Gordon County residents needing vehicle tags this week found out there were none. A statewide shortage left all 159 counties in limbo, but Gordon County Tax Commissioner Scott Clementes said the problem would be rectified shortly. (TRICIA DILLARD/Staff)
The county ran out of them earlier last week, but the problem was a state-wide issue, said Tax Commissioner Scott Clements.
According to Donna Holcombe, inventory manager, the shipment was pulled on Wednesday and by Thursday, the tax commissioners office was waiting on FedEx to bring the tags.
Earlier this week, the county was down to one Georgia tag, one specialty tag, and 22 temporary tags. The Department of Revenue blamed the issue on a broke funded model in an e-mail to Tax Commissioners statewide.
According to an e-mail from the Department of Revenue, given to the Calhoun Times by the Tax Commissioners office, the DOR has been out of funding for tags and decals since the end of calendar year 2009.
“Annually DOR has been funded $2 million for the production and distribution of tags and registration decals,” the e-mail stated. “The State averages around 2 million tags manufactured and 10 million registration cards printed each year.”
The cost to make a tag is $1.95 , according to the e-mail. With two million tags produced annually, the actual cost is $3.9 million. Decals are 14-cents to make and 10 million are produced annually, for a cost of $1.4 million.
“Rounded, this equates to a $ 5.3 million annual effort just in hard supplies – not included in this is the personnel, distribution and essential support services,” the e-mail stated.
Compounding the problem is the recent increase in specialty tag fees that will take effect July 1. The increase will be $80 for new specialty tags, and $30 for renewals. Residents can trade their specialty tags in for a regular tag before that date.
Whatever the problem is, Holcombe said, it’s been a frustrating week for their office.
“We can’t do our job which is taking care of the public,” she said.
Most residents have been understanding, though, she added.
Residents were able to pay their registration fees and were given a letter explaining the situation. Law enforcement was also notified of the situation.
How much tax revenue is lost due to these "Make Believe Tags" and those with Texas License Plates that have been here forever and not changed over?