I don't think it's a cost saving step, It's us getting less for the same amount or even more "fees"! Quit lokking through your rose colored glasses and see the real Doyle! He spent us into a huge deficit and now he wants to fee us to death so he doesn't have to cut back in his own adminisrtation! He spent and spent just like our President is doing and we will have to pay for it. The governor and the president think of us as their Sugar Daddy!!!

You know, many other law enforcement agencies across the country get by just fine with the one rear plate. It is what it is, a cost saving step.

Sweet! I bet we will see an increase on "Hot Mama" air brushed vanity plates on the front of old Cameros in the trailer parks.

rexkramer: I would like to hear the most responsible way to solve the fiscal crisis. You must have the best solution because obviously, you think no one else does. I think America awaits your thoughtful response, sans the negativity of course. Do tell, as yet unanointed ONE.

My garage has plastered walls. I don't nail anything to them.

Janesvillian: Where did you come up with the 10 year replacement date? I have had the same plates going on my 12th year. They are not personalized either. Even traded in cars and kept the same plate. I am just curious. The state has made a lot off of me considering I pay the $75 and all they send me is that little sticker. The only people getting new plates would be those buying new vehicles. How many of those are being sold right now? And one more thing? Why is it that everyone wants to tie everything to President Obama? He has only been in office one month. Give the guy a chance. We gave the last President 8 years of chances.

You can nail them to your garage wall.

Some hard decisions are going to have to be made to get out of this mess.

Do I have to throw my front plates away?

One plate is adequate. Of course Law Enforcement opposes this, it makes their job a little bit harder. Here's my 2c - go to one plate, but cut the fee to $5 per year for everyone. Then ENFORCE THE LAW (i.e. the law that requires all vehicles to be registered). If a vehicle does not have a valid plate (with certain exceptions such as a recent purchase), then the owner gets a ticket.
There is no valid reason for the outrageous registration fees that we pay today.

Would you rather we changed our registration system to the way many other states have...

Wyoming Statutes dictate the calculation of all registration fees. Therefore, the fees are the same no matter what county a vehicle is registered in. However, the county that collects the fees keeps and distributes the money to the taxing entities in their county. Therefore, residents are encouraged to register vehicles in the county where they reside.

Registration fees consist of two parts:

* County Fee - an ad valorem tax, meaning a tax based on the value of the vehicle. Therefore, it is usually the portion allowed as a deduction on IRS tax returns. The county fee is distributed monthly to the taxing entities (schools, city, county, etc) in the county.
* State Fee - a fee levied by and sent to the State of Wyoming.

The County Fee is calculated using the following formula:

Factory Cost x Year of Service Rate x .03 = County Fee

The Factory Cost is 90% of MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price or Sticker Price).The Clerk's Office computes the factory cost and places it on titles.

Which Year of Service the vehicle is in determines the rate at which it's taxed, as follows:

1st Year: 60%
2nd Year: 50%
3rd Year: 40%
4th Year: 30%
5th Year: 20%
6th Year or More: 15%

In other words, a new vehicle is taxed at a rate of 60% and a vehicle 6 years or older is taxed at 15%. So, a new vehicle having a factory cost of $20,000 would have a County Fee of:

$20000 x 60% x .03 = $360.00

The State Fee depends on the vehicle type, as follows:

* Passenger $15.00
* Truck, Trailers $2.00-$60.00, depending on weight (reference weight tables below)
* Motorcycle $12.00
* Commercial $80.00-$1,400.00, depending on weight

janesvillean wrote..."Well, I see the point about the second plate, but realistically most vehicle IDs will come from the rear plate. You can't really read it when it's driving toward you, and if the car is stopped, well, just go around to the back. So there have to be a small minority of situations where it makes a difference."

Actually, janesvillean...it is much easier than you think to read a front plate...even coming at you at 60 MPH. And granted, even though the situations when it does make a difference may be small in a comparable sense, statistically speaking, how do you measure the importance based on the severity of the offense? Especially if you are the victim.

Is this a case of listening to the bean counters instead of the the ones in the know-in this case the police on patrol?

Everything has a price...if you're willing to cut corners...just be willing to live with the results.

I know you're just trying to be humorous gazettefan...but which Illinois governor is in a Wisconsin prison?

Perhaps you mean...EX-governor in a FEDERAL prison which just happens to be located in Wisconsin?

There is a difference.

"Gov. Jim Doyle wants to save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next two years by putting only one license plate on Wisconsin cars and trucks."
So, you don't like Gov. Jim Doyle. That's your prerogative. Nobody likes everybody, however the article states, "Gov. Jim Doyle wants to save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next two years by putting only one license plate on Wisconsin cars and trucks."
Could that be a good start? Maybe. Bash him as much as you want to but remember, he didn't destroy the economy of the USA."

Nope, just had a big hand in destroying the economy of Wisconsin, but hey, keep sipping from the Doyle kool aid. Sorry, but I'm not breaking out the party hats for Doyle just yet. This is about like spending your entire paycheck on lottery tickets instead of paying your bills, then patting yourself on the back because you cut back from extended cable to basic cable.

