to pay for.....every year :(

I think your tax disc is what we merkins would refer to as our registration or plate renewal, generally a small amount (like under $50).

The OP's talking about a property tax on the value of his car, which sounds like it's several hundred dollars. And no, not every American pays this. My state has no such thing, I came into this thread thinking it was a question about registration fees.

[Princhester]

Just out of interest, do leasehold land agreements exist in America? - In the UK, some houses are built on land leased (I assume from the local government) - often originally for a period of 999 years - and this is declared in the details given by the estate agent to prospective buyers - it usually says something like 'Leasehold: (residue 893 years)'

I thought much long leasehold land in the UK was owned by the nobility - the last vestige of the feudal idea that only the nobility and not the peasants should ever have any absolute right to the land they live on.

[DSYoungEsq]

I'm really not getting this. Are you saying that every person in the US gets taxed on his/her car every year?

If you have more than one car do you get taxed on each?

If so then it's not much different to the "Tax Disc" we Brits have to pay for.....every year :(
All (I would hazard a guess) Americans will pay a nominal (say $50 or so) fee yearly for the privilege of being able to drive their car on the roads of America. In the past, many states would issue you a new license "plate" for this fee; now you usually keep on plate and affix a sticker to it yearly, showing you are up to date.

Some states tax your car's value at the same time. They have a pre-established depreciation schedule, which works as a percentage of the value over time. Since they know what you paid originally for the car (you have to report that when you first register it), they can calculate on a yearly basis their estimate of its current worth. Then they add the appropriate tax on that value to the fees you have to pay to register the car. This will often mean a sum of money equalling $500 or more (!), gradually tapering off to a sum that is insignificant if you keep the car long enough. California does this (I lived there until I was 38), but Ohio (where I live now), does not.

Apparently Kansas doesn't, but Missouri does, to the everlasting disgust of Enderw24.

[3acresandatruck]

I'm really not getting this. Are you saying that every person in the US gets taxed on his/her car every year?

If you have more than one car do you get taxed on each?

If so then it's not much different to the "Tax Disc" we Brits have to pay for.....every year :(
Here's a specific example from Missouri (as others have said, this varies from one location to another):

My tax rate for personal property tax is 5.9190%. But, the vehicles are taxed on a small portion of their actual market value. The value to be taxed is set by the taxing authority. I'm not sure how they determine it, but there is an appeal process. My vehicles are valued thus:
2006 Toyota Tacoma $3790
1991 Dodge Spirit R/T $200
1985 Ford LTD LX $100
1955 DeSoto Firedome $100

If I owned tractors, plows, any sort of heavy equipment, boats, outboard motors, etc., I'd pay personal property tax on those as well. When I first moved out of my parents' home about 34 years ago, they even taxed you on the value of your furniture and major appliances. I don't remember when that stopped.

The total tax bill was $249.77 for these vehicles (the pickup truck accounted for almost $200 of that total). The money gets divided up; the local school district gets the most, at $167.46. The fire department get the next largest allocation, at $27.51, then the ambulance district ($18.49). There are a total of 14 entities which get some portion of this tax revenue. In my case, only $1.27 is shown to be going to the State of Missouri. The rest stayed in Jefferson County; in fact, most of the money stayed even closer. The schools, fire and ambulance districts are all more local than the county.

For the vehicles, there is also a registration fee that I pay to get my license plates, after I submit proof that the vehicle has passed a safety inspection. (I pay for it at a price fixed by the state, but which goes to the private inspector. who is licensed by the state. I believe the inspector keeps most of the fee, with a portion going to the state.) For the pickup truck, I also have to get an emissions inspection; the cars are all too old to be subject to the emissions testing.

[TokyoBayer]

Japan also has a annual tax on cars and fortunately not on expensive watches.

[Acsenray]

I'm really not getting this. Are you saying that every person in the US gets taxed on his/her car every year?

No, only people who reside in states whose governments choose to impose this tax.

If you have more than one car do you get taxed on each?

If your state has a personal property tax on vehicles (colloquially known as the "car tax"), then, yes, you will pay a tax on each of your registered cars.

If so then it's not much different to the "Tax Disc" we Brits have to pay for.....every year :(

Is the tax disc a flat fee? If so, that's more like our registration fee, which exists in every state.

If the cost of your tax disc is based on the value of your car, then that's like the car tax.

[Balthisar]

Nominal? I wish we had a separate property tax for vehicles in Michigan. The registration for my six-year-old car is $137 per year, based on the original value. Since it's registration, it's not tax deductible. Let me pay a "nominal" $50, and write the rest off.

[Quercus]

I'm with the OP, it really sucks that we have to pay this damn tax every year on cars we have already paid for. Yeah, it sucks that burning houses don't put themselves out, roads don't build themselves, and restaurants need someone inspecting them to keep them sanitary.

Also, it sucks that I don't have a flying pony that pisses beer.

What's your point?

[Musicat]

Perhaps, but the point is that that it isn't really a system constructed to be nice, fair and logical - it's a system constructed to generate revenue and be as nearly tolerable as possible. Or to put it another way, "The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest amount of feathers with the least possible amount of hissing."

Said in 1665 by Jean Baptiste Colbert. (http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-5750661.html) Some things never change.

