Gov. Andrew Cuomo Proposes Slashing N.Y. Truck Registration, Decal Fees

In the wake of the Jan. 22 ruling by New York’s Supreme Court that the state’s highway user registration and decal fees for trucks were unconstitutional, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Feb. 12 offered an amendment to his proposed budget that drops those fees from a combined $19 to $1.50.

Cuomo’s administration previously had reacted to the court ruling by dropping the fees — $15 for the registration and $4 for the decal — for trucks with out-of-state plates. Instead, New York wants to collect a $1.50 administrative fee on all trucks that operate within the state.

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said Kendra Hems, executive director of the New York State Motor Truck Association. “But just because they’re addressing [the court ruling] in this manner now, we still don’t know if the state will appeal it. A dollar fifty per truck seems like a nuisance. Our ultimate goal is to repeal this tax.”