O'Malley Endorsed "ID for Illegals" Plan Will Cost You 50% Higher Driver's License Renewal Fees 4/09

In the late 1990s, Democrats urged raising fees to fund state road construction projects and, at that time, House Speaker Casper Taylor even proposed a penny increase in the sales tax to be dedicated to the Transportation Trust Fund.  However, no actions were taken under the Glendening Administration to boost funding for highways and transit throughout the state.

 

By 2002, the Transportation Trust Fund was substantially depleted.  In response to meet the needs of long-deferred highway construction throughout the state, a task force led by Transportation Secretary Robert Flanagan evaluated options for increased funding.  The Ehrlich Administration chose to not raise driver’s license renewal fees but did support a bill to raise vehicle registration fees to stop the impasse on road construction projects.

 

As a candidate, Martin O’Malley was highly critical of these increases in fees.  He stated that he would not "nickel and dime" Maryland's citizens with fee increases.

 

This week, O’Malley endorsed a House bill to create a two-tiered license system so that driver's licenses, moped operator licenses and personal identification cards can be given to illegal immigrants.

 

The Motor Vehicle Administration has testified before legislative committees that the Maryland driver’s license system works on a cost recovery basis.  Thus, it will be necessary to raise everyone's license renewal fees to cover the cost of creating and administering a two-tiered licensing system.

 

How much would it cost under the bill supported by O’Malley?  It is estimated by the MVA that the drivers' license renewal fees would increase $15 (from $30 to $45) to cover the $30 million required over the next five years to create the new two-tiered system for illegal immigrants. 

 

Senator David Brinkley offered this week that the new license renewal form should have a truth-in-accounting provision such as the state requirement placed upon telephone companies to show all fees and costs on the monthly invoices.  If such a requirement existed on the MVA, the driver’s license renewal statement would read:

 

                        Renewal fee                      $30.00

                        Illegal Immigrant ID fee    $15.00

 

For more on the controversy over proof of legal presence in the 2009 Session, read the editorial State's Real ID stall leads to messy fight in the legislature in The Capital: click here.