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Another fee

When I first learned of the Butler County Commissioners’ intent to impose a $5 fee on most vehicle registrations I wondered where county officials garnered such legal authority.

The answer to that, apparently, was provided by Matt Smith, president of Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce (“Regional vision,” Aug. 12).

I am not at all well versed on the nuts and bolts of Act 89. Nor do I have to be. I oppose it because it represents another mechanism by which some level of government can reach their hand in my pocket.

I would like to pose a pointed question to the county commissioners.

In conference with Transportation Secretary Chao, was anything close to the following said?

“Madam Secretary, we are not altogether comfortable with your requirement that we first gouge our constituents. As far as we know, the people of Butler County have already paid their fair share. We don’t fully understand why much-needed federal funding in our county should be contingent upon the imposition of some new fee or tax at the county level.”

My guess is that nothing even close to that was said. I rather suspect that our commissioners were simply rolled by Secretary Chao.

Equally likely is thatthey simply agree with such an arrangement.

This whole scenario provides another example of why more and more people have grown to despise the political class.

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