Lawmakers raise vehicle registration fee $1 to buy new cop cars

SPRINGFIELD - State lawmakers voted to raise vehicle registration fees by $1 in order to come up with money to replace aging Illinois State Police cars.

The increase, approved 47-7 on Thursday in the Illinois Senate, would bring the annual registration fee to $79 for most cars and trucks but would collectively raise millions for new police vehicles. The plan passed the Illinois House in July.

Supporters said state police vehicles are averaging more than 170,000 miles and are increasingly unsafe and unreliable.

"We have police officers driving equipment that is shoddy," said state Sen. John Millner, a Carol Stream Republican and former suburban police chief. "We have an obligation to do something."

But critics said lawmakers shouldn't be bailing out Gov. Rod Blagojevich's agencies and questioned whether the Democratic governor would use the money for new vehicles or steer it somewhere else.

"This is nothing more than another tax increase, fee increase and it's just ripe for abuse," said state Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican.

A message left with the governor's office was not immediately returned Thursday.

Vehicle registrations last went up in 1999 to help pay for then-Gov. George Ryan's $12 billion Illinois FIRST public works program. Lawmakers and Ryan raised the fee $30 to $78 to help finance state projects.

The new $1 increase was included as part of a proposal addressing police use of video recording of traffic stops and other enforcement scenarios.

Area senators supporting the increase:

Pamela J. Althoff, McHenry Republican

Dan Cronin, Elmhurst Republican

Kirk W. Dillard, Hinsdale Republican

Susan Garrett, Lake Forest Democrat

Don Harmon, Oak Park Democrat

Linda Holmes, Aurora Democrat

Dan Kotowski, Park Ridge Democrat

Terry Link, Waukegan Democrat

John J. Millner, Carol Stream Republican

Michael Noland, Elgin Democrat

Carole Pankau, Roselle Republican

William E. Peterson, Long Grove Republican

Arthur "AJ" Wilhelmi, Joliet Democrat

Area senators opposing the increase:

Randall M. Hultgren, Winfield Republican

Chris Lauzen, Aurora Republican

Matt Murphy, Palatine Republican

Not voting:

Michael Bond, Grayslake Democrat

Source: General Assembly roll call SB450