House speaker: Texas driver's license cost may need hike

[TexasTowelie]

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Should the cost of getting a Texas driver's license rise to help the state's ailing and congested roads?

House Speaker Joe Straus on Thursday suggested the idea is worth exploring. Texas drivers currently must renew their license every six years at a price of $25.

Straus says that's a low cost that has been taken for granted. The powerful Republican told members of the Texas Association of Business that revisiting that price could generate more revenue for transportation projects.

Both Republicans and Democrats have prioritized infrastructure this session. Gov. Rick Perry has given his blessing to take $3.7 billion from the Rainy Day Fund to secure water and build more roads.

More at http://www.reporternews.com/news/2013/jan/31/house-speaker-texas-drivers-license-cost-may-need/ .

[kentauros]

1. I'd rather have a higher renewal fee

than more and more toll roads. Of course, they won't be thinking that way; they'll just increase the cost of the license while keeping the lucrative (to them) toll roads.

[hobbit709]

2. What happened to all the money they siphoned off from the gas tax?

[Javaman]

3. follow they siphon hose, it leads directly to their pockets. nt

[hamsterjill]

4. They need some funds to fix the system to renew!

I know people who have stood in line for 4 hours or more to renew their licenses. There are not enough DMV offices in the larger metro areas. They need to streamline the process. Perhaps make renewal available some other way?

Yes, I am aware that you can renew every other time online, but when it's your turn to have to go to the office in person, you can expect a very long wait.

[TexasTowelie]

6. If you are in the Dallas area this may be why--

Downtown Dallas Driver’s License Office Disappears

The only driver’s license office in Downtown Dallas has closed, potentially adding to long lines at other license offices. This comes after DPS told NBC 5 Investigates there were no plans to close any DFW offices.

There is more frustration for North Texans trying to renew their driver’s licenses. The busy Department of Public Safety license office inside Dallas City Hall has shut down. Only an empty counter and some old computer wires remain after the DPS quietly moved out in mid-December.

Just last summer the top DPS official in charge of the Texas license offices told NBC 5 Investigates there were no plans to close any locations in the DFW area, as the DPS tries to reduce long lines and wait times that can last three hours or more especially during the busy summer months.

“We're not closing any offices. We are opening brand new. We are expanding our capacity to be able to serve that demand,” said Rebecca Davio, director of the DPS License Division in an interview in July, 2012.

More including video at http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations/Downtown-Dallas-Drivers-License-Office-Disappears-189280751.html .

Why should we be surprised about the sparse number of DPS offices in urban areas though? We know what those voter photo-ID laws are about--don't we.

[WolverineDG]

7. I just renewed online

I know you can't do that every time, but that option is available. You can even renew over the phone.

[mbperrin]

5. Heaven forfend that we actually raise license fees on huge oilfield trucks

high enough to pay for the damage they cause!

By all means, fuck over the rest of us, not the big biz buds.