 |
|
Suggestion?
|
|
Do you have an idea for something not listed within our website? Please send it to us! We would love to hear from you. Use our Contact form to send us your suggestions.
|
|
|
|
|
Articles
|
| LCO License Plates being issued |
By Joe Morey
OJIBWE TIMES
The new LCO License Plates are being issued now at the LCO Police Department giving tribal members the option of purchasing a state issued or tribal issued license plate.
LCO Vice Chairman, Rusty Barber, states that the following must be done to register for the new plate; Pay license plate fee at the Accounting Department in the Tribal Administration Building and bring your receipt to the Tribal Police Department (No checks, cash only please), Bring your License Plate Renewal Notice that you receive from the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles showing the expiration date, Bring your Wisconsin Certificate of Vehicle Registration and Title. He said that you must be a Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Member and present your Tribal I.D and you must be a resident of Wisconsin (Military included). If purchasing a new vehicle, ask dealership for temporary plate only.
Barber estimates that the tribe will issue about 50 plates per month. Registration will cost the same as the state level. He said that the revenue raised will help off set the cost of law enforcement.
Last year, Barber said that LCO law enforcement was under funded with an $80,000 grant.
He explained that if the tribe should have 1,500 plates made it will cost $6 per set to make at a cost of $9,000. It will also cost about $999 for computer programming and $650 for training of the software to run the registration of vehicles.
Barber explained the revenue generated from the vehicle registrations would total over $100,000 in profits before paying for a dispatcher. He said that 1,200 cars at the current state of Wisconsin rate of $75 will bring in a total revenue of $90,000 annually as well as 300 trucks at $84 for a total of $25,200. After deducting the cost of the license plates and the software, the tribe would have $104,000.
“I’ve heard some say that we should charge less but I think we should keep it the same,” Barber said at that time. The extra income would help the tribe, he explained.
Eventually the tribe will have to hire a dispatcher 24/7 at 365 days a year, he said. “But for now we’ve asked Sawyer County to cover dispatching for us.”
The State of Wisconsin has reciprocal registration agreements with all the tribes in the state, but only four tribes have issued their own plates prior to LCO, which include Bad River, Flambeau, Menominee and Oneida. The reciprocal registration agreements are in accordance with section 341.409 of the Wisconsin Statutes. The agreements are similar to those with other states, and they provide for unrestricted operation in both jurisdictions by vehicles registered in either jurisdiction.
License plates are issued by Wisconsin Indian tribes and bands to members and non-members who reside on the reservation.
|
Barber said that he has received calls from tribal members living in Park Falls and other distant areas asking about the plates, “For them it shows their pride to members, displays their sovereignty,” he said.
The design of the LCO License Plate was created by Frank DeNasha Crowe, a Winter resident, who won a contest among local artists. His plate design achieved the most votes among a wide selection of submissions.
The artwork on the plate features an eagle on the left side of the plate with an eagle staff on the right. Across the top of the license plate is Lac Courte Orielles and across the bottom is Ojibwe Nation. Frank said he chose Ojibwe Nation to include all of the Ojibwe People and the eagle because it represents strength and good medicine.
Frank grew up in New Post, the son of William DeNasha and Flavia LaFernier, and a stepfather, Joseph LaFernier. He began drawing when he was about six years old.
The Following is the Wisconsin Statute: 341.409 Reciprocal registration exemption agreements for federally recognized Indian tribes or bands.
(1) The secretary with the approval of the joint committee on finance may enter into a reciprocal registration exemption agreement with the governing body of any federally recognized Indian tribe or band. The reciprocal agreement may exempt designated classes of vehicles registered by the Indian tribe or band from the registration requirements of this state if:
(a) The vehicle carries a registration plate showing valid registration by the Indian tribe or band.
(b) The Indian tribe or band registering the vehicle allows reciprocal privileges to similar classes of vehicles registered in this state under conditions substantially as favorable to this state as to the Indian tribe or band.
(2) The reciprocal agreement may include restrictions, conditions and terms of reciprocal privileges relating to registration, including any proportional registration taxes or fees deemed advisable by the department.
(3) The department may adopt rules to implement this section.
|
Posted on Jul 26, 2010 08:45am by admin
(Return to Articles)
|
|
Copyright 2010, LCoTimes.com
|
|
|
|
|
Events Calendar
|
|
Click Here to see our Events Calendar.
|
|
|
