Orlando-Based Lawyer Warns of Drastic Fee Increases

Added: (Tue Oct 06 2009)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Tony Francis, of the Orlando-based Francis Law Firm, offers some relevant opinions about the drastic fee increases for vehicle licensing and registration fees in Florida which go into effect on September 1st.

“When will these increases end?” questions exasperated lawyer Tony Francis, “Every time I turn around it seems like it costs more and more for basic privileges.” This being true because beginning September 1st, all vehicle owners will see significant increases to their registration renewal fees and even to driver’s license renewal fees. “For those that can, get out and renew before this price increase goes into effect.” You are eligible to renew 90 days prior to your birthday.

What seems most outrageous to Francis is the size of the slated increases. The largest of these, dollar-wise, is for an initial registration of a vehicle. This currently costs $100, but will soon run you $225. “What are they thinking?” says Francis, “Do they want people to just give up driving and adopt public transportation en masse?” Francis is exaggerating as this isn’t really an option in Florida. For instance, the state’s only monorail is nestled in the middle of Disney World, not in the real world. “But these outrageous increases remind me of Disney World, and at least there you get to enjoy the rides and relax.” The idea of Floridians giving up driving is also unlikely, as each year there seems to be more of us on the road. As for more mundane networks of public transportation that would potentially usurp vehicles and highway traffic, even the state’s urban centers depend primarily on private passenger vehicles and taxis amid their crisscross of roads and highways.

Francis feels that the increase in driver’s license renewal fees from $20 to $48 might even figure as an injustice, especially for drivers without abundant financial resources. “What if you just have a driver’s license in case of family emergencies and you live below the poverty level, and now the privilege of driving is suddenly beyond reach? This doesn’t seem very fair.”

Yet the lien fee will remain untouched. It was $2.00 and will stay at $2.00. “Thank the tax assessors and the legislature for small favors,” Francis concludes, “Anybody can afford that.”