For those of you who are Maryland residents:

Over the last 2 years I've been following the campaign to get Maryland's frivolous two license plate law repealed. Bills have been brought forward numerous times but always face a substantial challenge by the State Police but pretty much by nobody else. This time the bill has some good momentum and I'm optimistic that it will make it past Environmental Matters. The objection the MSP usually raise is that a front plate helps them find stolen vehicles and helps them enforce toll booth violations. This is only half true. A front plate has nothing to do with protecting your property and everything to do with generating revenue. The truth is that the reason the MSP wants all vehicles to have a front plate is that it makes an excellent reflector target for laser speed detection gear and as such is a substantial revenue generation tool for the MSP. Follow the money folks. The extra front plate costs Marylanders an additional $750K per year, and MSP wants Maryland residents to pay that extra money simply to make it easier for them to stop and collect. It has nothing to do with public safety, nothing to do with helping them protect your personal property, and everything to do with extracting more money from the populace. It is another example of government waste and “civil servants” run amuck.

The facts:
- 19 other states have single plate laws and do not have enforcement or public safety issues due to the lack of the extra plate.

- Over 25,000 vehicles were stolen in Maryland in 2008. Of those, only about 6,030 were recovered, and in many cases insurance companies, LoJack, OnStar, and the vehicle’s owners were instrumental in the recovery. MSP's CID Auto Theft Unit only lists 33 vehicles recovered in 2008, though they did seize/confiscate 248 vehicles from their owners for various reasons.
http://www.mdautotheft.org/forms/doc...nualreport.pdf
http://msp.maryland.gov/downloads/20...ual_Report.pdf
http://www.mdautotheft.org/stats/

- Many newer and import vehicles are not designed with a front plate in mind, so dealers/owners in the two plate states are required to devise plate mounting solutions which can require drilling into the front of the vehicle or attaching the plate in such a way that it restricts air flow.

- A front plate does not prevent or deter crime and has nothing to do with public safety.

The MSP has no incentive to recover your stolen vehicle and abysmal recovery rates to prove it. With the strong cash incentive for the front plate and other things like it, "Protect and Serve is no longer the maxim here, it is now "Stop and Collect." If you would like to see where the money from a typical traffic ticket is going take a look at this: http://blog.motorists.org/where-does...ing-ticket-go/

Below is the latest communication I've had from Delegate Elliott's office on the bill. If you are against government waste and abuse, if you’re sick of paying the state to make it easier for them to take more of your money, or if you simply like your vehicle better without a plate on the front, please consider sending a brief testimony to Del. Elliott’s office. It will take you 15 minutes, and it could make a big difference.
Dear Erik,

We have been notified as to the hearing date of our single license plate bill. It will be heard in the Environmental Matters Committee on Tuesday, February 22 at 1 p.m. We would greatly appreciate it if you or anyone you know would consider coming in and testifying in support of the bill. If you cannot make it that day, we would still very much appreciate a brief written testimony, which you could send me by email, fax or mail.

If you are willing to testify in person, you must come to our office at 11:45am in order to sign in by the noon deadline in the committee room.

Del. Elliott’s Office:
Room 311, Lowe House Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401

If you are willing to send a written testimony instead of attending in person, you can send it to me by February 21 at this email address, the above mailing address or at the following fax number: 410-841-3349.

Please let me know if you are willing to come in or send testimony for the hearing on the 22nd. We would be grateful for your efforts to pass this worthwhile legislation. I have also attached the bill text for your information.

Thank you,
Laurel Schmuck

For those of you who are Maryland residents:

Over the last 2 years I've been following the campaign to get Maryland's frivolous two license plate law repealed. Bills have been brought forward numerous times but always face a substantial challenge by the State Police but pretty much by nobody else. This time the bill has some good momentum and I'm optimistic that it will make it past Environmental Matters. The objection the MSP usually raise is that a front plate helps them find stolen vehicles and helps them enforce toll booth violations. This is only half true. A front plate has nothing to do with protecting your property and everything to do with generating revenue. The truth is that the reason the MSP wants all vehicles to have a front plate is that it makes an excellent reflector target for laser speed detection gear and as such is a substantial revenue generation tool for the MSP. Follow the money folks. The extra front plate costs Marylanders an additional $750K per year, and MSP wants Maryland residents to pay that extra money simply to make it easier for them to stop and collect. It has nothing to do with public safety, nothing to do with helping them protect your personal property, and everything to do with extracting more money from the populace. It is another example of government waste and “civil servants” run amuck.

The facts:
- 19 other states have single plate laws and do not have enforcement or public safety issues due to the lack of the extra plate.

- Over 25,000 vehicles were stolen in Maryland in 2008. Of those, only about 6,030 were recovered, and in many cases insurance companies, LoJack, OnStar, and the vehicle’s owners were instrumental in the recovery. MSP's CID Auto Theft Unit only lists 33 vehicles recovered in 2008, though they did seize/confiscate 248 vehicles from their owners for various reasons.
http://www.mdautotheft.org/forms/doc...nualreport.pdf
http://msp.maryland.gov/downloads/20...ual_Report.pdf
http://www.mdautotheft.org/stats/

- Many newer and import vehicles are not designed with a front plate in mind, so dealers/owners in the two plate states are required to devise plate mounting solutions which can require drilling into the front of the vehicle or attaching the plate in such a way that it restricts air flow.

- A front plate does not prevent or deter crime and has nothing to do with public safety.

The MSP has no incentive to recover your stolen vehicle and abysmal recovery rates to prove it. With the strong cash incentive for the front plate and other things like it, "Protect and Serve is no longer the maxim here, it is now "Stop and Collect." If you would like to see where the money from a typical traffic ticket is going take a look at this: http://blog.motorists.org/where-does...ing-ticket-go/

Below is the latest communication I've had from Delegate Elliott's office on the bill. If you are against government waste and abuse, if you’re sick of paying the state to make it easier for them to take more of your money, or if you simply like your vehicle better without a plate on the front, please consider sending a brief testimony to Del. Elliott’s office. It will take you 15 minutes, and it could make a big difference.
Dear Erik,

We have been notified as to the hearing date of our single license plate bill. It will be heard in the Environmental Matters Committee on Tuesday, February 22 at 1 p.m. We would greatly appreciate it if you or anyone you know would consider coming in and testifying in support of the bill. If you cannot make it that day, we would still very much appreciate a brief written testimony, which you could send me by email, fax or mail.

If you are willing to testify in person, you must come to our office at 11:45am in order to sign in by the noon deadline in the committee room.

Del. Elliott’s Office:
Room 311, Lowe House Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401

If you are willing to send a written testimony instead of attending in person, you can send it to me by February 21 at this email address, the above mailing address or at the following fax number: 410-841-3349.

Please let me know if you are willing to come in or send testimony for the hearing on the 22nd. We would be grateful for your efforts to pass this worthwhile legislation. I have also attached the bill text for your information.

Thank you,
Laurel Schmuck