Lawyer Tony Francis Encourages Florida Drivers to “Buy It Now

Added: (Tue Oct 06 2009)

Pressbox (Press Release) - “It’s hard enough for Florida drivers to deal with rising gas prices, and now this,” says Tony Francis of the Orlando-based Francis Law Firm. Francis urges eligible drivers to renew their driver’s licenses and vehicle titling/tag registrations before the deadline or else get socked with much higher fees.

Beginning September 1st, Florida vehicle owners will see a gargantuan increase in registration and license fees. This is also happening on top of rising gas prices. “If you are in the 90 day renewal period,” states Tony Francis of the Francis Law Firm, “please go ahead and get this taken care of before you have to pay more than $200 on top of what you would be paying before these changes.”

These fees, which were enacted by the 2009 Florida Legislature, will become evident when you walk into your local Tax Collector’s Office to renew your license plate or by going into the DMV to renew a driver’s license. “With these outrageous increases,” exclaims Tony Francis, “I would hope that more people get up off their couches and register their vehicles before it’s too late.”

Even if you are only thinking about registering an idle vehicle, like for your child’s first car, it is highly recommended to go ahead and do so now while the price is low. This will save you $215 by registering before September 1st. “Think about it. The money that you’d save could go right back into your gas tank or pay for insurance,” Francis explains.

The extra money generated by all of these fees will be remitted into Florida’s general fund where it will be earmarked for the state’s education system. “That’s all well and good,” says Francis, “Unlike the legendary W.C. Fields; I actually like children and dogs. But that’s money that will only get back to you as an indirect benefit, instead of a direct one guaranteed to save you money.”

Francis is particularly incensed about the increased fees for obtaining a driver’s license. “Imagine going from $20 to $48 if someone can’t even afford a vehicle, but wants to be able to drive legally in case of a family emergency that might come up. To more than double that essential basic fee seems especially unfair.”