FOSTERS DAILY DEMOCRAT REPORT

Getting tough on violators in Maine

Enforcing vehicle registrations explored

By JEREMIAH ROOD

Democrat Staff Writer

KITTERY, Maine — Representatives from several area police departments got together Tuesday to discuss getting tough on vehicle registration violators.

Officers from Eliot, South Berwick, Kittery, Ogunquit, Wells and York met to learn ways to enforce the motor vehicle registration law. One issue of concern is Maine residents who register their vehicles in another state, especially New Hampshire.

The purpose of the meeting was to pool the departments’ resources, tighten enforcement, and encourage voluntary compliance with the law.

The biggest reason communities are concerned about this issue is money. The state is losing money in excise and income taxes. Kittery police officer Charles Denault said Wells receives almost $2 million a year in excise taxes, and vehicles not registered in Maine amount to a huge loss of money.

Kittery Town Council Chairman Mark J. Sousa estimated his town is losing $100,000 to $200,000 a year in revenue. He said for each vehicle not registered locally, the town loses an average of $400. This does not include potential revenue lost when people evade the state’s income tax.

Another issue is safety. People are placed at risk by motorists who are not required to have insurance, but are living and driving in Maine. New Hampshire does not require vehicle owners to have insurance.

Fines for failure to register range from $580 for the first offense to $1,100 for the second offense. Along with this comes a $120 fine for not getting a Maine driver’s license.

Officers are not shy about giving out these tickets.

Denault said he has handed out hundreds of the tickets and written thousands of warnings.

"I’m looking for voluntary compliance," Denault said. "We could write a book on the excuses."

He said if people live in Maine and enjoy the quality of life the state has to offer, they should help support it by paying taxes.

"The whole key to this law is the definitions," said Kittery Police Chief Edward Strong.

A vehicle owner is considered to be the person who has had exclusive rights to the vehicle for more than 30 days. The only exceptions to this rule are members of the military and college students attending a Maine school.

This can also include businesspeople who have the use of company vehicles if they spend more than 30 days in Maine and the driver also lives in the state, Denault said.

He concedes this issue is more of a border town concern, but any increases in revenue would help the entire state.

"Neighbors should be calling," said Detective Cpl. Jeff Shisler of the Eliot Police Department. "We are losing a lot of tax dollars." Shisler said he has ticketed 80 cars in the last few weeks.

Kittery begins new crackdown on residents who register vehicles in N.H. KITTERY, Maine (AP) — The town has begun a new crackdown on residents who dodge Maine’s taxes by illegally registering their cars across the river in New Hampshire. Police Chief Ed Strong has assigned two officers to ferret out the estimated 400 residents believed to have out-of-state registrations. Officer Charles Denault said he is frustrated with New Hampshire communities for allowing Maine residents to get out-of-state plates. "We’re also finding that a few Kittery residents are holding New Hampshire driver’s licenses showing their actual Kittery address," Denault said. "We’re looking at ways to hold those who allow these violations of Maine law accountable." Norm St. Hilaire, a spokesman for the New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles, said he found it hard to believe that anyone with a Maine address could get a driver’s license or register a car in New Hampshire. When Denault spotted a vehicle with New Hampshire plates parked in a driveway, he often left a "Welcome to Kittery" note that explained the law and served as a warning. Now, Denault said, several hundred residents who have been told to register their cars will be issued tickets. "Nobody says we have to give written warnings out," Denault said. "But how many times do we have to tell people that they’re violating the law? It’s time to pay the piper." Sen. Ken Lemont, R-Kittery, accompanied Denault this week as he checked out driveways. In just 25 minutes on the road, they spotted more than 60 out-of-state vehicles. "We knocked on three different doors and we got three different stories, which indicates to me that we have a very serious problem," Lemont said. Lemont said the $565 fine for a first offense for failure to register a car in Maine may be too low. He said he is exploring the idea of raising the fine to around $1,000 to recoup lost taxes. Lemont also said violators may be getting away with not carrying insurance, which is mandatory in Maine but not in New Hampshire. People living in Maine for at least 30 days must register their cars in Maine, Denault said. The only exceptions are active-duty military personnel, college students attending Maine schools and temporary rental cars.