It troubles me greatly to see the numbers of vehicles on the road with expired tabs and the number of vehicles in garages in our neighborhoods sporting Oregon plates for months or even years.
Our legislators need to crack down with more severe penalties for refusing to license vehicles in Washington, and those who are not renewing their plates. This includes Tim Eyman, who was pictured in a recent Columbian article getting out of his expired tabs car in Olympia (“Eyman wasting money, AG says,” The Seattle Times, Jan. 21). Has he been penalized for scoffing at the law?
There needs to be an easy mechanism, such as a toll-free number, for citizens to report such vehicles by license plate number or address of the home with an improperly licensed vehicle and for an automatic summons to be issued that becomes a lien on the vehicle if not paid. Better yet, send law enforcement and a tow truck to impound the vehicle until proper licensing occurs or tabs are renewed.
Those of us who pay our licensing fees on time and follow the law need better assurance that there is some adequate enforcement of the vehicle licensing laws. An easy mechanism for citizens to report violators would be a good first step.
