Revenue Director Raises Amendment Three Concerns in Fee Office Story

Amid the controversy over the awarding of fee offices, the top person at the State Revenue Department says the reason for switching the remaining state-run offices to private fee offices might have been forgotten. Revenue Director Trish Vincent points out that when the Blunt Administration took control, there were already 171 fee offices throughout the state, with only 11 state-run operations – and the funding of those state-run offices became problematic after voters approved Amendment Three in November of 2004. The state-run offices were being funded with tax dollars collected for roads and highways. Approval of Amendment Three meant those tax dollars could no longer be diverted from their intended purpose. So, an important decision had to be made. And, Vincent says, the decision made was one to save taxpayer dollars. Vincent says in the 2004 Fiscal Year, the 11 offices were costing the state $7.2-Million while the portion of revenue fees coming back to the state totaled only $4.6-Million. She says this net loss was not a wise expenditure of tax money.