Fla. Gov. Rick Scott looks to lower motor vehicle fees

Scott proposes $500 million tax cut

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida is forecasting almost two billion dollars in increased revenue in the coming year. Gov. Rick Scott is suggesting $500 million of the cash go back into your pockets, and lowering motor vehicle fees is near the top of the list.

At the height of the recession, state lawmakers more than doubled the cost of registering a new car in Florida.

Recommended Videos



"These are challenging times that we all go through and the only way you get through them is by going through them together," former Fla. Gov. Charlie Crist said in May 2009.

License plate fees went up 35 percent. So did every other fee dealing with a vehicle. Reinstating your driver license after failing to pay a traffic ticket went up by a fourth.

This year, state lawmakers fought over how to reduce motor vehicle fees, but in the end, nothing was lowered. That could change in the coming year.

Scott is proposing a $500 million tax cut, he just hasn't decided how to do it.

"I want to ask all citizens, what are their ideas? What can we do to give the citizen back... that's your money," Scott said.

Scott isn't alone in wanting the fees lowered. State Senate President Don Gaetz issued a release applauding Scott and reminded everyone the Senate tried to cut the vehicle fees by 200 million.

"I'm going to get feedback from everybody," said Scott. "I would like to get those reduced."

Even with the tax cut, the improving economy will put Florida on track to have the largest budget in its history, prompting plenty of fights over who will get the cash.

When lawmakers disagreed over cutting vehicle fees it was over how to pay for them not how big a cut to make…they likely won't have that problem this year.