Otter withdraws registration fee hike proposal

Gov. Butch Otter today sent a letter to the Legislature, addressed to Senate President Pro-tem Bob Geddes, saying, “I am writing today to formally notify you of my intention to withdraw the proposed registration fee and rental car tax legislation that was presented to a joint meeting of the House and Senate transportation committees on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008. The reception with which my proposal was met compels me to conclude that – despite repeated pleas from your members – my leadership on transportation funding is not what the Legislature wants. Instead, the response of some in the Legislature left the impression that they instead desire political cover behind which they can continue avoiding a difficult but necessary responsibility of government.”

He wrote that he “remain(s) at your disposal to discuss the issue further.”