Letter: DMV doesn't refund for sold vehicle

I had a very rude awakening the other day. I had two vehicles, both of which were registered with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles in November of 1999. I sold vehicle number 1 March 2000.

I went to DMV to turn in the plates and assumed that I would either be refunded the remaining amount on my registration or that this amount would be applied to the end of the registration on vehicle number 2.

Obviously, I assumed wrong! This money I paid DMV to register vehicle number 1 is all but lost, unless, of course, I go out and buy a new vehicle and register it. I politely told the DMV employee what a rip-off (just for the record, I did not take out my hostilities on the DMV employee, after all, he/she did not make or pass the law).

I was also advised by this employee that our government was in the process of changing this law, but until then the money I paid in is a loss. Needless to say, I was livid and called the Governor's Office to lodge a complaint. I was advised by a gentleman that this law in fact had been changed. However, it does not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2001.

First of all, why are we (Nevadans, native, transplant or otherwise) not advised of this? Had I been aware of this policy, I would not have renewed the registration on the car I was attempting to sell. Secondly, my question is Governor Guinn, State of Nevada and DMV, what do you do with all this free money you receive? I'm sure I am not the only one this has happened to. In fact, I'm almost positive people move or are transferred out of state and sell vehicles on at least a weekly, if not daily, basis. Our taxes keep going up and up and up, and all I hear is, we need to raise taxes for this and for that, yet you have all this free money to do what with? Maybe you could put it back into the community or use it to bring down the outrageous fuel prices.

Finally, I would suggest that in the future when you have policies that "rip off" Nevadans, you advise them of it beforehand. (But I guess if you did that, you wouldn't be ripping us off, would you?)

SANDRA SCOTT

Carson City