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Virginia Beach: Ditching city decals won't be easy
VIRGINIA BEACH - Removing the sticky car-decal program is more complicated than it might look, city officials say.
A few months ago, the city's chief financial officer, tax assessor and tax collector began studying whether nixing the stickers was feasible. Whatever they decide, the City Council will have the ultimate say.
The top tax assessor, Commissioner of the Revenue Philip J. Kellam, publicly vowed Monday during his re-election announcement that he'll eliminate the car stickers.
Residents - including many who endure long, last-minute lines - pay $25 for the decals each winter and display them on their vehicles as proof that they have paid their personal property taxes.
Only the City Council can eliminate the program. And before the issue ever goes before council, it must be examined thoroughly said Patricia Phillips, the city's finance director, and City Treasurer John T. Atkinson.
While scraping old stickers off windshields and waiting in line for new ones can be an exasperating yearly experience for residents, the colorful decals serve a purpose, officials said.
The program helps the city collect delinquent taxes - about $2.5 million each year. The stickers also bring about $7.5 million dollars into the city's general fund at a cost of about $100,000, officials said.
"We don't want to create more problems than we've solved," Phillips said. "There are many alternatives. One is to eliminate the stickers, but it's not a sure bet."
Kellam said the money isn't the point.
His bigger concern is streamlining government procedures.
The stickers are outdated and unnecessary, he said, and should be eliminated. When he took office in 1997, Kellam said, he had to rely upon information collected along with the decal to assess personal property. Kellam now uses state information via the Internet and computer databases. The state's more comprehensive and accurate information renders the decal program redundant, he said.
"Why would you pay for something you don't need?" Kellam asked.
Suzanne Crismore, a Beach resident and mother of two, agrees with Kellam.
"I definitely want to get rid of that sticker, even if it means losing the money, " Crismore said. "Personally, I think the city wastes a lot of money. They act like they have money burning a hole in their pocket."
She ticked off a list of big-ticket city projects: the concert amphitheater, soccer stadium and field hockey complex.
As officials continue their study, Phillips said, the effort will focus on improving the tax-paying process, maintaining the revenue and reducing administrative costs. The study will take a few months, she said.
Atkinson agreed that while the city's current process of registering cars is flawed, he can't condone ditching the decal program without an alternative.
He credits Kellam's enthusiasm to scrap the stickers to inexperience. Kellam has been in the commissioner's office in various jobs since 1982. Atkinson has been city treasurer since 1978. "He does not have a plan, " Atkinson said. "It must provide $7.5 million in revenue, and it must provide a means for collecting delinquent taxes."