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Bill would increase vehicle registration fees
By: Mike Aldax
Examiner Staff Writer
05/25/09 3:09 PM PDT
The Bay Area’s overarching transit planning agency is pushing legislation to increase vehicle registration fees and opposing a bill offering emergency vehicles free passes on toll bridges when responding to urgent calls.
On Wednesday, the legislative arm of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission will present to the full commission its stance on certain bills being proposed that would impact the state’s drivers.
One piece of legislation would authorize counties, with a simple majority vote, to raise the vehicle registration fee by as much as $10. The extra fee would have to be used toward “critically needed transportation maintenance and improvements” such as road fixes, the addition of high-occupancy toll lanes, bus rapid transit infrastructure and bicycle and pedestrian amenities, among other projects.
MTC’s legislative staff is also opposing a bill offering “authorized emergency vehicles responding to urgent or emergency’ calls” toll free access on any crossing or toll highway. It also rejects legislation allowing military veterans driving alone in a vehicle to access high-occupancy lanes, as well as another allowing plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles access to those lanes regardless of how many people are inside the vehicle.
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