By Rebecca Anzel –
Illinois law enforcement groups want to pump the brakes on proposed legislation that would do away with a requirement that Illinois cars display a front license plate.
A bill proposed by East Dundee Republican representative Allen Skillicorn would instruct the Secretary of State’s office to issue only one license plate to drivers, instead of two, for cars, trailers and trucks. The plate would attach to the rear of the vehicle.
But removing the front plate would make it harder for police officers and other law enforcement officials to do their jobs, said Ed Wojcicki, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
“It would make it much more difficult to identify people who violate the law,” he said.
Opposition is coming from the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, a spokesperson for the organization said, because the front license plate is a “tool we use in our toolbox. We don’t need any more restrictions.”
The Illinois Tollway Authority remains opposed to the legislation, said senior communications manager Dan Rozek.
“The loss of the front plate would disrupt the technology used by the Tollway to collect tolls, which often relies on matching the front plate with the rear plate to identify a vehicle,” Rozek said.
He said that could jeopardize as many as three Million transactions annually, at a loss of more than $6 Million annually.
Illinois spends $3.20 to manufacture two license plates, according to a news release from Skillicorn’s office. Making only one would save 60¢.
“Changing the plate requirement from two to one will save the State around $800,000,” he said. “Considering the State’s poor financial situation, we should be looking at everything we can to cut costs, and this a good option.”
Skillicorn did not return requests for comment.
— Capitol News Illinois
Rep. Sillikorn does make a valid point about doing everything possible to reduce the state’s spending. Let me rephrase that for him. We should do everything REASONABLE to reduce the state’s spending. Handcuffing the police by removing front plates is not REASONABLE. Reducing the pay legislators earn would be a reasonable way to save on the budget. A property tax on church owned property would surely go a long way to balancing the budget. And how about a substantial income tax on the fees that elected officials charge to speak at events?