Northwest Indiana Discussion

http://www.post-trib.com/news/450157,motorcycle.article

Motorcycle fans oppose fee

June 30, 2007
By Jane Huh Post-Tribune staff writer

Motorcyclists like Bill Elliott will see their annual license plate fee go from $17 to $27 beginning next month.
As part of the state budget signed by the governor, motorcyclists will have to pay an additional $10 registration fee which will go toward a state fund for brain and spinal cord injuries research.

And that has outraged some motorcyclists.

"I wouldn't think that $10 is that significant, but it seems awfully unfair that (motorcyclists) are the ones to do that to," said Elliott, owner of Loomis Cycle and Marine, 8201 Grand Blvd., Merrillville, since 1999.

Just this week Elliott, a member of ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education) and the American Motorcyclist Association, learned about the change. ABATE is a group that advocates bike safety and motorcycling interests.

Even Jay Jackson, executive director of ABATE of Indiana, who keeps track of the legislative matters when it concerns motorcycling interests, wasn't aware of the development until it was too late. He railed against the legislature's "discriminatory" action.

Jackson said the higher fee simply singles out those who ride motorcycles and "that's the basis for our anger."

On the group's Web site, Jackson posted a letter with the heading, "We got screwed."

Although the brain and spinal cord injuries research fund "in and of itself is probably a good thing," Jackson and Elliott would prefer to see it funded by all motor vehicle owners, not just those who ride motorcycles.

"This is unprecedented," Jackson said. "I'm not aware of a motor vehicle tax being used for anything other than roads or public safety."

So as a political statement, ABATE leaders have been encouraging bike owners who have yet to register their license plates -- about 53,000 -- to register before the raised fees take effect.

In a statewide comparison, Marion County is No. 1 and Lake County is No. 2 in the number of motorcyclists, said Dave Frost, regional ABATE director.

Frost echoed the sentiment that requiring only those who ride motorcycles to contribute to the fund is unfair and suggested that the state could have reaped more dollars if it imposed a "50-cent (fee) across the board."

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency predicts the fees to rake in $1.6 million annually.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1995 and 2003 at least 5,000 motorcyclists were hospitalized each year with a traumatic brain injury.

State Rep. Carolene Mays, D-Indianapolis, a sponsor of the bill, said about 160,000 Indiana residents suffer from spinal cord or brain injuries, and the revenue will lead to new research on those conditions and enable the state to pursue a share of $50 million in federal research funding for such injuries.

Elliott said he doesn't think there is a direct correlation between the motorcyclists and spinal cord or brain injuries.

"With the amount of car accidents, I would think that those (accidents) outnumber motorcycle accidents by a long shot," Elliott said.

At a June 22 news conference, Gov. Mitch Daniels said he was not aware of the item when he signed the 253-page budget bill but that even if he knew about it, "it wouldn't have made any difference."

"There are lots of things in there that I don't think were good," said Daniels, who rides a Harley-Davidson himself. "There was some pork-barrel spending. There was too much of this, too much of that. But you have to make a yes or no decision. As a total budget, it was darn good."

The issue won't dissipate, members say. At next year's legislative session, ABATE of Indiana, which has a membership of 28,000, will push this "front-burner item" on its legislative agenda to either eliminate the fee or compromise, Jackson said.


The Associated Press contributed to this article. Contact Jane Huh at 648-3076 or jhuh@post-trib.com