Lawmaker says trucks should carry more of the registration load

At least one lawmaker wants “urban cowboys” to pay a bit more for the wear and tear their pick-up trucks cause on the roads. Pick-up trucks are charged a much lower registration fee than cars because they’re classified for farm or commercial use. But a legislator from Waterloo suggests raising the registration fees pick-up owners pay.State Representative Don Shoultz, a democrat, says the registration fee for any new pick-up is 65 dollars, whereas a new Honda Civic would carry a four-hundred dollar fee even though it weighs less and creates less wear-and-tear on the roads. Shoultz says it’s not fair to tax cars at a much higher rate than pick-ups which are used for the same primary purpose — to haul people rather than products. Shoultz’ higher registration fee — based on the weight of the vehicle — would only take effect on newly-purchased pick-up trucks. So folks who’re paying the much lower registration fees on trucks they own now wouldn’t see their fees go up next year.