TOLEDO, Ohio — Registering your car each year could soon cost people in Toledo more. In November, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz proposed increasing the fee from $25 to $30 and directing the revenue toward road maintenance.
Toledo City Council member John Hobbs III thinks the fee could be good but said some of his constituents in District 1 are a little worried.
"It takes a lot of money and it takes a lot of work to maintain our roads," he said. "What most people are struggling with is the trust factor as to whether this will actually go to where it is intended to go or will it wind up somewhere else and our streets not be in any better shape than what they currently are."
Council member Katie Moline argues the money is already there in the city's budget.
"I'm very skeptical when we've seen an increase in the general fund spending of $92 million in the four years I've been on council that there are no places that we can't cut before we raise fees and taxes for our citizens," Moline said.
At the council meeting on Tuesday, a temporary 0.25 % tax renewal for road and street repair was passed and will be on the ballot in March. It was first passed in 2020.
While Moline said she voted yes on the resolution, she said she wants a performance audit to be conducted on the city's streets program before taxing Toledoans any more.
"Before citizens have the chance to vote on it, we should audit that entire program," Moline said. "Just to see how many miles have been completed, what's the cost per mile? What's the status on the roads that have been completed?"
That increase to the license registration fee is now heading to the streets, public services, and utilities committee for further discussion.
Hobbs also added he would like to see a detailed presentation as to how they can guarantee the extra $5 will go toward streets before he votes on it.