States requiring only one plate :
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virgina.
(Google is your friend)

Indiana requires only a rear plate be displayed.

The article and several postings about it have said that many other states only require a rear plate but no one is giving examples.

I've traveled alot and I can't say that I've worried about it, but I also haven't noticed only one plate on cars anywhere.

So...where are the states that only require one plate?

The people are getting screwed by being charged $75 to register a car for one year. When Doyle raised the amount, he said it was NOT a tax, but, a fee. I think it's the same. It doesn't cost no $75 to punch out 2 plates and do some paperwork. tax tax tax

"Gov. Jim Doyle wants to save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next two years by putting only one license plate on Wisconsin cars and trucks."
So, you don't like Gov. Jim Doyle. That's your prerogative. Nobody likes everybody, however the article states, "Gov. Jim Doyle wants to save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next two years by putting only one license plate on Wisconsin cars and trucks."
Could that be a good start? Maybe. Bash him as much as you want to but remember, he didn't destroy the economy of the USA.

Doc, please tell me where you think we are wasting money in Wisconsin? Specifics would be nice.

Hmm. Would that be Governor Terminator in California. He has the biggest state deficit in the nation.

Hey you know what other states are doing to save even more money? Electing Governors who don't waste as much money as our states does...... I think maybe we should try that idea next!!!!

I'm glad to see he's at least trying to save money, and if has 7124 more ideas like this, we'll be back in the black again.

Don, please explain why you think Jim Doyle is a moron.

If other states are going to one plate, and it saves them money, then Wisconsin should follow suit.

Well said tj24. The $800,000 savings are going to offset a huge budget deficit. Its a matter of priorities and a second license plate seems pretty low to me.

Now Illinois governors in Wisconsin prisons won't have to work so hard anymore.

Many states only require one plate. And if you're driving and being followed you shouldn't be trying to read a license plate in your mirror anyway. Just drive to the Police Station.

Anyway, I think it's a great idea! And I'm glad he's thinking outside the small box to fix the deficit.

If you think it's such a crap idea, what idea is a good one? Cuts suck but they have to happen. This is a small minor one. Suck it up. It doesn't really even matter where the money goes. It's surely going somewhere more important than this.

another point to ponder.......if we are going to save money where is the money going to go?? With the way this state and city spend you know it isn't going to go twards the debt. JMO

Doesn't most of the cost go toward making the first plate?: the tooling or press or whatever it is. The second plate should only cost a fraction of the first plate. And how much would $800 thou cost per person?

Well, I see the point about the second plate, but realistically most vehicle IDs will come from the rear plate. You can't really read it when it's driving toward you, and if the car is stopped, well, just go around to the back. So there have to be a small minority of situations where it makes a difference.
.
The savings point is that new plates are issued all the time and those will be one plate only, and either you'll scrap your car/plates before the ten year replacement date, or you'll only get one replacement.

Some people just don't get it.....oh well that is what I like about this site we all have our comments. you have yours and I have mine. I still feel mine is better!! P~~ LOL also if we go down to one plate you know they are going to raise the regestration fees . I can feel it all ready!!! So what is the difference?? Your going to pay for it in the end. Everyone STAY SAFE!! 2 plates please

i am not taking sides on this - i think they mean it will save money for new purchases - i.e. if you already have 2 cars and buying a third car (like for a child) it will be fir that third car. i dont know if they mean for cars that you already have - unless they will retrofit those like they did when we went from the old style of plates to the current style

HMMM... THEN HOW IS IT THAT ALL THOSE OTHER STATES WITH ONLY A REAR PLATE MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY. I'm sure all hell breaks out when there is only one plate. DUH.. The more rational post was hey, we already have 2 plates, so we won't save a dime there. And, if we pay $400,00.00 a year for 2 plates, some one is raping us. I'm sure you or I could stamp out a tin plate for a couple of cents each.

I have to agree with the Law Enforcement with this one we need 2 plates one in the front and one in the back. Bad Idea. Law Enforcement need to be able to see both the plate Numbers and we as people also need to have the information if we get into an unsafe situation.

I have to agree with law enforcment....on this one. I don't see where it is going to save any money.....We pay for it when we re-new our plates.....another blunder by the Doyle administration. WTG (way to go) good greif...... So if you got a stalker following you and you can't get a plate number in your rear view mirror you call 911 and say "oh I'm sorry I can't give you the plate number cause he doesn't have one on the front of his car.......sheeeeeeeeeesh a no brainer.
sounds like obamanomics 101 has hit wisconsin
STAY SAFE!!!!

chelleandlou...I don't understand your post, All WI vehicle's currently have 2 licence plates, one front & one rear, or the law requires them too at least. Requiring only one plate will save WI money in producing one plate vs two. It costs money to make a plate. They are not free. This is simple math. The law enforcement officials of course oppose the change just as the news artical states. Gov Dolye is looking at EVERYthing to get the State out of the red, which should not have happened to begin with.

How many thousands of vehicles already have two license plates? I don't see how it would necessarily save money in the short term. As far as it being a useful tool for law enforcement I'd say the radar guns, siren, and lights are more useful if they'd use them to pull people over for speeding (especially in Janesville).