Car tag issue takes good turn


Thursday, July 16, 2009
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Car tag issue takes good turn

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

A combination of Legislative Tag Credit and the lower millage rate set by supervisors last fall for this fiscal year has worked to keep Marshall County vehicle owners in pretty good shape when renewing their registration stickers or buying a new tag.

Although the Legislature reduced the tag credit from 5.5 percent to 4.25 percent, which would have made motor vehicle owners pay more when renewing their tag, tax collector Betty Byrd said some vehicle owners are actually paying less because of the reduced ad valorem millage rate by the board of supervisors.

Providing a John Doe scenario, Byrd said if John Doe lives outside all the towns and cities in Marshall County and inside the county school district and if he bought a 2009 model vehicle costing $30,000, his tag will cost $486.25, not the expected $546.95 it would have cost a year ago.

If the Legislative Tag Credit had remained at the proposed 3 percent as suggested by the State Tax Commission, when he renews his tag in July 2009 it would have cost John Doe $572.50.

The cost of John Doe’s tag renewal on his $30,000 vehicle was 11 percent less than it would have cost last year, Byrd said.

“The raise in the tag credit amount helped but the lower millage rate, (108.95 as compared to 118.95 last year) made the big difference,” Byrd said. “Most counties will still notice an increase in tag prices.”

Some vehicle tags will increase, however, but not much, Byrd said. The value of vehicles decreases every year and the tag on a 10 year or older vehicle usually costs about $35. They will not have to pay more than $35 for a tag, she said.

“I would like to thank our legislators for the hard work and support they have given during this difficult process,” she said. “Also our board of supervisors who work hard to keep our millage rate as low as possible. This all greatly impacts the amount of our tags.”

Board president Ronnie Joe Bennett was pleased with the report.

“We’ve tried to look into the future with lowering the mill rate last year,” he said. “We didn’t know this was going to help with the car tag. It all worked out great; thanks to the other members of the board of supervisors for looking ahead.”

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