HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The Dauphin County Commissioner's meeting on Wednesday included a proposal to add a vehicle registration fee of $5 in the county.
The ordinance to raise the vehicle registration fee will be voted on next week. The county hopes to receive about $1.2 million per year from this additional fee.
They say they plan to use the funds for highway and bridge costs and expenses.
Although some people may be opposed to paying more, the chief clerk said the money isn't leaving the county.
Dauphin County Chief clerk Chad Saylor said, "This is a fee that everyone who pays it in Dauphin County, that money comes right back here to Dauphin County to pay for our local roads and bridges right here and improve our life right here in Dauphin County."
Six counties across the state already raised the fee by five dollars. One of those counties is Cumberland County.
Scott Evans, a resident of Cumberland County, said, "I don't see why it's necessary. Reason being Pennsylvania ranks one of the worst states in the U.S. as far as roads. How are we paying that much more money than a lot of other states?"
Saylor said the fee isn't going to be enough to cover the tens of millions of dollars needed, but it is a step in the right direction.
"This is a million dollar a year venture. So it's not going to answer all the needs, but it's a step forward in addressing those."
If the commissioners pass the ordinance next week, the fee will apply in March.