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Arizona lawmaker proposes repeal of new $32 vehicle-registration fee

Michelle Ugenti-Rita of Scottsdale prefiled a repeal bill Friday for consideration during the legislative session that starts in January.

An Arizona state lawmaker wants to repeal a new $32 annual public-safety fee on vehicle registrations that proved to be larger than anticipated.

Republican Sen.-elect Michelle Ugenti-Rita of Scottsdale prefiled a repeal bill Friday for consideration during the legislative session that starts in January.

"We represent the public, so you frankly cut out the public when you cut out the legislature," Ugenti-Rita says. 

The Legislature authorized the fee in legislation approved last spring, telling the Arizona Department of Transportation to set the amount of the fee to provide funding for the Highway Patrol, which in recent years was funded by money collected for road work. Several attempts at raising the Arizona gas tax have failed, leaving that tax of about 19 cents unchanged since 1991. Ugenti-Rita says there was not enough support for a two-thirds vote needed to raise taxes in April. "A very sneaky way around that is to allow the department to set the tax and it doesn't have to adhere to the two-thirds vote standard," Ugenti-Rita says.

READ: Arizona adding new 'Public Safety Fee' to vehicle-registration process

The bill only needed a majority vote (51%) making it easier to pass than a tax increase which would have needed two-thirds, according to Ugenti-Rita. The bill gives the Arizona Department of transportation the right to set the fee as needed.

"The process was violated and the voters didn't have a say. I'm repealing that, and now let's do it the right way," Ugenti-Rita says.

A legislative staff analysis said the amount of the fee was expected to be $18, and lawmakers were surprised to learn recently that ADOT's calculations set the fee instead at $32.

Supporters of the fee wanted to free up more money for road work.

MORE: 6 things to know about new fee for Arizona drivers

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