Registration fees increased to fund roads

The Arizona Senate approved an increase of $148 million dollars in registration fees for automobile owners in Arizona.  The bill does this by raising annual vehicle registration fees by $18 and the registration fees for electric vehicles from $41 to $410.  These funds are going to fund the state Highway Patrol.

Lawmakers were urged to approve the bill and give Ducey some breathing room as budget discussions on school funding is underway.  Some lawmakers disagree and say the proposal bypasses Proposition 108 that was passed in 1992 that said any tax increase requires a two-thirds vote.  This loophole was used previously in 2013 to fund Medicaid Expansion.  The state Supreme Court decided fees were not a tax because of that.