Living in LoCo
Is That Windshield Decal Worth $25?
Erica Garman at 12:45 p.m., May 21, 2008 (9 comments)
Ever wonder if that county decal on your windshield is really necessary?
My parents live in Spotsylvania County, and they don’t have the pain-to-scrape-off stickers. “I think it costs the county more to print the decals than it’s worth,” my dad postulated.
Loudoun decals cost county residents living outside an incorporated town $25 per year, per vehicle.
Hmm. Maybe the county could save a buck or two by eliminating them, I thought.
According to County Treasurer H. Roger Zurn, Jr., the stickers actually make quite a bit of money for the county -- about $500,000 a year.
On top of that, the county's "Project Fairness" program brings in an additional $800,000 to $1 million dollars annually through enforcement of the decals -- catching scofflaws who haven’t paid their personal property taxes.
Zurn says there are two officers with "Project Fairness" who patrol Loudoun from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. looking for vehicles that aren’t displaying county stickers.
“We have the lowest delinquency rate in the state through collections and enforcement,” Zurn said. “The county realizes it’s a hassle (getting the decal, removing the decal, applying the decal), but it saves the taxpayers money in the long run.”
Unlike real estate taxes, personal property taxes must be paid by renters and transients who live in the county for at least six months. You may be exempt from the personal property tax, however, if you can prove that your main domicile is not in Loudoun County.
My father also reminded me that up until the 1960s, car owners in Virginia had to get new license plates every year from the DMV. Compared to that hassle, county decals don’t seem so bad, huh?
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So we pay the county $25 per vehicle every year for the courtesy of proving to them that we are current on our personal property taxes? That is really, really fishy!
Posted by qazwsxedcrfv (anonymous) on May 21, 2008 at 1:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Those stickers are really easy to counterfeit
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on May 21, 2008 at 2:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The stickers are not needed for tax enforcement. The tax office has a direct link to DMV. When you move, DMV updates your county of residence and the county tax office immediately sends out a tax notice.
The only enforcement action are those who move here without updating their DMV registration record. Instead of driving around looking for decals the police should hire some IT resources to compare public records with DMV records to find those who have really moved here without paying local taxes. Automation would make this much more efficient.
I find the county decals to be a government nuisance. It is just one more hoop the government puts us through because it knows some are too busy or some will lose the decal and then bingo, the government can impose a fine. What public good do we encourage by fining people $100 because they paid their taxes and $25 decal but just didn't the sticker on right. The fines seem draconian and foster resentment.
I personally have a problem placing an advertisement for Loudoun government on my vehicle particularily when it partially obstructs my vision through my windshield.
Supervisors, get rid of those tacky decals.
Posted by edward (anonymous) on May 21, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Edward, you should move back to wherever you crawled in from, brother. Just because someone's residence is moved here and recorded by the DMV...it is no guarantee that they've paid their taxes. No payment...no sticker. NOW, we have them. Have you paid yours?? You sound guilty.
Posted by honchonumberone (anonymous) on May 21, 2008 at 5:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why not do the same a Fairfax? Don't pay your taxes and your registration is blocked from renewal at DMV. Oh and they turn it over to a collection agency. Do I need a sticker for my front door to prove I paid my real estate tax too?
Posted by mazman128 (anonymous) on May 22, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I moved here from MD in February and I can say just renting an apartment and getting set up in LOCO is costly--44.00 for Car inspection, 51.50 for car regristation, title and tags, 24.00 for a liscence, 25.00 LoCO decal and 113.00 for PPtax. I guess I dont mind because it was my choice to move into the county but I dont see the logic of the decal. Two weeks after moving in I had a ticket on my windshield from the county for not displaying my decal, there no joke!! pay your taxes people!!
Posted by mwbaker7897 (anonymous) on May 22, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
honchonumberone: The sticker is just another way to get another $25.00 of taxpayer dollars per vehicle. Think about it. There is no logic to this except to get more dollars. They could send you a FREE sticker when you pay your personal property taxes if Loudouns sole purpose was to prove you paid your taxes.
Posted by Handyguy (anonymous) on May 22, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Got the stupid $25 decal fee notice again. I think this is plain theft of tax payer money. If it costs $25.00 to issue the stickers, why doesn't the state have to levy a similar fee for vehicle registration tags?
Posted by kr_dc (anonymous) on September 14, 2009 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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