California angered at Montana's RV tax dodge.

[TheMightyFavog]

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/11/27/news/state/40-rules.txt

BOZEMAN - Call it recreational robbery: An out-of-state resident sets up a dummy company in Montana, buys a motor home under that company name and escapes tens of thousands of dollars in sales taxes.

And there is nothing illegal about it.

In California, where a majority of RV buyers are escaping a sales tax as high as 8.75 percent, depending on where the buyer lives, law enforcement officials and lawmakers are crying foul at this loophole.

(snip)

The perceived problem has gotten so much attention in California that that state has created a law-enforcement program specifically to deal with it.

We have something similar where I come from in northeast WI. Michigan residents will take thier cars, register them with friends or family just across the border to take advantage of Wisconsin's lower registration fees ($55 a year for most cars) and to escape Michigan's car insurance requirements (Car insurance is not required in Wisconsin, whereas in michigan, car owners are required to have no fault insurance).

[Suich]

1. Some people who live in Washington state register

their vehicles in Oregon...same deal.

:hi:

[KamaAina]

2. Suburban Conn. driveways are festooned with Vt. plates

in Conn. it's the cities and towns that charge the hefty car tax, so those who can, register theirs at their Vt. ski lodge.

Meanwhile, in the more integrated areas (like ours, when we were there), the plate of convenience is that of N.C. Fully half the plates in our building's parking lot read "First in Flight".

[NNadir]

3. Let's hope that California doesn't carpet bomb Montana.

[TheMightyFavog]

4. Should anything be done about plates of convienence?

I mean these people are not only depriving their home states and municipalities of badly needed revenue, but in many cases, they are commiting fraud, as well.

[Bullwinkle925]

5. Crissake!

Being from the SF Bay Area - whenever I see 'Montana' and 'California' in the same sentence - all I can think of is JOE!!!

phew!

[Sabriel]

6. It was the same in Vegas...lots of Oregon plates on local $$ cars

We affectionately called them "Oregon Dodges."