[Musicat]

An anecdote about odd taxes follows. When I was living at home during college, I thought I was immune from the personal property tax in that state. My parents paid tax on home furnishings -- an attorney told them to put down $100 for all personal property -- but I didn't have any of those. Then one year some smart tax authority decided to do some creative data mining. He ran a search of all auto owners with license plates that looked like ham (Radio Amateur) call signs. For every one he found, he assessed them with $1000 worth of personal property on the theory that all amateurs had expensive radio equipment. Then he waited for the checks from the guilty.

Instead he got a phone call from me, and I had to admit I had a transceiver but not much else, so we settled on a book value of $100 for it (this was in 1960). I didn't know much about depreciated values; that was probably way too high by a factor of 10 but his government agent status was pretty intimidating.

So I then paid the same yearly tax for my Heathkit as my parents did on a whole house of furniture.

[squeegee]

Gray Davis, IIRC, engineered a significant increase in the taxes and fees paid on yearly registration of cars in California.That's not correct (though maybe it depends on what you mean by "engineered"). California vehicle license fees had been cut in earlier years, but there was already a provision in state law that the fees would revert to their old rate if the state experienced a budget shortfall. Since CA had a huge shortfall in 2002-3, the reduction in the vehicle fee was rescinded. Davis paid the price, but this wasn't entirely his doing. Here's (http://www.lao.ca.gov/analysis_2002/2002_pandi/pi_part_5d_vlf_anl02.html) a somewhat jargon-filled cite.

[chowder]

acsenray: The cost of the tax disc depends on the engine size of your car.

A person owning a 2.0 will pay more than someone driving a 1.1

Disabled persons are exempt from having to pay no matter the engine size of car they drive

[3acresandatruck]

acsenray: The cost of the tax disc depends on the engine size of your car.

A person owning a 2.0 will pay more than someone driving a 1.1

Disabled persons are exempt from having to pay no matter the engine size of car they drive
OK, acsenray appeared to be saying that registration fees are fixed and the same for all vehicles Is the tax disc a flat fee? If so, that's more like our registration fee, which exists in every state. In Missouri, that's not true, although I can't speak for the other 49 states, DC, territories or possessions. For Missouri, Registration fees for passenger vehicles are determined by your vehicle’s taxable horsepower. Your vehicle’s taxable horsepower is recorded on your title, or on your Application for Missouri Title and Registration.
Registration fees for trucks, including all pickup trucks and all utility-type vehicles that are registered as trucks, are determined by your truck’s weight, and whether you will be using the truck locally (within 50 miles from home) or over a wider area. Your truck’s weight includes the weight of any other trailers or property that you might haul during the registration period. This is from the state's website at http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/motorv/fees.htm, which includes tables showing the actual fees currently in effect. Since your tax disc varies with the size of the engine, it does appear that our registration fee is somewhat equivalent. I don't think there's any waiver or discount for disabled people, though. I haven't found anything specific about it, but before his death, my dad had "disabled" license plates, which allowed him to park in designated handicapped spaces. He never mentioned any discount - and he would, if he had gotten one. Here's a quote from the state's FAQ (http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/motorv/faq/general.htm) that mention fees, but does NOT mention a discount: Submit an Application for Missouri Personalized and Special License Plates (DOR-1716), a Physician's Statement for Disabled License Plates/Placard (DOR-1776) from your licensed physician, chiropractor, podiatrist, advanced practice registered nurse, or optometrist stating that you qualify for a Disabled Person Placard, and the proper registration and processing fees either by mail to the Motor Vehicle Bureau, P. O. Box 100, Jefferson City, MO 65105, or in person at any Missouri Department of Revenue office. (bolding added by me)

[DSYoungEsq]

That's not correct (though maybe it depends on what you mean by "engineered"). California vehicle license fees had been cut in earlier years, but there was already a provision in state law that the fees would revert to their old rate if the state experienced a budget shortfall. Since CA had a huge shortfall in 2002-3, the reduction in the vehicle fee was rescinded. Davis paid the price, but this wasn't entirely his doing. Here's (http://www.lao.ca.gov/analysis_2002/2002_pandi/pi_part_5d_vlf_anl02.html) a somewhat jargon-filled cite.
Yeah, I was trying to shorthand it a bit. Thanks for clarifying. :)

[chowder]

2acresandatruck: The other thing/s that disabled persons are entitled to in the UK are:

1. A free (well sort of) car of their choice every 3 years. To qualify for the car you have to give up your disability allowance. In certain instances you may be required to put down a small deposit but in the main they are deposit free.
2. Free breakdown services.
3. Free servicing and MOT.
4. Free replacement tyres.
5. Free fully comprehensive insurance.
6. Free parking in 95% of places
7. Permission to park in no parking zones provided the disabled badge is displayed, 3 hour limit.

Numbers 2-5 are included in the relinquishing of disability allowance.

They do have to pay for fuel and oil and minor replacement parts, bulbs, wipers, fuses etc.

[bump]

I'm sure they get taxes from you somehow. What other kinds of taxes/fees does your state/county have other than income and sales taxes?

No income tax either. Sales tax is relatively high (8.25% max, depending on county)

We do pay to register our vehicles, the nominal $50 per year that DSYoungEsq mentions.

There is property tax, but it's just real estate. My car, computer, etc... isn't taxable, which is as it should be.

And yes, we just pay less taxes (as of 2005, anyway)

The state/local tax burden for Texas is 9.30%(43rd), while Kansas' is 10.40%(15th).

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/taxesbystate2005/index.html