Renewal Tags

I have always maintained that the increased cost of license plates, renewal stickers and drivers’ license fees about two years ago would not have been necessary if all of the “deadbeats” with out-of-date registrations had been forced to pay up.

I’m sure many people take the risk of not paying for renewals when so few citations are ever issued for license non-renewal.

The Department of Motor Vehicles is hopelessly outdated in its record-keeping for non-payees. When the renewal bill is sent out, I understand that no follow-up whatever is made if the addressee does not make his payment for the renewal sticker. Inasmuch as the DMW probably has an “investigator” job title in the department, what better duty could they be assigned than this type of work?

If law enforcement agencies have a priority list, the checking for out-of-date registrations must be at the bottom of the list if, indeed, it is at all on the list! The bottom line comes out--if I can spot the outdated registration on a rear license plate, why can’t the law enforcement people spot them?

I feel that this process of registration must be incorporated with an annual safety check for defective and missing or non-aimed headlights, the application of renewal stickers to the correct corner of the license plate, verification that the registrant has insurance coverage in addition to properly functioning emission equipment.

DONALD W. NESBIT

Tehachapi