Make These Cheats Pay Their Fair Share

They’re in most every neighborhood in Spokane County. They live here, work here and their children go to school here. Some even collect welfare here.

But their cars carry Idaho plates.

Some rationalize that because they own lake property in the Gem State they are entitled to boast “Famous Potatoes” on their car bumper.

Others are more pragmatic, admitting they license across the border just to save money.

Either way, they are breaking the law.

The rules are pretty clear. With the exception of nonresident members of the military and out-of-state students, auto owners must register their vehicles in the Evergreen State within 30 days after they move to Washington, says Ellen Marsh, supervisor of motor vehicle licensing for the Spokane area.

So what’s the big deal?

Why should you care that your neighbor is skirting the law?

He’s not really hurting anyone. In terms of physical violence, that’s true. But the damage to your pocketbook is considerable. When someone dodges a financial obligation, everyone else has to pick up the slack. That means most of us pay more so a few can enjoy a savings.

The state doesn’t require you to own a motor vehicle. And the fees are tied to the value of the car. If you don’t want to pay much in fees, drive a clunker.

Washington license fees are higher than Idaho’s but they aren’t the highest in the nation. The Evergreen State ranks 13th, says Marsh.

The difference in plate prices in Washington and Idaho reflects different approaches to raising revenue. Idaho residents pay a state income tax in addition to their cheap license fee. Washington has no state income tax.

Many cars that travel through Eastern Washington carry Idaho plates, so it’s easy for license cheats to mix in with the rest of traffic. The difference is that at some point most of those drivers return home to Idaho.

Idaho gets cheated, too. Sure, the state receives a token fee for the plates, but it loses out on a potential bonanza in income tax that a true Idaho resident would pay.

Residents who are tired of watching licenses losers tooling around and not paying their way can report them to the county auditor’s office or the Washington State Patrol, said Marsh. Once identified, these license losers have little choice but to comply.

Washington residents who buy Idaho plates apparently prefer living in Washington to living in Idaho. Why else would they remain here when Idaho is just 20 miles away? So why won’t they pay their fair share?

They’re thieves, just like the people who eat a big meal at a restaurant and then split without paying.