Who's in charge of Oregon these days?Follow

Seems if you buy a hybrid car and live in Oregon you pay a double registration fee. Why?

DMV spokesman David House insists there's a good reason for the current law. The Oregon Constitution states that drivers must pay their "fair and proportionate" share of highway costs. The main way they do that is through Oregon's 24-cent-per-gallon gas tax. But since hybrids use half as much gas as the most efficient conventional vehicles on the market, hybrid owners aren't paying their share, House claims.

If I was an SUV owner I'd be demanding that my registration be cut in half as I'd be using more than my share of gas.


Edits as I experiment with color.


Edited, Wed Jan 4 11:30:27 2006 by Elinda

I can't see that it makes any sense unless and only if all vehicles are taxed on a scaled system based on their fuel efficiency.

With charging double registration they are helping to balance out the money that will be lost from gas taxes. If everyone had hybrids then everyone would be charged the same.

Good point, did not really think of that.

Maybe Oregon just has a problem with the sorcery that is a hybrid vehicle?!

+1 capitalism

Oregon is a poster child for corrupt pacific coast government. They want everyone to use hybrids to save the environment, but they are not going to risk their tax income! If I ever consider living 'over there,' someone please shoot me.

For many years there have been people in California registering their vehicles in Oregon (through a vacation home or relatives address) just so they could get out of paying the higher registration fees in California. We'll probably start seeing a reverse trend in hybrid owners from Oregon regestering in California now.

CA Reg fee calculator

Well for my 2004 Nissan Frontier, it's $231

$31.00 Current Registration
$9.00 Current California Highway Patrol
$176.00 Current Vehicle License Fee
$1.00 Current County Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies Fee
$1.00 Current Fingerprint ID Fee
$6.00 Original Smog Abatement
$1.00 Current Auto Theft and/or DUI Crime Deterrence Program
$1.00 Current Abandoned Vehicle Fee
$4.00 Current Air Quality Management District
$1.00 Reflectorized License Plate Fee

The calculator also shows the vehicle tax for new purchase.