With the aim of curbing its budget deficit, New York State enacted a new law on Nov. 10 to reissue license plates starting next April for a mandatory $25 fee. Due to widespread opposition, however, the law is likely to be repealed, according to Aurora Valenti, Tompkins County clerk and Department of Motor Vehicle director.

The new gold and dark-blue colored plates are intended as a safety measure by having a highly reflective surface. They are also expected to generate $129 million through the mandatory $25 fee over two years to help address the state’s financial crisis, according to the New York State DMV press release issued on Nov. 10. New York’s budget deficit is currently $3.2 billion, according to the Boston Herald. The plates will also bring more than 100 jobs at a prison, according to the New York Times.

But the mandatory fee has angered many New Yorkers.

“We feel that to impose a new fee like this in this economy is criminal,” Valenti said.

New York driver Mason Appel ‘11 shares the same view, calling the new fee “blatant thievery.”

The current fee for new plates ranges from $15 to $18.75, according to Valenti.

Historically, the state reissues new license plates every 10 years or so out of a perceived need, such as when the plates run out of numbers or become too worn, said Roxanne Iacovelli, motor vehicle supervisor at Tompkins County’s DMV. This time, however, there are no apparent problems with the existing plates. The state had just reissued license plates in 2001, and has only gone through half of the alphabet, at most, according to Iacovelli.

Iacovelli added that a full plate replacement program requires a great amount of time and energy on the part of the DMV, and would not be worth all the hassle if the state is only using it to collect money.

The New York State Association of County Clerks has petitioned Gov. David Paterson in opposition to the new law, and a committee of county clerks has been meeting continuously with state legislators, according to Valenti.

In response to the outcries, Gov. Paterson announced on Nov. 15 that he is willing to drop the law if the state finds other ways of generating revenue, according to the Associated Press.

Valenti said that the county clerks are fairly certain that the law will be overturned. However, they do not feel that it is their responsibility to come up with an alternative plan, according to Valenti.

“We feel this is not our responsibility,” Valenti said. “We feel it’s our responsibility to the public to keep them [driving], and especially in an economy like this where people are having difficulty buying food, that they shouldn’t have to pay more money for a plate.”

New Yorkers will have to wait for state legislators to decide what will happen to the law. Meanwhile, Valenti encourages New York residents to call their legislators to voice their opinion.