COUNTYWIDE : Car Fee May Rise to Help Fight Thieves
A plan to increase car registration fees in the county by $1 to pay for prosecuting car thieves will be considered Tuesday by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.
The proposal by Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury was scheduled for consideration last week but was postponed so Supervisor Vicky Howard, who was absent, could vote on the matter.
The number of car thefts in the county increased from 1,661 in 1982 to 2,363 in 1990, according to a report from the district attorney’s office.
Bradbury said the vote also was postponed because Supervisor Maria VanderKolk has proposed an alternative plan to transfer to his office about $500,000 in car registration fees earmarked for the Air Pollution Control District.
VanderKolk’s suggestion has been condemned by environmentalists who say that the anti-smog programs operated by the Air Pollution Control District should be expanded, not reduced.
VanderKolk said she proposed the transfer because the supervisors have already increased the registration fee by $4 in the past eight months. She added that the APCD has increased its staff while other departments have been reduced.
VanderKolk’s plan also will be discussed Tuesday.
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